Key Facts
- Hangul: 가을; Revised Romanization: gaeul
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: native Korean
- Register: neutral, everyday word for the season
Autumn in Korean: What Does 가을 Mean?
가을 means autumn, the season Americans call fall. It names the season itself, not what happens in it: the colored leaves are 단풍, and the autumn harvest holiday is 추석 (Chuseok). In Korea, autumn is known for clear, high skies and cool, dry weather, which is why 가을 하늘 (the autumn sky) is such a familiar phrase.
How Do You Pronounce 가을?
Two syllables, ga-eul. The first is 가, a soft g and the vowel ㅏ (a), as in "father". The second is 을, the vowel ㅡ (eu), said with the lips spread, followed by a light l. Keep the two vowels separate: ga, then eul. Before a vowel, the ㄹ links forward as a quick r: 가을에 is [가으레].
Example Sentences with 가을
가을에 단풍이 예뻐요.
Gaeure danpungi yeppeoyo
In autumn, the colored leaves are pretty.
가을에 means "in autumn", with 에 marking time. 단풍이 예뻐요 says the colored leaves are pretty.
저는 가을을 좋아해요.
Jeoneun gaeureul joahaeyo
I like autumn.
저는 means "as for me", 가을을 marks autumn as the object, and 좋아해요 means "like".
가을 날씨는 시원해요.
Gaeul nalssineun siwonhaeyo
The autumn weather is cool.
가을 날씨 means "autumn weather", and 시원해요 means "is cool". 시원해요 describes a pleasant, refreshing kind of cool, not an unpleasant chill.
Common Phrases and Collocations
가을바람 is written as one word, while 가을 하늘 and 가을 단풍 keep a space.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 가을바람 | autumn breeze |
| 가을 하늘 | autumn sky |
| 가을 단풍 | autumn leaves |
| 가을에 | in autumn |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: using 가을에서 to mean “in autumn,” as if the season were a place.
Correct: use 에 for the time phrase 가을에. In casual speech, 에 can sometimes be omitted when the timing is clear. Also keep 가을 (autumn) apart from 겨울 (winter); both end in ㄹ and are easy to mix up at first.
가을 Compared with Similar Words
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 가을 | autumn, fall | This page's word: the season |
| 단풍 | autumn leaves | The colored leaves, not the season |
| 추석 | Chuseok | The autumn harvest holiday, an event within the season |
| 겨울 | winter | The season after autumn; the similar ending makes it easy to confuse |
Where Does the Word Come From?
가을 is a native Korean word and has no hanja form.
Cultural Note
Autumn is described by the four-character idiom 천고마비, "the sky is high and horses grow fat". It praises the clear autumn sky and the rich harvest.
Planning an Autumn Walk
Two neighbors are deciding where to walk at the weekend. The autumn leaves give them a reason to choose a park.
Mina
가을에 어디에 가고 싶어요?
Gaeure eodie gago sipeoyo?
Where would you like to go in autumn?
Alex
공원에 가고 싶어요.
Gongwone gago sipeoyo.
I’d like to go to the park.
Mina
단풍 보러 가요?
Danpung boreo gayo?
Shall we go to see the autumn leaves?
Alex
좋아요. 가을 날씨가 좋아요.
Joayo. Gaeul nalssiga joayo.
Sounds good. The autumn weather is nice.
가을에 supplies the season, while 공원에 supplies the destination. The particle 에 works with both, but the nouns tell you which role it has. 단풍 보러 가요 gives the purpose of the outing: going to see the leaves. It does not mean the word 단풍 is another name for autumn.
Autumn Phrases on Shop Signs and Event Notices
가을 신상품 means new products for autumn. You may see it beside clothing, where the season identifies a collection. 가을 세일 means an autumn sale, and 가을 축제 means an autumn festival. These phrases use 가을 directly before a noun, with no 에: they name a kind of product, sale or event rather than saying when an action happens.
이번 가을 means “this autumn,” and 올가을 also means “this autumn.” 올가을 is written as one word. Next autumn is 내년 가을 when you mean the autumn of next year. Adding the year is useful when planning far ahead, because the season name alone does not identify which year.
Leaves, Weather and the Feeling of the Season
단풍 구경 means going to look at the autumn foliage. 구경 is looking around or sightseeing, so this phrase describes the outing rather than the leaves themselves. 단풍이 들다 means that leaves change to their autumn colors. The literal wording uses 들다, but the phrase describes the color change; it does not mean someone is carrying leaves.
가을 하늘 describes the autumn sky, while 가을바람 names an autumn breeze. These expressions can appear in weather talk, song lyrics and descriptions of a walk. The word 가을 stays neutral; a poetic setting comes from the surrounding description, not from a separate formal version of the season name.
시원해요, in the existing weather example, suggests welcome coolness. 쌀쌀해요 means chilly and is useful when the cool air feels cold enough to need another layer. Both can describe autumn weather, so learning the season name does not replace learning how the weather actually feels that day.
Words to Use on an Autumn Outing
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 단풍 | autumn foliage | Names the colored leaves you go to see. |
| 낙엽 | fallen leaves | Refers to leaves that have fallen, rather than all autumn foliage. |
| 산책 | walk / stroll | Useful for a short outing in a park. |
| 겨울 | winter | The season following autumn. |
The seasons lesson teaches the seasonal set. Keep 가을 for the time of year, then add 단풍, 낙엽 or a weather description to say what you actually see or feel.
Quick Self-Test
- Does 가을 change between British “autumn” and American “fall”?
- Why is there no 에 in 가을 축제?
- Which word specifically names fallen leaves?
Show answers
- No. 가을 covers both English names.
- 가을 modifies 축제 to name an autumn festival; it is not a time phrase here.
- 낙엽. 단풍 names autumn foliage.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "autumn" or "fall" in Korean?
Say 가을 (gaeul). The same word covers both autumn and fall.
How do I say "in autumn"?
Say 가을에. Seasons take the time particle 에.
Is 가을 the same as 단풍?
No. 가을 is the season, and 단풍 are the colored autumn leaves.
What does 천고마비 mean?
It means "the sky is high and horses grow fat", an idiom praising the clear autumn sky and the rich harvest.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: season vocabulary for the other seasons.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Another season: spring in Korean.
- The season after autumn: winter in Korean.