Key Facts
- Hangul: 속도; Revised Romanization: sokdo
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean (速度)
- Register: Neutral.
Speed in Korean: What Does 속도 Mean?
속도 is speed, how fast something moves. It works for cars, trains, internet connections and anything with a rate. Physics distinguishes 속력 (speed without direction) from 속도 (velocity with direction), and the verbs that go with 속도 describe speeding up and slowing down.
How Do You Pronounce 속도?
Two syllables, spelled sok-do but pronounced sok-tto. After a final ㄱ, a following ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ, ㅅ or ㅈ becomes tense (Article 23 of the 국립국어원 standard pronunciation rules). Say it with a tight throat and no puff of air. The vowel ㅗ is rounded.
Example Sentences with 속도
차의 속도가 빨라요.
Chaui sokdoga ppallayo.
The car's speed is fast.
차의 is "of the car", and 빨라요 is the adjective for fast. The sentence states that the speed is high.
속도를 줄이세요.
Sokdoreul juriseyo.
Please slow down.
줄이세요 is a polite request to reduce something, the kind of thing a passenger or driving instructor says.
인터넷 속도가 느려요.
Inteonet sokdoga neuryeoyo.
The internet speed is slow.
인터넷 속도가 느려요 says the connection is slow. 느려요 is the adjective for slow.
Phrases and Collocations with 속도
The three phrases cover going faster, going slower and the legal limit.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 속도를 내다 | to speed up |
| 속도를 줄이다 | to slow down |
| 속도 제한 | speed limit |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: ✗ sok-do, with a plain d
Correct: ✓ sok-tto
Why: After the final ㄱ, the ㄷ becomes tense, so the spoken form is sok-tto. A plain d sounds unnatural to Korean ears.
속도 Compared with Similar Words
Three related words highlight pace, physical speed and acceleration.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 빠르기 | swiftness | A native synonym, less common. |
| 속력 | speed (physics) | A technical term. |
| 가속 | acceleration | Speeding up. |
Where Does 속도 Come From?
속도 is Sino-Korean, written 速度: 速 means fast and 度 means degree. Together they say "degree of fastness", which matches how the word measures speed.
Adjusting a Lesson Video
A learner and a tutor are watching a Korean lesson video. The learner wants the playback slowed down, so 속도 refers to the video rather than to a vehicle.
Learner
영상이 너무 빨라요.
Yeongsangi neomu ppallayo.
The video is too fast.
Tutor
재생 속도를 줄일까요?
Jaesaeng sokdoreul jurilkkayo?
Shall I reduce the playback speed?
Learner
네, 조금만 줄여 주세요.
Ne, jogeumman juryeo juseyo.
Yes, please reduce it just a little.
Tutor
이 속도는 어때요?
I sokdoneun eottaeyo?
How is this speed?
재생 속도 means playback speed. 줄일까요 offers to reduce it, and 조금만 asks for only a small change. The learner does not need to repeat 속도 in the reply because both speakers know which setting they mean. The final question checks whether the new speed works for the learner.
What Do the Verbs around 속도 Mean?
속도를 내다 means to pick up speed or move faster. Literally, 내다 has a broad sense of producing or bringing something out; the complete phrase means increasing pace. It can describe a vehicle, but it can also describe work progressing faster. The noun after a modifier tells you what kind of speed is involved.
속도를 줄이다 means to reduce speed, while 속도를 높이다 means to increase it. The speed takes 를 because it is what someone changes. By contrast, 속도가 느려요 describes a speed as slow and uses 가. This difference lets you separate a description of a problem from a request to change a setting.
속도를 맞추다 means to match or adjust the pace. When people walk or work together, the phrase can concern coordinating their pace. It does not necessarily mean going faster: matching a slower person’s pace may require slowing down. The useful meaning is agreement in pace, rather than a direction of change.
Where Will You Read 속도?
Video settings use 재생 속도 for playback speed. A value such as 0.5배 means half the normal speed, while 2배 means twice the normal speed. 배 is a multiplier here. Changing that setting affects playback; it does not mean that the internet connection itself has become faster or slower.
인터넷 속도 concerns the connection, and 다운로드 속도 concerns downloading. A page that loads slowly and a video playing at reduced speed may look similar to a learner, but the labels describe different things. The word before 속도 supplies the missing detail, so read the whole label when changing a setting.
On roads, 속도 제한 names a restriction on speed. 제한 속도 names the permitted limit itself. The order changes the focus: one phrase names the restriction, and the other the speed that is limited. Neither expression tells you a number unless a number or a sign supplies it.
Related Words for Rates and Measurements
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 거리 | distance | How far something travels, rather than how fast. |
| 시간 | time | The duration of a trip or task. |
| 시속 | speed per hour | Used before a number in descriptions of travel speed. |
| 배속 | playback speed / speed multiple | Useful when talking about faster or slower media playback. |
The measurement vocabulary lesson puts 속도 beside quantities such as distance and weight. Keep the measured quantity in view: a long distance does not itself imply a high speed, and a short task does not itself imply rapid work.
Can 속도 Describe Work and Learning?
작업 속도 means work speed, and 읽는 속도 means reading speed. In these combinations, 속도 describes how quickly an activity happens. The noun remains neutral; it does not praise the quality of the result. A fast reading speed and good understanding are separate descriptions.
빠르기 is another noun for how fast something is, formed from 빠르다, “to be fast”. It is useful when discussing comparative pace, including music. 속도 is especially convenient for labels and measurements, but the context determines which noun sounds most natural. You do not need to replace every occurrence of 빠르기 with 속도.
Quick Self-Test
- Does 재생 속도 mean playback speed or internet connection speed?
- Which phrase requests a reduction: 속도를 줄이다 or 속도를 높이다?
- In a video setting, what does 2배 mean?
Show answers
- Playback speed.
- 속도를 줄이다. 높이다 means to increase it.
- Twice the normal speed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say speed in Korean?
Say 속도 (sokdo).
How do you pronounce 속도?
It sounds like sok-tto, with a tense second consonant.
How do you say "slow down" in Korean?
Say 속도를 줄이세요.
How do you say speed limit?
Say 속도 제한.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: measurement vocabulary groups it with other measurements.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: add it to the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Next in the list: the page for weight.