Korean Unlocked #32
다 됐어요
All Done / That’s Enough / Stop It
Da dwaesseoyo
One phrase. Many moods. Master them all. 🎯
Quick Answer
Quick Answer
다 됐어요 (Da dwaesseoyo) means “All done,” “That’s enough,” or “Stop it” — a powerfully versatile phrase that signals something is finished, sufficient, or needs to stop, depending entirely on context and tone.
What It Really Means
Here’s the thing about 다 됐어요 — it’s one of those phrases that looks super simple on paper but packs a serious punch in real life. On the surface, it translates to “all done” or “it’s finished,” but the actual meaning shifts dramatically based on who says it, how they say it, and what’s happening around them.
Imagine a mom finishing cooking dinner — she calls out 다 됐어요! with a cheerful tone and it means “It’s all ready!” Now picture that same mom watching her kid argue at the dinner table and saying 다 됐어요. in a flat, firm voice — suddenly it means “That’s enough, stop it right now.” Same words. Completely different energy.
This is what Korean learners call a “tone-dependent phrase.” The sentence structure doesn’t change, but the emotional weight and meaning are entirely shaped by your intonation, facial expression, and the situation. Learning to read and produce these differences is what takes you from textbook Korean to real-life Korean. Let’s dig into exactly how this phrase works.
Grammar Breakdown
다
Adverb: “all / completely / entirely”
+
됐어요
되다 (to become/be done) → past tense, polite form
=
다 됐어요
“It has all become done” → “All done!”
📌 됐어요 comes from the verb 되다 (doeda), which means “to become” or “to be completed.” When used in the past tense (됐어 / 됐어요), it signals that a state of completion has been reached. Add 다 (da = all/completely) in front, and you get the full sense of “everything has been completed.” The -요 ending makes it politely formal enough for most everyday social situations.
All the Ways to Use It
1
✅ Task Completed
You’ve finished something — cooking, fixing, packing — and you want to let someone know it’s all done. Upbeat and helpful.
청소 다 됐어요!
Cheongso da dwaesseoyo!
“The cleaning is all done!”
2
🛑 Stop It / Enough
Said with a stern or tired tone, this tells someone to cut it out. It’s a polite but firm way of saying “I’m done with this situation.”
다 됐어요. 그만해요.
Da dwaesseoyo. Geumanhaeyo.
“That’s enough. Stop it.”
3
🚫 “Don’t Bother” / Dismissal
When someone offers help or an apology and you want to decline it or indicate that it’s no longer needed. Can sound cold if delivered harshly.
괜찮아요, 다 됐어요.
Gwaenchanayo, da dwaesseoyo.
“It’s fine, don’t worry about it.”
4
😤 Sarcastic / Exasperated
With an eye-roll or sigh, this can mean “Oh great, just what I needed” (sarcastically). Implies “Well, that’s just wonderful” in a fed-up tone.
아, 이제 다 됐네요…
A, ije da dwaenneyo…
“Oh great, now everything’s ruined…”
5
🍳 Food / Service Ready
In restaurants, kitchens, or service contexts — staff announce that food or a service is fully prepared and ready for you.
주문하신 음식 다 됐어요.
Jumunhasin eumsik da dwaesseoyo.
“Your ordered food is all ready.”
6
💔 “I’m done with you/this”
In emotional or relationship contexts, this phrase signals that someone has mentally or emotionally checked out from a person or situation entirely.
우리 다 됐어요.
Uri da dwaesseoyo.
“We’re done. / It’s over between us.”
Pronunciation Guide
Breaking It Down: Da-dwaess-eo-yo
다 = “da” — short and crisp, like “dah.” Don’t drag it out.
됐 = “dwaess” — this is the tricky part! It’s “dwaess” (like “dwess” with rounded lips at the start). The double consonant ㅆ makes it feel slightly “cut off” or clipped.
어요 = “eo-yo” — “eo” is that mid-back Korean vowel (not quite “aw”, not quite “uh”). Then “-yo” ends cleanly.
됐 = “dwaess” — this is the tricky part! It’s “dwaess” (like “dwess” with rounded lips at the start). The double consonant ㅆ makes it feel slightly “cut off” or clipped.
어요 = “eo-yo” — “eo” is that mid-back Korean vowel (not quite “aw”, not quite “uh”). Then “-yo” ends cleanly.
Common Mistake: “됐” vs “돼”
Many beginners confuse 됐어요 (past tense, “it became done”) with 돼요 (present tense, “it works/is okay”). They sound similar but mean different things! 됐어요 = already done / stop; 돼요 = it’s okay / it works.
Tone Changes the Meaning
Rising cheerful tone → “All done! 🎉”
Flat, low, firm tone → “That’s enough. Stop. 😤”
Long sigh + slow delivery → “I’m done with this situation 😮💨”
Practice each one — they’re completely different conversations!
Flat, low, firm tone → “That’s enough. Stop. 😤”
Long sigh + slow delivery → “I’m done with this situation 😮💨”
Practice each one — they’re completely different conversations!
