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There is a prefix in Korean: “되-.” It usually attaches to verbs and adds roughly two meanings. One is “to get something back,” and the other is “to do something again.”

Let me introduce some words containing “되-”, starting from the easiest level.

• 되찾다 (To take back / To recover)

If you already know the verb 찾다 (to find), you can easily guess this one. It literally means “to find something again” or “to get it back.”

• 되돌아오다 (To come back)
• 되돌리다 (To turn back/undo)
• 되살아나다 (To revive/come back to life)
• 되살리다 (To bring back to life)

These are also much easier to understand if you just look at the original verbs before “되-” was added. In these cases, “되-” means “back,” rather than “again.”

• 되풀이하다 (To repeat)

This might be new to some of you. We use this verb when doing something all over again from start to finish. Interestingly, there is a Sino-Korean equivalent for this word that is actually much more famous: 반복하다.

• 되돌아보다 (To look back)
• 되묻다 (To ask back)

These are advanced-level words. For 되돌아보다, the verb 돌다 already implies turning around to look, but adding “되-” makes it clear that you are looking strictly behind you. It’s also frequently used when reflecting on your past. Finally, 되묻다 can mean asking the exact same question again, or counter-questioning someone instead of giving an answer.