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The 300 Most Useful 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.

Ready to jump into some ultra useful verbs? These 300 verbs 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
가다 ga-dato go
가져가다 ga-jyeo-ga-dato take
걷다 geod-dato walk
고르다 go-leu-dato choose
놀다 nol-dato play
노래하다 no-lae-ha-dato sing
놓다 noh-dato put or to lay
달리다 dal-li-dato run
듣다 deud-dato listen
떠나다 tteo-na-dato leave
만나다 man-na-dato meet
사다 sa-dato buy
생각하다 saeng-gak-ha-dato think
살다 sal-dato live
쓰다 sseu-dato write
앉다 an-dato sit down
알다 al-dato know
오다 o-dato come or to arrive
요리하다 yo-li-ha-dato cook
읽다 ik-dato read
일어나다 il-eo-na-dato stand up
일하다 il-ha-dato work
자다 ja-dato sleep
주다 ju-dato give
즐기다 jeul-gi-dato enjoy
찾다 chat-dato find or to look for
먹다 meok-dato eat
마시다 ma-shi-dato drink
말하다 mal-ha-dato speak or to say
보다 bo-dato see or to watch
배우다 bae-u-dato learn
웃다 ut-dato laugh
울다 ul-dato cry
기다리다 gi-da-ri-dato wait
공부하다 gong-bu-ha-dato study
팔다 pal-dato sell
하다 ha-dato do
해 보다 hae 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
가지다 ga-ji-dato have or to own
거짓말하다 geo-jit-mal-ha-dato lie
기대하다 gi-dae-ha-dato expect or to look forward to
기억하다 gi-eok-ha-dato remember
느끼다 neu-kki-dato feel
동의하다 dong-ui-ha-dato agree
미워하다 mi-weo-ha-dato hate
믿다 mid-dato believe
사랑하다 sa-rang-ha-dato love
생각하다 saeng-gak-ha-dato think
상상하다 sang-sang-ha-dato imagine
싫어하다 shilh-eo-ha-dato dislike or to hate
좋아하다 joh-a-ha-dato like or to favor
죄송하다 joe-song-ha-dato be sorry
추측하다 chu-cheuk-ha-dato guess
화나다 hwa-na-dato be angry
알다 al-dato know
알아보다 al-a-bo-dato recognize
이해하다 i-hae-ha-dato understand
의심하다 ui-shim-ha-dato suspect

General Korean Verbs 

Korean VerbsRomanizationEnglish
가다 ga-dato go
가르치다 ga-leu-chi-dato teach
가리다 ga-li-dato cover
가리키다 ga-li-ki-dato point
가져가다 ga-jeo-ga-dato take (away)
가져오다 ga-jeo-o-dato bring
가지다 ga-ji-dato have
개방하다 gae-bang-ha-dato open
걱정하다 geok-jeong-ha-dato worry
걷다 geod-dato walk
걸다 geol-dato hang up or to bet
걸리다 geol-li-dato get caught
걸어가다 geol-eo-ga-dato walk to
걸어 놓다 geol-eo noh-dato hang up
결혼하다 gyeol-hon-ha-dato marry
경험하다 gyeong-heom-ha-dato experience
고르다 go-leu-dato choose
고치다 go-chi-dato fix
공감하다 gong-gam-ha-dato empathize
공부하다 gong-bu-ha-dato study
관찰하다 gwan-chal-ha-dato observe
구하다 gu-ha-dato obtain or to save
굶다 gum-dato starve
그만두다 geu-man-du-dato quit
깨우다 ggae-u-dato wake someone up
꿈꾸다 kkum-kku-dato dream
끄다 kkeu-dato turn off
끊다 kkeun-dato cut off or to quit
끌다 kkeul-dato pull
끌어당기다 kkeul-eo-dang-gi-dato pull or to attract
