10+ Common Korean Verbs: Easy Guide To K-Grammar

Ready to brush up on your skills in the Korean language? Let’s get it on! Today’s blog will discuss the common Korean verbs you should learn as a beginner. 

Learning a new language is one of the most fundamental parts of communication. Without discovering other words, we cannot understand what a speaker or a writer wants to convey. An example of this is to know the different parts of speech (verbs, nouns, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, interjection, and determiner) of your target language. 

As a language learner of the Korean language, you need to know and understand the meaning of the common words and how to read/write Korean (hangul or Korean alphabet, Korean sentences, and phrases). Furthermore, proper pronunciation is a must in language learning. That’s why you should also need to have lessons about listening comprehension to learn the Korean language. Want to know some of the typical Korean verbs to expand your vocabulary? Read on below!

 

Common Korean Verbs: Overview

Common Korean Verbs

Are you a fan of Korean dramas or Korean pop music? If yes, then there’s a good chance you have heard particular words in the verb form multiple times in the lyrics. As we have observed, a verb which is 동사 (dongsa) in the Korean language, is regularly used in songs or conversations. Sometimes, we usually hear and see Korean verbs as a title of K-Pop soundtracks, albums, and even on the different famous lines of Korean stars.

On the other hand, if you are not familiar with the Korean words, it is pretty challenging to learn, especially their writing system, because Korean grammar follows different rules. For instance, the verb endings must follow the tenses (future tense of past tense); they also use honorific forms because the Korean language and culture are hierarchical by nature.

Adding a verb stem and a suffix on a Korean word may differ based on the classifications of verbs such as the active verbs, descriptive verbs, existential verbs, and copulas.

Verb Conjugation

If you are familiar with various Korean verb vocabulary and words, you can make your simple Korean sentences by conjugating them. Also, unlike in other languages, Korean grammar doesn’t need to have a subject to make it an independent clause. For instance, in Korean verb conjugation, you will use/add 아요 to make the Korean verb a present tense form to make your sentences polite.

The standard Korean verb conjugation is the use of 아요 and 어요 which gives the Korean verb its polite and present tense form.

Korean Regular Verbs

The Korean regular verbs are called 규칙동사 (gyuchigdongsa) in the Korean language. Most Korean regular verbs are easy to conjugate by following the verb conjugation patterns.

Here is an example:

가다 (to go) – 가다 (to go) – 가요

만나다 (to meet) – 만나다 (to meet) – 만나요

먹다 (to eat) – 먹다 (to eat) – 먹어요

The given Korean regular verbs are conjugated by dropping the 다 from the dictionary form of the word or commonly called the verb stem in Korean grammar. After that, you will add the appropriate conjugation patterns that depend on the verb tense (past tense, present tense, and future tense). Also, the Korean verbs are usually conjugated based on the speech levels. That’s why you must be aware of using conjugations in honorific form.

Korean Irregular Verbs

We also have this irregular verbs commonly called as 불규칙 동사 (bulgyuchig dongsa). Same with the English grammar, Korean irregular verbs also changed their spelling when conjugated. They use 받침 (batchim), or a consonant that is placed and pronounced at the end of a Korean syllable/ word that it has. However, not all irregular verbs have batchim, so make sure to know before using them.

There are many classifications of batchim, but I will give you a few examples to better understand its usage.

Here is an example:

Korean Verbs that have the letter ㄷ as its batchim

  • to walk – 걷다 (geotda)
  • to ask – 묻다 (mutda)
  • to listen – 듣다 (deutda)

Korean verbs that have the letter ㄹ as its batchim:

  • to play – 놀다 (nolda)
  • to live – 살다 (salda)
  • to cry – 울다 (ulda)

Korean verbs that have the letter ㅂ as its batchim:

  • to help – 돕다 (dopda)
  • to hate – 밉다 (mipda)
  • to envy – 부럽다 (bureopda)

Korean verbs that have 르 as their verb stem ending:

  • to choose – 고르다 (goreuda)
  • to flow – 흐르다 (heureuda)
  • to hurry – 서두르다 (seodureuda)

Korean verbs that have the letter ㅅ as it batchim:

  • to recover – 낫다 (natda)
  • to rule – 긋다 (geutda)
  • to build or construct – 짓다 (jitda)

Nouns To Verbs

It is easier to make your sentence if you are familiar with Verb conjugation. In addition, you can add Korean words to change a particular part of speech into different parts of speech. For instance, 하다 verb or ‘to do’ verb makes a noun a verb. If you observed the given examples, you often see the 하다 (to do) word at the beginning of the terms.

Now that you learn some of the basics of Korean verbs let us move on to the most common Korean Verbs to add in your Korean skills!

