Key Facts
- Hangul: 어떻게; Revised Romanization: eotteoke
- Part of speech: adverb
- Origin: native
- Register: Neutral.
How in Korean: What Does 어떻게 Mean?
어떻게 is neutral and sits in front of a verb: you ask how an action is done. Its two English glosses, "how" and "in what way", describe the same idea, the manner or method. It is a native word with no hanja.
How Do You Pronounce It?
Three syllables, eo-tteo-ke. The tt is the tense ㄸ: say it with a tight throat and no puff of air. The ㅎ written at the bottom of the second syllable is not heard on its own; it merges with the next ㄱ into a strong, breathy k (ㅋ), which is why the romanization shows ke. Both ㅓ vowels are an open, unrounded "uh".
Example Sentences with 어떻게
어떻게 가요?
Eotteoke gayo?
How do I get there?
The shortest use: asking for directions or a method of getting somewhere. 가요 is the verb that 어떻게 modifies.
이 음식은 어떻게 만들어요?
I eumsigeun eotteoke mandeureoyo?
How do you make this food?
이 음식 means "this food", and 만들어요 is the verb of making. The question asks for the recipe or method.
한국어를 어떻게 공부했어요?
Hangugeoreul eotteoke gongbuhaesseoyo?
How did you study Korean?
The past tense 공부했어요 makes this a question about how you studied, so the answer would be a method such as "with an app".
Collocations
어떻게 appears in set questions and in a flexible "somehow" form.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 어떻게 지내요? | How are you doing? |
| 어떻게 하다 | how to do it; what to do |
| 어떻게든 | somehow |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: ✗ using 어떻게 on its own to ask "How is it?" about food, weather or a plan
Correct: ✓ 어때요?
Why: 어떻게 asks about manner, how to do something, and usually accompanies an action verb, as in 어떻게 가요? 어때요 asks about a state or an opinion, how something is. For "How is the weather?" you want 어때요, not 어떻게.
어떻게 Compared with Similar Words
Three other question words each ask about something different from manner.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 어떻게 | how | how an action is done (manner) |
| 어때요? | How is it? | Asks about state/opinion. |
| 어떤 | what kind of | Asks about type before noun. |
| 얼마나 | how much | Asks about degree. |
Asking for a Route and Then a Method
A visitor needs to reach Seoul Station. After hearing which transport to use, they ask how to buy a ticket. Both questions use 어떻게 and ask for practical information.
Visitor
서울역에 어떻게 가요?
Seoullyeoge eotteoke gayo?
How do I get to Seoul Station?
Local
지하철을 타세요.
Jihacheoreul taseyo.
Take the subway.
Visitor
표는 어떻게 사요?
Pyoneun eotteoke sayo?
How do I buy a ticket?
Local
저 기계에서 사세요.
Jeo gigyeeseo saseyo.
Buy one at that machine over there.
The first 어떻게 question asks for a way to travel, so the answer names transport. The second asks how to complete a purchase, so the answer points to a machine. The verb after 어떻게 tells the listener what kind of method you need.
표는 makes the ticket the next topic: “as for the ticket”. The visitor can continue without repeating the destination. 저 기계 means “that machine over there”, and 에서 identifies where the purchase happens.
Phrases That Do More than Ask for Instructions
어떻게 지내요? literally asks how someone is spending their time or getting along. In conversation it functions as “How are you doing?” A reply about being busy or doing well fits the question; a detailed daily schedule is not required.
어떻게 알았어요? means “How did you know?” It can ask where information came from, or express surprise that someone already knew. The tone depends on the scene. The question itself does not accuse the other person of doing anything wrong.
어떻게든 means “somehow” or “one way or another”. Unlike the question word 어떻게 on its own, it does not request a method. It suggests that the speaker will find some way, even if the method is not settled yet.
어떻게 해요? can mean “How do I do it?” or “What should I do?” In a worried conversation, it asks for a response to a problem. The same method word therefore works in both calm instructions and an urgent request for advice.
어떻게 and 어떡해: a Spelling Difference You Will See
어떡해 is a shortened form of 어떻게 해. It often appears in messages or drama subtitles for “What do I do?” The contraction already includes 해, the doing verb.
어떻게 가요 asks how to go, with 가요 as its verb. Wrong: 어떡해 가요 when you mean “How do I get there?” Correct: 어떻게 가요. Keep 어떻게 before another action verb; use 어떡해 for the shortened “what do I do?” expression.
A speaker can also say 어떻게? alone as a follow-up when the missing action is already obvious. If someone says they fixed a broken item, a surprised 어떻게? asks how they fixed it. Full sentences help beginners see the action that conversation sometimes leaves out.
Where Will You Hear 어떻게?
In cooking videos and classroom explanations, 어떻게 introduces a question about a process. In directions, it asks for a route or transport. In dramas, the same word can express disbelief when a speaker cannot understand how an event happened.
The word itself is neutral. It does not become polite by adding 요 directly to it. In 어떻게 가요, the politeness is on 가요. With a close friend, 어떻게 가? asks the same method question using a casual ending.
English “how” also asks about price, quantity and condition. Korean distributes those questions across several expressions, so choosing 어떻게 depends on the kind of answer you want.
Question Words to Choose Alongside 어떻게
| Korean | Meaning | What the answer gives |
|---|---|---|
| 어디 | where | A place, rather than a method. |
| 언제 | when | A time or date. |
| 왜 | why | A reason for an action or event. |
| 얼마나 | how much; how far in degree | An amount or degree, often with another describing word. |
| 어때요? | How is it? | A condition or opinion, rather than instructions. |
The question words lesson teaches the set together. Choose the question word by the information missing from your conversation.
Quick Self-Test
- To ask for a recipe's method, would you use 어떻게 or 어때요?
- What longer expression is shortened to 어떡해?
- Does 어떻게든 ask the listener to explain a method?
Show answers
- 어떻게, together with a making or cooking verb.
- 어떻게 해.
- No. It means “somehow” or “one way or another”.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "how" in Korean?
How in Korean is 어떻게 (eotteoke). Put it right before the verb, as in 이 음식은 어떻게 만들어요? (How do you make this food?).
How do you ask "How do I get there?"
Say 어떻게 가요? It literally asks "how do (I) go?" and is the usual way to ask for directions or a route.
What does 어떻게든 mean?
어떻게든 means "somehow" or "one way or another". It is 어떻게 plus an ending that turns the question into "by any means".
When should I use 어때요 instead?
Use 어때요 to ask how something is: a state or an opinion, such as the weather or a dish. Use 어떻게 to ask how something is done.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Question words lines up 어떻게 with the other question words.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.