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The 300 Most Useful Korean Verbs

korean-verbs

Verbs form the main part of the predicate of a sentence, making them a seriously important aspect of language, grammar and sentence-forming.

As a Korean language learner, you don’t need to learn all of the verbs at the beginner or intermediate level. But you should know at least a handful of common verbs.

Check out these 300 verbs below, which are simply ideal for beginner learners as an introduction to Korean verbs.


Korean Action Verbs

Action verbs are words that describe physical actions or an activity that is happening. They’re also called dynamic verbs, which might help you remember better what they’re describing. 

Korean VerbsRomanizationEnglish
가다ga-dato go
가져가다ga-jyeo-ga-dato take
걷다geod-dato walk
고르다go-leu-dato choose
놀다nol-dato play
노래하다no-lae-ha-dato sing
놓다noh-dato put or to lay
달리다dal-li-dato run
듣다deud-dato listen
떠나다tteo-na-dato leave
만나다man-na-dato meet
사다sa-dato buy
생각하다saeng-gak-ha-dato think
살다sal-dato live
쓰다sseu-dato write
앉다an-dato sit down
알다al-dato know
오다o-dato come or to arrive
요리하다yo-li-ha-dato cook
읽다ik-dato read
일어나다il-eo-na-dato stand up
일하다il-ha-dato work
자다ja-dato sleep
주다ju-dato give
즐기다jeul-gi-dato enjoy
찾다chat-dato find or to look for
먹다meok-dato eat
마시다ma-shi-dato drink
말하다mal-ha-dato speak or to say
보다bo-dato see or to watch
배우다bae-u-dato learn
웃다ut-dato laugh
울다ul-dato cry
기다리다gi-da-ri-dato wait
공부하다gong-bu-ha-dato study
팔다pal-dato sell
하다ha-dato do
해 보다hae bo-dato try

Korean Stative Verbs

Stative verbs are words that describe a certain state of being, such as a thought, feeling, opinion or appearance. They usually don’t describe doing anything in a physical sense. 

Korean VerbsRomanizationEnglish
가지다ga-ji-dato have or to own
거짓말하다geo-jit-mal-ha-dato lie
기대하다gi-dae-ha-dato expect or to look forward to
기억하다gi-eok-ha-dato remember
느끼다neu-kki-dato feel
동의하다dong-ui-ha-dato agree
미워하다mi-weo-ha-dato hate
믿다mid-dato believe
사랑하다sa-rang-ha-dato love
생각하다saeng-gak-ha-dato think
상상하다sang-sang-ha-dato imagine
싫어하다shilh-eo-ha-dato dislike or to hate
좋아하다joh-a-ha-dato like or to favor
죄송하다joe-song-ha-dato be sorry
추측하다chu-cheuk-ha-dato guess
화나다hwa-na-dato be angry
알다al-dato know
알아보다al-a-bo-dato recognize
이해하다i-hae-ha-dato understand
의심하다ui-shim-ha-dato suspect