Linking Sounds in Natural Speech
In fast natural Korean, 다 됐어요 flows together almost like “da-dwaess-eo-yo” as one smooth chain. The space between 다 and 됐 is very brief. Listen to native speakers and you’ll notice it sounds like one word in casual speech.
Real Dialogue Example
💬 SCENARIO: At home — preparing to go out
A
준비 다 됐어요?
Junbi da dwaesseoyo?
Are you all ready? (Is everything prepared?)
B
아직요. 5분만요!
Ajikyo. Obunmanyo!
Not yet. Just 5 minutes!
A
아까도 5분이라고 했잖아요…
Akka do obunirago haetjanayo…
You said 5 minutes a while ago too…
B
알았어요, 다 됐어요! 갑시다!
Arasseoyo, da dwaesseoyo! Gapsida!
Okay, I’m all done! Let’s go!
A
드디어! 출발해요!
Deudieo! Chulbalhaeeyo!
Finally! Let’s head out!
Spelling & Confusion Trap
COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID
WRONG
다 됬어요 (typo with 됬)
RIGHT
다 됐어요 (correct spelling with 됐)
💡 This is one of the most common Korean spelling errors even among native speakers! The correct form is 됐 (ㄷ+ㅚ+ㅆ), NOT 됬 which is not a valid Korean syllable block. Always use 됐.
WRONG
다 됐어요 ≠ 다 돼요 (treating them as the same)
RIGHT
됐어요 = past/done; 돼요 = present/is okay (they’re different!)
💡 됐어요 = past tense → something already became complete, OR “stop/enough.” 돼요 = present tense → “it’s okay/it’s fine.” Don’t swap them! “다 돼요?” can mean “Is it all okay?” while “다 됐어요?” means “Is it all done?”
WRONG
Assuming it’s always positive in tone
RIGHT
Check the tone — it can mean “stop” or “I’m done with you”
💡 If a Korean person says 다 됐어요 with a cold or tired voice, DO NOT respond with “Yay, great!” — they might be expressing frustration or shutting down a conversation. Context is everything with this phrase.
Conjugation & Related Forms
Here are the key forms of 됐어요 (from the verb 되다) and the full phrase 다 됐어요 across different speech levels and contexts:
| Form | Korean | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casual / Informal (반말) | 다 됐어 | Da dwaesseo | All done / That’s enough (casual) |
| Polite / Standard (해요체) | 다 됐어요 | Da dwaesseoyo | All done / That’s enough (polite) |
| Formal (합쇼체) | 다 됐습니다 | Da dwaessseumnida | Everything is done (formal) |
| Question — Polite | 다 됐어요? | Da dwaesseoyo? | Is it all done? / Are you finished? |
| Question — Casual | 다 됐어? | Da dwaesseo? | All done? / You done yet? |
| Not yet done — Polite | 아직 다 안 됐어요 | Ajik da an dwaesseoyo | It’s not all done yet |
| Almost done — Polite | 거의 다 됐어요 | Geoui da dwaesseoyo | Almost all done |
| Related: “It’s okay / fine” | 됐어요 (alone) | Dwaesseoyo | “It’s fine” / “No need” / “Stop” |
| Present tense (different meaning) | 다 돼요 | Da dwaeyo | Is everything okay? / It all works |
Situations & Examples
📝 EXAMPLE SENTENCES IN CONTEXT
1
밥 다 됐어요! 얼른 오세요.
Bap da dwaesseoyo! Eolleun oseyo.
The food is all done! Come quickly.
2
됐어요, 됐어요. 이제 그만해요.
Dwaesseoyo, dwaesseoyo. Ije geumanhaeyo.
Enough, enough. Stop it now.
3
거의 다 됐어요. 조금만 기다려 주세요.
Geoui da dwaesseoyo. Jogeumman gidaryeo juseyo.
It’s almost all done. Please wait just a little bit.
4
도와줘서 감사해요. 이제 다 됐어요!
Dowajwoseo gamsahaeyo. Ije da dwaesseoyo!
Thank you for helping. It’s all done now!
5
아, 다 됐어요. 혼자 할게요.
A, da dwaesseoyo. Honja halgeyo.
Ah, forget it. I’ll do it alone. (Dismissive tone)
6
보고서 다 됐어요? 오늘 제출해야 해요.
Bogoseo da dwaesseoyo? Oneul jechulhaeya haeyo.
Is the report all done? We have to submit it today.
⭐ Quick Summary: 다 됐어요
- 다 means “all / entirely,” and 됐어요 is the polite past tense of 되다 (to become/be completed) — together they mean “it has all become finished.”
- Used with a cheerful tone = “All done! Everything’s ready!” — great for letting people know a task or food is finished.
- Used with a flat or stern tone = “That’s enough / Stop it” — a polite but firm signal to end a behavior or conversation.
- Used dismissively = “Don’t bother / Forget it” — signals that help or an apology is no longer needed or wanted.
- Spelling trap: always write 됐 (not 됬!), and don’t confuse 됐어요 (past, done) with 돼요 (present, is okay).
Happy Studying! 화이팅! 🎉