들

• IPA^(key)[tɯɭ]
• Phonetic Hangul[들]

들 • (deul)

1. A Hangul syllabic block made up of ㄷ, ㅡ, and ㄹ.

First attested in the Yongbi eocheonga (龍飛御天歌 / 용비어천가), 1447, as Middle Korean 듫 (Yale: tulh), a contracted form of Middle Korean 드릏 (tuluh).

• IPA^(key)[tɯːɭ]
• Phonetic Hangul[들:]

들 • (deul)

1. meadow

First attested in the Worin seokbo (月印釋譜 / 월인석보), 1459, as Middle Korean —ᄃᆞᆶ (Yale: -tolh).

Sometimes regarded as a nativized form of Middle Chinese 達 (MC dɑt̚), but this is unlikely, since Middle Korean has a final cluster which is difficult to explain phonetically as a result of borrowing. However, it may be cognate with Japanese 達 (たち, tachi), which is also a pluralizer.

• IPA^(key)[tɯɭ]
• Phonetic Hangul[들]

들 • (deul)

1. -s (indicating the plural of a noun)

   사람들 ― saramdeul ― people, persons

   기억들 ― gieokdeul ― memories

• Korean does not grammatically distinguish between singular and plural nouns. Thus, while 사람들 (saramdeul) means "people", 사람 (saram) can mean either "person" or "people", depending on context.
• 들 (deul) is rarely used with nouns denoting inanimate objects. It is more often used with nouns denoting animate objects (people and animals), but then only when it is semantically necessary to make a distinction between singular and plural, or to emphasize plurality.

Of native Korean origin.

들 • (deul) (future determiner of 들다)

1. which will spend
2. which will enter