Korean Dictionary
How to say "Better Late than Never" in Korean
“Better Late than Never” in Korean is 늦게라도 하는 것이 낫다 (pronounced "Neutgerado Haneun Geosi Natda").
늦게라도 하는 것이 낫다
Neutgerado Haneun Geosi Natda
Usage & Context
This Korean saying means it is better to do something late than not to do it at all. It is used to encourage starting tasks even after a delay.
Example Sentence
늦게 시작했지만 늦게라도 하는 것이 낫잖아요.
I started late but better late than never.
How to use 늦게라도 하는 것이 낫다 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Better Late than Never” is 늦게라도 하는 것이 낫다, romanized as Neutgerado Haneun Geosi Natda.
Usage tip
Learn this word together with a complete Korean sentence. Meaning often depends on particles, politeness level, and word order.
Common mistake
Do not rely only on the English meaning. Read the Korean example sentence and notice the particles, word order, and politeness level around 늦게라도 하는 것이 낫다.
Pronunciation Guide
Pronounced 'neut-ge-ra-do ha-neun geo-si nat-da'. '늦게라도' is 'neut-ke-ra-do'. '낫다' ends with a tense 'tt' — 'nat-tta'.
More Example Sentences
personal story
늦게라도 하는 것이 낫다고, 40대에 대학 갔어요.
Better late than never — I went to college in my 40s.
receiving belated contact
늦게라도 연락해 줘서 고마워요.
Thanks for reaching out, even if it was late.
casual consolation
안 하는 것보다 늦게라도 하는 게 낫지.
Doing it late is better than not doing it at all.
Cultural Context
A more natural casual phrasing Koreans actually use is 안 하는 것보다는 낫다 (better than not doing it at all). The idea runs deep in Korean culture where persistence (꾸준함) is prized. Often used to encourage adult learners, late bloomers, or someone returning to something they abandoned.
Editorial note
We review entries like 늦게라도 하는 것이 낫다 for pronunciation, example sentence fit, and learner mistakes so the page answers more than a direct dictionary lookup.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
안 하는 것보다 낫잖아.
It's better than not doing it, right?
늦어도 괜찮아요.
It's okay even if it's late.
지금이라도 시작해요.
Start now, even if it's late.
Related Expressions
늦다
neutda
to be late
낫다
natda
to be better
꾸준히
kkujunhi
steadily, persistently
포기하지 마
pogihaji ma
don't give up
More Idioms & Proverbs Words
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