General Korean Verbs 

Korean VerbsRomanizationEnglish
가다ga-dato go
가르치다ga-leu-chi-dato teach
가리다ga-li-dato cover
가리키다ga-li-ki-dato point
가져가다ga-jeo-ga-dato take (away)
가져오다ga-jeo-o-dato bring
가지다ga-ji-dato have
개방하다gae-bang-ha-dato open
걱정하다geok-jeong-ha-dato worry
걷다geod-dato walk
걸다geol-dato hang up or to bet
걸리다geol-li-dato get caught
걸어가다geol-eo-ga-dato walk to
걸어 놓다geol-eo noh-dato hang up
결혼하다gyeol-hon-ha-dato marry
경험하다gyeong-heom-ha-dato experience
고르다go-leu-dato choose
고치다go-chi-dato fix
공감하다gong-gam-ha-dato empathize
공부하다gong-bu-ha-dato study
관찰하다gwan-chal-ha-dato observe
구하다gu-ha-dato obtain or to save
굶다gum-dato starve
그만두다geu-man-du-dato quit
깨우다ggae-u-dato wake someone up
꿈꾸다kkum-kku-dato dream
끄다kkeu-dato turn off
끊다kkeun-dato cut off or to quit
끌다kkeul-dato pull
끌어당기다kkeul-eo-dang-gi-dato pull or to attract
끝나다kkeut-na-dato end
끝내다kkeut-nae-dato finish
나가다na-ga-dato go out
나누다na-nu-dato divide
나르다na-leu-dato carry or to transport
나오다na-o-dato come out
날다nal-dato fly
남다nam-dato remain
넘다neom-dato exceed
놀다nol-dato play
누르다nu-leu-dato press
눕다nub-dato lie down
느끼다neu-kki-dato feel
늘다neul-dato increase
늦추다neut-chu-dato delay or to postpone
넣다neoh-dato put in
넘어지다neom-eo-ji-dato fall over
넘어가다neom-eo-ga-dato pass
놓다noh-dato let go
닫다dad-dato close
달리다dal-li-dato run
담다dam-dato put into
담배를 피우다dam-bae-leul pi-u-dato smoke a cigarette
도와주다do-wa-ju-dato help
되다doe-dato become
돌아가다dol-a-ga-dato return
돌리다dol-li-dato turn
두다du-dato put
드러나다deu-leo-na-dato be revealed
들다deul-dato carry
들리다deul-li-dato be heard
들어가다deul-eo-ga-dato enter
떨어지다tteol-eo-ji-dato fall
떠나다tteo-na-dato leave
떨다tteol-dato shake or to tremble
떼다tte-dato detach or to remove
뛰다ttwi-dato run
뜨다tteu-dato float
마시다ma-si-dato drink
마음에 들다ma-eum-e deul-dato like
막다mak-dato block
말하다mal-ha-dato speak
만들다man-deul-dato make
만지다man-ji-dato touch
만족하다man-jok-ha-dato be satisfied
맡기다mat-gi-dato entrust
매다mae-dato tie
매달리다mae-dal-li-dato cling
메모를 하다me-mo-leul ha-dato take a memo
메시지를 보내다me-si-ji-leul bo-nae-dato send a message
메일을 보내다me-il-eul bo-nae-dato send an email
면접을 보다myeon-jeob-eul bo-dato have a job interview
모르다mo-leu-dato not know
모으다mo-eu-dato collect
목욕하다mok-yok-ha-dato take a bath
못하다mot-ha-dato be bad at or to be unable to do
모자를 쓰다mo-ja-leul sseu-dato wear a hat
무게를 달다mu-ge-leul dal-dato weigh
무릎을 꿇다mu-leup-eul kkulh-dato kneel
무시하다mu-si-ha-dato ignore
무서워하다mu-seo-weo-ha-dato be scared of
받치다bad-chi-dato support or to prop
발달하다bal-dal-ha-dato develop
발견하다bal-gyeon-ha-dato discover
발생하다bal-saeng-ha-dato occur or to happen
발음하다bal-eum-ha-dato pronounce
발표하다bal-pyo-ha-dato present or to announce
밝혀지다balg-hyeo-ji-dato be revealed or to be disclosed
버리다beo-li-dato throw away
벌다beol-dato earn
벗다beot-dato take off (clothes)
보내다bo-nae-dato send
보다bo-dato see or to watch
보이다bo-i-dato be visible
보여 주다bo-yeo ju-dato show
보호하다bo-ho-ha-dato protect
봉사하다bong-sa-ha-dato volunteer
부르다bu-leu-dato call
부탁하다bu-tak-ha-dato request
불다bul-dato blow
빌리다bil-li-dato borrow or to lend
빛나다bit-na-dato shine
빨래하다ppal-lae-ha-dato do the laundry
빼다ppae-dato subtract
뻗다bbeot-dato stretch
뽑다bbop-dato pick or to select
뽑아내다bbop-a-nae-dato extract
뿌리다bbu-ri-dato sprinkle
살다sal-dato live
사다sa-dato buy
쉬다shwi-dato rest
쓰다sseu-dato write
씻다ssit-dato wash
싸우다ssa-u-dato fight
실례하다sil-lye-ha-dato excuse oneself
시작하다si-jak-ha-dato start
식다sig-dato cool down
신다sin-dato put on (shoes)
신청하다sin-cheong-ha-dato apply
싫어하다silh-eo-ha-dato dislike
심다sim-dato plant
썩다sseok-dato rot
쓰다sseu-dato write
쓰러지다sseu-leo-ji-dato collapse or to faint
씹다ssip-dato chew
앉다an-dato sit
알다al-dato know
애쓰다ae-sseu-dato try hard
양보하다yang-bo-ha-dato yield
양해하다yang-hae-ha-dato understand or to excuse
어울리다eo-ul-li-dato suit or to fit
없다eob-dato not exist or to not have
없애다eobs-ae-dato get rid off
여행하다yeo-haeng-ha-dato travel
연습하다yeon-seup-ha-dato practice
연락하다yeol-lak-ha-dato contact
열다yeol-dato open
열리다yeol-li-dato be opened
오다o-dato come
올라가다ol-la-ga-dato go up or to climb
올라오다ol-la-o-dato come up
올라타다ol-la-ta-dato get on
외우다oe-u-dato memorize
외출하다oe-chul-ha-dato go out
외치다oe-chi-dato shout
자다ja-dato sleep
잡다jab-dato catch
저지르다jeo-ji-leu-dato commit
저장하다jeo-jang-ha-dato save (data)
전하다jeon-ha-dato convey or to transmit
절약하다jeol-yag-ha-dato save or to conserve
접다jeob-dato fold
접근하다jeob-geun-ha-dato approach
젓다jeot-dato stir or shake
정리하다jeong-li-ha-dato organize or to summarize
정비하다jeong-bi-ha-dato maintain or to repair
정신을 차리다jeong-sin-eul cha-ri-dato pull oneself together or to regain consciousness
제공하다je-gong-ha-dato provide
제대로 하다je-dae-lo ha-dato do properly
제자리에 서다je-ja-li-e seo-dato stand still
제출하다je-chul-ha-dato submit
제한하다je-han-ha-dato restrict
조각하다jo-gak-ha-dato carve or to sculpt
조립하다jo-lib-ha-dato assemble
조사하다jo-sa-ha-dato investigate
조언하다jo-eon-ha-dato advise
조정하다jo-jeong-ha-dato adjust
졸다jol-dato doze
종료하다jong-lyo-ha-dato finish or to wrap up
찍다jjik-dato stamp
찢다jjit-dato tear
차다cha-dato kick
차별하다cha-byeol-ha-dato discriminate
차단하다cha-dan-ha-dato block
찾다chat-dato find or to look for
참석하다cham-seok-ha-dato participate
청소하다cheong-so-ha-dato clean
축하하다chuk-ha-ha-dato congratulate
출발하다chul-bal-ha-dato depart
춤추다chum-ha-dato dance
취소하다chwi-so-ha-dato cancel
켜다kyeo-dato turn on
키우다ki-u-dato raise or to bring up
타다ta-dato ride or to burn
태우다tae-u-dato give a ride or to burn
태어나다tae-eoh-na-dato be born
털다teol-dato shake off
토하다to-ha-dato vomit
틀리다teul-li-dato be incorrect or to be wrong
틀다teul-dato twist
팔다pal-dato sell
펴다pyeo-dato open or to spread
펼치다pyeol-chi-dato unfold
포기하다po-gi-ha-dato give up
포함하다po-ham-ha-dato include
풀다pul-dato solve or to untie
피다pi-dato bloom
필요하다pil-yo-ha-dato need
하다ha-dato do
향하다hyang-ha-dato face or to head towards
해결하다hae-gyeol-ha-dato resolve
확인하다hwag-in-ha-dato confirm or to check
헤매다he-mae-dato wander
헤어지다he-eo-ji-dato part, to separate
호응하다ho-eung-ha-dato respond
회복하다hoe-bok-ha-dato recover
후회하다hu-hoe-ha-dato regret
흔들다heun-deul-dato shake
흐르다heu-leu-dato flow
흘리다heul-li-dato spill
흩어지다heut-eo-ji-dato scatter

