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Korean vocabulary · 44 words

Common Korean verbs for beginners

Every Korean verb's dictionary form ends in 다, and the stem in front of it is what every ending attaches to. The polite present drops 다 and adds 아요 or 어요: 먹다 → 먹어요, 가다 → 가요. This list gives the verbs beginners use most, grouped by what they do, with the polite forms where the course teaches them.

Examples are written in Hangul. New to it? Start with the hangul chart.

Good to know

  • Dictionary forms are for the dictionary and for exclamations (맛있다!). In conversation use the 요 forms: 먹어요, 가요.
  • Noun + 하다 makes hundreds more verbs: 공부해요 (study), 운동해요 (exercise), 전화해요 (phone).
  • Watch the irregulars: 듣다 → 들어요, 모르다 → 몰라요, 쓰다 → 써요, 살다 → 살아요 but 사니까.

Coming, going and moving

KoreanRomanizationMeaningAudio
가다gadato go (dictionary form)
가요gayogo / will go (polite)
오다odato come (dictionary form)
와요wayocome / will come (polite)
타다tadato ride / get on (dictionary form)
내리다naeridato get off (dictionary form)
돌아가다doragadago back / return
일어나다ireonadaget up / wake up
앉다andasit

Eating, drinking, seeing, doing

KoreanRomanizationMeaningAudio
먹다meokdato eat (dictionary form)
먹어요meogeoyoeat / will eat (polite)
마시다masidato drink (dictionary form)
마셔요masyeoyodrink / will drink (polite)
보다bodato see / watch (dictionary form)
봐요bwayosee / watch (polite)
하다hadato do (dictionary form)
해요haeyodo / will do (polite)
자다jadato sleep (dictionary form)
쉬다swidato rest (dictionary form)
씻다ssitdawash

Knowing, learning, making

KoreanRomanizationMeaningAudio
알다aldaknow
모르다moreudanot know
배우다baeudalearn
가르치다gareuchidateach
생각하다saenggakhadathink
만들다mandeuldamake
쓰다sseudawrite
그리다geuridadraw
듣다deutdalisten / hear
부르다bureudasing (a song) / call
웃다utdalaugh / smile

Buying, finding, liking and starting

KoreanRomanizationMeaningAudio
사다sadabuy
팔다paldasell
받다batdareceive
찾다chatdalook for / find
주세요juseyoplease give (me)
기다리다gidaridato wait (dictionary form)
좋아하다joahadato like (dictionary form)
싫어하다sireohadato dislike (dictionary form)
살다saldalive
시작하다sijakhadastart / begin
끝나다kkeunnadaend / finish
결정하다gyeoljeonghadadecide
준비하다junbihadaprepare / get ready

Test yourself

Five of the 44 words on this page, meaning to word. Pick an answer to check it; nothing is saved.

  1. 1.Which Korean word means "to go (dictionary form)"?

  2. 2.Which Korean word means "sit"?

  3. 3.Which Korean word means "to sleep (dictionary form)"?

  4. 4.Which Korean word means "write"?

  5. 5.Which Korean word means "please give (me)"?

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