1 · 39 words

The first verbs

Going, coming, eating, seeing, living and the other verbs every first conversation needs.

A Korean verb is looked up in its dictionary form ending in 다, and that form is almost never said: take the 다 off and add an ending, 가다 → 가요, 먹다 → 먹어요. The verb stands at the very end of the sentence. A few of the commonest verbs change their stem when an ending starting with a vowel follows — 듣다 becomes 들어요 — and those are marked below.

The words

Verb (39)

가다to goVerb1

내일 부산에 가요.I am going to Busan tomorrow.

오다to comeVerb1

친구가 우리 집에 와요.A friend is coming to my place.

Also used for rain and snow: 비가 와요.

먹다to eatVerb1

점심에 비빔밥을 먹었어요.I had bibimbap for lunch.

Honorific: 드시다.

마시다to drinkVerb1

물을 많이 마셔요.I drink a lot of water.

보다to see; to look; to watchVerb1

주말에 영화를 봤어요.I saw a film at the weekend.

Also “to take (a test)”: 시험을 봐요.

듣다to listen; to hearVerb1

저는 매일 음악을 들어요.I listen to music every day.

Irregular: 들어요, 들었어요.

말하다to speak; to say; to tellVerb1

천천히 말해 주세요.Please speak slowly.

Honorific: 말씀하시다.

하다to doVerb1

주말에 숙제를 해요.I do my homework at the weekend.

Irregular: 해요, 했어요. It makes hundreds of verbs out of nouns: 공부하다.

사다to buyVerb1

시장에서 사과를 샀어요.I bought apples at the market.

자다to sleepVerb1

어제 늦게 잤어요.I went to bed late yesterday.

Honorific: 주무시다.

일어나다to get up; to wake upVerb1

저는 아침 일찍 일어나요.I get up early in the morning.

앉다to sit downVerb1

여기 앉아도 돼요?May I sit here?

Said [안따]; 앉아요 is [안자요].

서다to stand; to stopVerb1

줄을 서서 기다렸어요.We stood in a queue and waited.

주다to giveVerb1

동생한테 선물을 줬어요.I gave my younger brother a present.

To someone you respect: 드리다.

받다to receive, to getVerb1

생일에 꽃을 받았어요.I got flowers for my birthday.

만나다to meetVerb1

오늘 오후에 친구를 만나요.I am meeting a friend this afternoon.

The person met takes 을/를: 친구를 만나요; 친구하고 만나요, “meet with a friend”, also works.

알다to knowVerb1

그 사람을 알아요?Do you know that person?

The l drops before some endings: 아세요.

모르다not to knowVerb1

저는 그 단어를 몰라요.I do not know that word.

Irregular: 몰라요, 몰랐어요.

좋아하다to likeVerb1

저는 한국 음악을 좋아해요.I like Korean music.

Takes 을/를; 좋다, “to be good”, takes 이/가.

있다to be (somewhere); to haveVerb1

오늘 저녁에 시간 있어요?Are you free this evening?

“There is” and “I have” are the same verb. Honorific (to be): 계시다.

없다not to be (somewhere); not to haveVerb1

오늘은 수업이 없어요.I have no classes today.

Said [업따]; 없어요 is [업써요].

살다to liveVerb1

저는 서울에 살아요.I live in Seoul.

The l drops before some endings: 사세요, “you live”.

놀다to play; to have fun; to hang outVerb1

아이들이 공원에서 놀아요.The children are playing in the park.

Not for sports or instruments, which have their own verbs.

만들다to makeVerb1

엄마하고 같이 김치를 만들었어요.I made kimchi with Mum.

시작하다to start, to beginVerb1

영화가 몇 시에 시작해요?What time does the film start?

끝나다to end, to finishVerb1

회의가 다섯 시에 끝났어요.The meeting finished at five.

Something finishes by itself; to finish something is 끝내다.

끝내다to finish (something)Verb1

숙제를 빨리 끝냈어요.I finished my homework quickly.

다니다to go regularly; to attendVerb1

저는 작은 회사에 다녀요.I work for a small company.

회사에 다녀요 is how Koreans say they work somewhere; 학교에 다녀요, they go to school.

씻다to washVerb1

손을 깨끗이 씻으세요.Wash your hands well.

웃다to laugh; to smileVerb1

아기가 엄마를 보고 웃어요.The baby smiles when it sees its mother.

울다to cryVerb1

영화가 너무 슬퍼서 울었어요.The film was so sad that I cried.

묻다to askVerb1

모르는 단어를 선생님께 물었어요.I asked the teacher about a word I did not know.

Irregular: 물어요, 물었어요.

걸리다to take (time)Verb1

집에서 회사까지 이십 분 걸려요.It takes twenty minutes from home to work.

Also “to catch (a cold)”: 감기에 걸렸어요.

지내다to get on; to spend timeVerb1

요즘 어떻게 지내요?How are you getting on these days?

찍다to take (a photo)Verb1

여기서 사진 좀 찍어 주세요.Could you take a photo here, please?

잃어버리다to lose (something)Verb1

지하철에서 우산을 잃어버렸어요.I lost my umbrella on the underground.

가지다to have; to take; to holdVerb1

지금 돈을 얼마나 가지고 있어요?How much money do you have on you?

부르다to sing; to callVerb1

노래방에서 노래를 불렀어요.I sang in a karaoke room.

Irregular: 불러요, 불렀어요. Also “to call (a taxi)”.

태어나다to be bornVerb1

저는 런던에서 태어났어요.I was born in London.

Korean says “I was born” with an active verb, without any “be”.

This list belongs to The scaffolding — 30 lists and 1195 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Practise this list

Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 39 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.