Korean Dictionary
How to say "Wake up" in Korean
“Wake up” in Korean is 일어나다 (pronounced "Ireonada").
일어나다
Ireonada
Usage & Context
To get up or wake from sleep. 일어나세요 (please wake up) is the polite command. Koreans typically sleep on heated floors (온돌, ondol), a traditional floor heating system. Early morning commutes mean many Koreans wake between 6-7 AM on weekdays.
Example Sentence
아침에 일찍 일어나는 게 힘들어요.
It's hard to wake up early in the morning.
How to use 일어나다 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Wake up” is 일어나다, romanized as Ireonada.
Usage tip
Practice this word inside a full daily-life sentence, because particles and sentence endings make the Korean sound natural.
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 일어나다.
Pronunciation Guide
Pronounce '일어나다' as "Ee-ruh-nah-dah". 'Ee' sounds like 'ee' in 'see'. 'ruh' is like 'ru' in 'run' but without the 'n' sound. 'nah' is like 'nah' in 'nanny'. 'dah' is like 'dah' in 'dad'. The stress is fairly even across syllables.
Formal & Casual Forms
Formal (존댓말)
일어나세요
Ireonaseyo
A polite command, often used by parents to children, or in public announcements like '승객 여러분, 이제 일어나세요.' (Passengers, please wake up/get up now.)
Casual (반말)
일어나
Ireona
A casual command, used with close friends, family, or those younger than you.
More Example Sentences
A student regretting oversleeping and planning to change habits.
늦잠 자서 학교에 늦었어요. 다음부터는 일찍 일어나야겠어요.
I overslept and was late for school. I need to wake up early next time.
A child excitedly announcing they've woken up and are hungry.
엄마, 저 일어났어요! 아침밥 주세요!
Mom, I'm up! Give me breakfast!
Someone expressing enjoyment of a relaxed weekend lie-in.
주말에는 늦게 일어나는 게 최고죠.
Waking up late on weekends is the best.
Cultural Context
Koreans often use '일어나세요' as a gentle but firm way to tell someone to get up, whether from sleep or from a seated position. Given the traditional ondol (heated floor) sleeping culture, getting up from the floor is a common daily action. Early morning commutes mean many Koreans wake between 6-7 AM on weekdays, making '일찍 일어나다' (to wake up early) a common phrase.
Editorial note
We review entries like 일어나다 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
일찍 일어나다
To wake up early
늦게 일어나다
To wake up late
이제 일어나야지
It's time to wake up now.
Related Expressions
잠에서 깨다
Jam-eseo kkaeda
To wake from sleep (more literal)
눕다
Nupda
To lie down (antonym)
자다
Jada
To sleep (related verb)
깨우다
Kkaeuda
To wake someone up (causative verb)
More Daily Life Words
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