Korean Dictionary
How to say "Falling Out" in Korean
“Falling Out” in Korean is 사이가 나빠지다 (pronounced "Saiga Nabwajida").
사이가 나빠지다
Saiga Nabwajida
Usage & Context
사이가 나빠지다 means for a relationship to deteriorate or for two people to fall out. It can apply to any relationship including friendships, family, and coworkers. In Korean culture, maintaining harmony is important, so falling out with someone is considered serious.
Example Sentence
오해가 생겨서 친구와 사이가 나빠졌어요.
A misunderstanding caused my friendship to deteriorate.
How to use 사이가 나빠지다 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Falling Out” is 사이가 나빠지다, romanized as Saiga Nabwajida.
Usage tip
Relationship words can sound too direct if the social context is wrong. Check the age, closeness, and formality before using it.
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 사이가 나빠지다.
Pronunciation Guide
사이 (Sai) sounds like 'sah-ee'. 나빠지다 (Nabwajida) sounds like 'nah-bba-jee-dah', with '빠' being a strong, tense 'bba' sound. The emphasis is on '빠' in '나빠지다'.
Formal & Casual Forms
Formal (존댓말)
사이가 나빠지셨습니다 / 사이가 나빠지셨어요
Saiga Nabwajisyeosseumnida / Saiga Nabwajisyeosseoyo
Used when speaking about someone else's relationship deteriorating, showing respect to the subject.
Casual (반말)
사이 나빠졌어
Sai nabwajyeosseo
A more direct and informal way to say 'we fell out' or 'the relationship got bad,' used among close friends.
More Example Sentences
Discussing common reasons for family disputes.
돈 문제로 형제끼리 사이가 나빠지는 경우가 많아요.
It's common for siblings to fall out over money issues.
Expressing regret over a neglected friendship.
오랫동안 연락 안 했더니 친구랑 사이가 나빠졌어.
I haven't contacted my friend for a long time, so we've fallen out.
Explaining workplace conflict affecting productivity.
팀원들끼리 사이가 나빠져서 프로젝트 진행이 어려워요.
The team members have fallen out, making project progress difficult.
Cultural Context
In Korean culture, maintaining harmonious relationships (관계, gwan-gye) is highly valued. Therefore, '사이가 나빠지다' (for a relationship to deteriorate or fall out) is often seen as a serious matter. It can apply to friends, family, colleagues, or even romantic partners. Koreans might go to great lengths to avoid conflict or mend broken ties, as social harmony and group cohesion are important. Losing face or causing discomfort in a relationship is generally avoided.
Editorial note
We check relationship words like 사이가 나빠지다 against age, closeness, and politeness rules, because a literal English match often misses the social meaning.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
둘이 사이가 나빠졌대.
They say those two fell out.
사이가 나빠지지 않게 조심해야지.
I need to be careful not to let our relationship deteriorate.
사이가 나빠져서 연락 안 해.
We fell out, so we don't contact each other.
Related Expressions
관계가 틀어지다
Gwangyega teureojida
For a relationship to go wrong/sour
절교하다
Jeolgyohada
To break off a friendship
화해하다
Hwahaehada
To reconcile, make up
사이가 좋다
Saiga jota
To have a good relationship
More Relationships Words
Master Korean with AI-Powered Learning
Practice Falling Out and 10,000+ words with native pronunciation and AI conversation.