 

10+ Common Korean Verbs

Korean Verbs and how to use them

감사하다 (Gamsahada) – To Appreciate / To Thank

Example sentence: I want to thank you

나는 당신에게 감사하 싶습니다

naneun dangsin-ege gamsahago sipseubnida

거짓말하다 (Geojitmal) – To Lie

Example sentence: You are lying!

당신은 거짓말!

dangsin-eun geojismal!

놀다 (Nolda) – To Play

Example sentence: Let us play on the beach.

해변에서 자.

haebyeon-eseo nolja.

도망가다 (Domanggada) – To Run Away

Example sentence: Why are you running away with me?

왜 나와 함께 도망치는거야?

wae nawa hamkke domangchineungeoya?

버리다 (Beorida) – To Throw Away / To Abandon

Example sentence: The mother cat abandoned her kittens.

어미 고양이는 새끼 고양이를 버렸다.

eomi goyang-ineun saekki goyang-ileul beolyeossda.

여행하다 (Yeohaenghada) – To Travel

Example sentence: I want to travel to Jejudo.

제주도 여행을 하고 싶어요.

jejudo yeohaeng-eul hago sip-eoyo.

잠들다 (Jamdeulda) – To Go To Sleep / To Fall Asleep

Example sentence: Falling asleep is my hobby.

드는 것이 취미입니다.

jamdeuneun geos-i chwimiibnida.

조심하다 (Josimhada) – To Be Careful / To Watch Out

Example sentence: You must be careful about what you’re saying.

말을 조심해야 합니다.

mal-eul josimhaeya habnida.

즐기다 (Jeulgida) – To Enjoy / To Have Fun

Example sentence: I enjoyed the concert of Bigbang.

나는 빅뱅의 콘서트를 겼다.

naneun bigbaeng-ui konseoteuleul jeulgyeossda

찍다 (Jjikda) – To Take A Photo

Example sentence: Please, take a photo of me while eating dakgalbi.

닭갈비 먹으면서 사진 좀 어주세요.

dalg-galbi meog-eumyeonseo sajin jom jjig-eojuseyo.

피다 (Pida) – To Bloom / To Blossom

Example sentence: The cosmos flowers are about to bloom.

코스모스 꽃이 려고 합니다.

koseumoseu kkoch-i pilyeogo habnida.

 

Other Basic Korean Verbs

KoreanPronunciationMeaning
오다odato come
마시다masidato drink
먹다meogdato eat
주다judato give
가다gadato go
듣다deuddato hear
배우다baeudato learn
만들다mandeuldato make
앉다anjdato sit
자다jadato sleep
씻다ssisdato wash
쓰다sseudato write
울다uldato cry
갖다gajdato have
웃다usdato laugh
보다bodato see
일어나다il-eonadato wake up
걷다geoddato walk
춤추다chumchudato dance
만나다mannadato meet
공부하다gongbuhadato study
운전하다unjeonhadato drive
사다sadato buy
읽다ilgdato read
주문하다jumunhadato order
입다ibdato wear
말하다malhadato talk, speak
가르치다galeuchidato teach
기다리다gidalidato wait
걸다geoldato call, dial
청소하다cheongsohadato clean
타다tadato ride
나가다nagadato exit
들어오다deul-eoodato enter
물어보다mul-eobodato ask
도와주다dowajudato help
열다yeoldato open
닫다daddato close
일하다ilhadato work
쉬다swidato rest
요리하다yolihadato cook
볶다bokkdato fry
하다hadato do
연습하다yeonseubhadato practice
묻다muddato ask
내다naedato pay
살다saldato live
죽다jugdato die
사랑하다salanghadato love
좋아하다joh-ahadato like
싫어하다silh-eohadato hate, dislike
결혼하다gyeolhonhadato marry
걱정하다geogjeonghadato worry
약속하다yagsoghadato promise
준비하다junbihadato prepare
기억하다gieoghadato remember
꿈꾸다kkumkkudato dream
시작하다sijaghadato start
끝나다kkeutnadato finish
팔다paldato sell
싸우다ssaudato fight
대답하다daedabhadato answer
지다jidato lose, be defeated
서두르다seoduleudato hurry, rush
사랑에 빠지다salang-e ppajidato fall in love

 

Learning Korean Verbs

Learning Korean Verbs

Enjoyed the post? Let us know in the comment section below! This blog post is like a mini-lesson for you to understand more about Korean grammar. If you also want to fast-track your Korean vocabulary, you can check my other blog post about common Korean vocabulary used in daily life.

In addition to learning Korean verbs, you should also start learning other Korean parts of speech if you want to develop your Korean grammar. Through understanding this, you could speed up your language learning process.

Aside from Korean grammar, you should first learn the Korean alphabet to be familiar with Korean writing and pronunciation.

Want to learn more about the Korean language? Check the Ling App now!

 

Learn More About the Korean Language With Ling App

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