Korean Modal Verbs

Modal verbs are helping words that pair with other verbs to describe possibility or necessity.  

Korean Modal VerbsRomanizationEnglish
할 수 있다hal su it-dacan
해야 하다hae-ya ha-damust
해도 되다hae-do doe-damay
할 것이다hal goes-i-dawill

In English, they usually go in front of the verb. In Korean, they often appear at the very end of a sentence and need to be attached to a conjugated action verb or stative verb. For the examples above, the word “to do” or 하다 is used.

How to Practice Korean Verbs

To practice all of these Korean verbs, it’s really helpful to hear and see how they’re actually used in context by native speakers. You can do this with a language learning program like FluentU.

FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.

You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.

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Here’s a video from our YouTube channel to show you how you can learn verbs through the program:

If you need a refresher on how to conjugate the verbs, check out the video below. You can also check out this post for more information on Korean verb conjugation.

 

Sure, you’ll need to really master grammar concepts in order to speak Korean fluently one day. But knowing a handful of Korean verbs can help you fill in the blanks in conversations in the meantime.

Good luck and 공부 열심히 하세요! (gong-bu yeol-shi-mi ha-se-yo) — Study hard!

And One More Thing...

If you enjoyed this post, you're already halfway to having the time of your life learning Korean with FluentU!

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Each word in the interactive captions comes with a definition, audio, image, example sentences and more.

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