끝나다 kkeut-na-dato end
끝내다 kkeut-nae-dato finish
나가다 na-ga-dato go out
나누다 na-nu-dato divide
나르다 na-leu-dato carry or to transport
나오다 na-o-dato come out
날다 nal-dato fly
남다 nam-dato remain
넘다 neom-dato exceed
놀다 nol-dato play
누르다 nu-leu-dato press
눕다 nub-dato lie down
느끼다 neu-kki-dato feel
늘다 neul-dato increase
늦추다 neut-chu-dato delay or to postpone
넣다 neoh-dato put in
넘어지다 neom-eo-ji-dato fall over
넘어가다 neom-eo-ga-dato pass
놓다 noh-dato let go
닫다 dad-dato close
달리다 dal-li-dato run
담다 dam-dato put into
담배를 피우다 dam-bae-leul pi-u-dato smoke a cigarette
도와주다 do-wa-ju-dato help
되다 doe-dato become
돌아가다 dol-a-ga-dato return
돌리다 dol-li-dato turn
두다 du-dato put
드러나다 deu-leo-na-dato be revealed
들다 deul-dato carry
들리다 deul-li-dato be heard
들어가다 deul-eo-ga-dato enter
떨어지다 tteol-eo-ji-dato fall
떠나다 tteo-na-dato leave
떨다 tteol-dato shake or to tremble
떼다 tte-dato detach or to remove
뛰다 ttwi-dato run
뜨다 tteu-dato float
마시다 ma-si-dato drink
마음에 들다 ma-eum-e deul-dato like
막다 mak-dato block
말하다 mal-ha-dato speak
만들다 man-deul-dato make
만지다 man-ji-dato touch
만족하다 man-jok-ha-dato be satisfied
맡기다 mat-gi-dato entrust
매다 mae-dato tie
매달리다 mae-dal-li-dato cling
메모를 하다 me-mo-leul ha-dato take a memo
메시지를 보내다 me-si-ji-leul bo-nae-dato send a message
메일을 보내다 me-il-eul bo-nae-dato send an email
면접을 보다 myeon-jeob-eul bo-dato have a job interview
모르다 mo-leu-dato not know
모으다 mo-eu-dato collect
목욕하다 mok-yok-ha-dato take a bath
못하다 mot-ha-dato be bad at or to be unable to do
모자를 쓰다 mo-ja-leul sseu-dato wear a hat
무게를 달다 mu-ge-leul dal-dato weigh
무릎을 꿇다 mu-leup-eul kkulh-dato kneel
무시하다 mu-si-ha-dato ignore
무서워하다 mu-seo-weo-ha-dato be scared of
받치다 bad-chi-dato support or to prop
발달하다 bal-dal-ha-dato develop
발견하다 bal-gyeon-ha-dato discover
발생하다 bal-saeng-ha-dato occur or to happen
발음하다 bal-eum-ha-dato pronounce
발표하다 bal-pyo-ha-dato present or to announce
밝혀지다 balg-hyeo-ji-dato be revealed or to be disclosed
버리다 beo-li-dato throw away
벌다 beol-dato earn
벗다 beot-dato take off (clothes)
보내다 bo-nae-dato send
보다 bo-dato see or to watch
보이다 bo-i-dato be visible
보여 주다 bo-yeo ju-dato show
보호하다 bo-ho-ha-dato protect
봉사하다 bong-sa-ha-dato volunteer
부르다 bu-leu-dato call
부탁하다 bu-tak-ha-dato request
불다 bul-dato blow
빌리다 bil-li-dato borrow or to lend
빛나다 bit-na-dato shine
빨래하다 ppal-lae-ha-dato do the laundry
빼다 ppae-dato subtract
뻗다 bbeot-dato stretch
뽑다 bbop-dato pick or to select
뽑아내다 bbop-a-nae-dato extract
뿌리다 bbu-ri-dato sprinkle
살다 sal-dato live
사다 sa-dato buy
쉬다 shwi-dato rest
쓰다 sseu-dato write
씻다 ssit-dato wash
싸우다 ssa-u-dato fight
실례하다 sil-lye-ha-dato excuse oneself
