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Questions & Answers about baedari wasseoyo.
What does the particle 이 do in 배달이 왔어요?
이/가 marks the grammatical subject. 이 is used after a noun ending in a consonant (배달 ends in ㄹ), while 가 follows a vowel (e.g., 택배가 왔어요). Here, 배달이 = “the delivery (subject).”
Could I use 은/는 instead of 이?
Yes, but it changes the nuance. 배달은 왔어요 means “As for the delivery, (it) came,” often implying contrast: 배달은 왔어요, 택배는 아직이에요 (The food delivery came, but the parcel hasn’t yet).
Can I drop the particle and say 배달 왔어요?
Yes, very natural in speech. Subject markers are frequently omitted when context is clear. 배달 왔어요 is commonly heard as an announcement.
Why is the past form 왔어요 used when the meaning is “The delivery is here/has arrived”?
Korean often uses the past (-았/었-) to express a completed action with present relevance, similar to English present perfect. 왔어요 (from 오다, “to come”) means “(it) has come/arrived.”
What’s the difference between 왔어요 and 와요?
- 왔어요: completed arrival (“has come/arrived”).
- 와요: present/habitual or near-future (“comes/is coming”).
For a package that just arrived, use 왔어요, not 와요.
Can I say 도착했어요 instead of 왔어요?
Sometimes. 도착하다 means “to arrive” and sounds a bit more formal/neutral. For a knock-at-the-door food delivery, 배달이 왔어요 is most idiomatic. With parcels/items people often say 택배가 도착했어요 or 물건이 도착했어요.
Who or what is actually “coming” in 배달이 왔어요—the courier or the food/package?
It’s a shorthand for the delivery event; it can imply “the courier is here” or “the ordered item is here.” If you want to be explicit about the person, say 배달 기사님이 오셨어요 (“The delivery driver arrived,” with honorific).
What’s the difference among 배달, 택배, and 배송?
- 배달: delivery to you (often food or local delivery).
- 택배: courier/package delivery service (parcels).
- 배송: shipping/logistics process (used by sellers/tracking).
At the door you’ll hear 배달 왔어요 (food) or 택배 왔습니다 (parcel). 배송 is rarely said at the door.
How do politeness levels change this sentence?
- Casual: 배달 왔어.
- Polite: 배달이 왔어요.
- Formal: 배달 왔습니다. (what a courier might say)
- Honorific for the person: 기사님이 오셨어요. (using 오시다)
How do I turn it into a question like “Is the delivery here (yet)”?
Use rising intonation and a question mark: 배달(이) 왔어요?
For “yet/already”:
- 아직 배달 안 왔어요? (Has the delivery not come yet?)
- 벌써 배달 왔어요? (Did it already arrive?)
How do I say “The delivery is on the way”?
- 배달이 오는 중이에요.
- 배달이 오고 있어요.
Both are natural; 오는 중이에요 is very common in updates.
Is 오다 transitive? Can I say 배달을 왔어요?
오다 is intransitive, so you can’t use an object marker (를) with it. Don’t say 배달을 왔어요. If you want an object, use a different verb: 배달을 받았어요 (“I received the delivery”).
Any pronunciation tips for 배달이 왔어요?
- Liaison: 배달이 sounds like [배다리] (baedari).
- Contraction: 왔어요 comes from 오았어요 → 왔어요, pronounced [와써요] (wasseoyo).
- Full phrase: roughly [배다리 와써요].
When should I use honorific 오셨어요?
Use it when the subject is a person you want to respect: 배달 기사님이 오셨어요. Using 오셨어요 with 배달 (an event/thing) is not appropriate; keep 왔어요 there.
How can I add common adverbs naturally?
- 방금 배달이 왔어요. (just now)
- 드디어 배달이 왔어요. (finally)
- 곧 배달이 올 거예요. (soon, future)
- 아직 배달이 안 왔어요. (not yet)
Any spacing or spelling gotchas?
- Write 배달이 왔어요 (no space between noun and particle). 배달 이 is incorrect.
- 왔어요 is one word (not 와 서요).
As a yes–no question, add a question mark and use rising intonation: 배달이 왔어요?