-자

See also: 자

Pronunciation

(SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [t͡ɕa̠]
Phonetic hangul: [자]

More information Romanizations, Revised Romanization? ...

Romanizations
Revised Romanization^?	ja
Revised Romanization (translit.)^?	ja
McCune–Reischauer^?	cha
Yale Romanization^?	ca

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Etymology 1

Sino-Korean suffix; see the main entry.

Suffix

자 • (-ja)

See the entry at 자(者) (ja, “person”).

Etymology 2

From Middle Korean 져〮 (Yale: -cyé).

Suffix

자 • (-ja)

(informal) let's
노래 를 다 같이 부르자!
Norae-reul da gachi bureuja!
Let us all sing a song!

Etymology 3

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “since we have 자마자 as another form and ㄹ is gone, shouldnt 자 be a lot older?”)

Suffix

자 • (-ja)

(formal) as: Suffix attached to verbs expressing that one action happened after another finished, which also sometimes acts as a reason for the following action.
집 을 나오자 비 가 내리기 시작했다.
Jib-eul naoja bi-ga naerigi sijakhaetda.
As I left the house, it started to rain.

여름 이 오자 날씨 가 더워졌네요.
Yeoreum-i oja nalssi-ga deowojeonneyo.
As/Since the summer came the weather has become hotter.

Usage notes

Generally, the suffix is seen to be the less intense, less instantaneous version of 자마자 (-jamaja).