시작하다 si-jak-ha-dato start
식다 sig-dato cool down
신다 sin-dato put on (shoes)
신청하다 sin-cheong-ha-dato apply
싫어하다 silh-eo-ha-dato dislike
심다 sim-dato plant
썩다 sseok-dato rot
쓰다 sseu-dato write
쓰러지다 sseu-leo-ji-dato collapse or to faint
씹다 ssip-dato chew
앉다 an-dato sit
알다 al-dato know
애쓰다 ae-sseu-dato try hard
양보하다 yang-bo-ha-dato yield
양해하다 yang-hae-ha-dato understand or to excuse
어울리다 eo-ul-li-dato suit or to fit
없다 eob-dato not exist or to not have
없애다 eobs-ae-dato get rid off
여행하다 yeo-haeng-ha-dato travel
연습하다 yeon-seup-ha-dato practice
연락하다 yeol-lak-ha-dato contact
열다 yeol-dato open
열리다 yeol-li-dato be opened
오다 o-dato come
올라가다 ol-la-ga-dato go up or to climb
올라오다 ol-la-o-dato come up
올라타다 ol-la-ta-dato get on
외우다 oe-u-dato memorize
외출하다 oe-chul-ha-dato go out
외치다 oe-chi-dato shout
자다 ja-dato sleep
잡다 jab-dato catch
저지르다 jeo-ji-leu-dato commit
저장하다 jeo-jang-ha-dato save (data)
전하다 jeon-ha-dato convey or to transmit
절약하다 jeol-yag-ha-dato save or to conserve
접다 jeob-dato fold
접근하다 jeob-geun-ha-dato approach
젓다 jeot-dato stir or shake
정리하다 jeong-li-ha-dato organize or to summarize
정비하다 jeong-bi-ha-dato maintain or to repair
정신을 차리다 jeong-sin-eul cha-ri-dato pull oneself together or to regain consciousness
제공하다 je-gong-ha-dato provide
제대로 하다 je-dae-lo ha-dato do properly
제자리에 서다 je-ja-li-e seo-dato stand still
제출하다 je-chul-ha-dato submit
제한하다 je-han-ha-dato restrict
조각하다 jo-gak-ha-dato carve or to sculpt
조립하다 jo-lib-ha-dato assemble
조사하다 jo-sa-ha-dato investigate
조언하다 jo-eon-ha-dato advise
조정하다 jo-jeong-ha-dato adjust
졸다 jol-dato doze
종료하다 jong-lyo-ha-dato finish or to wrap up
찍다 jjik-dato stamp
찢다 jjit-dato tear
차다 cha-dato kick
차별하다 cha-byeol-ha-dato discriminate
차단하다 cha-dan-ha-dato block
찾다 chat-dato find or to look for
참석하다 cham-seok-ha-dato participate
청소하다 cheong-so-ha-dato clean
축하하다 chuk-ha-ha-dato congratulate
출발하다 chul-bal-ha-dato depart
춤추다 chum-ha-dato dance
취소하다 chwi-so-ha-dato cancel
켜다 kyeo-dato turn on
키우다 ki-u-dato raise or to bring up
타다 ta-dato ride or to burn
태우다 tae-u-dato give a ride or to burn
태어나다 tae-eoh-na-dato be born
털다 teol-dato shake off
토하다 to-ha-dato vomit
틀리다 teul-li-dato be incorrect or to be wrong
틀다 teul-dato twist
팔다 pal-dato sell
펴다 pyeo-dato open or to spread
펼치다 pyeol-chi-dato unfold
포기하다 po-gi-ha-dato give up
포함하다 po-ham-ha-dato include
풀다 pul-dato solve or to untie
피다 pi-dato bloom
필요하다 pil-yo-ha-dato need
하다 ha-dato do
향하다 hyang-ha-dato face or to head towards
해결하다 hae-gyeol-ha-dato resolve
확인하다 hwag-in-ha-dato confirm or to check
헤매다 he-mae-dato wander
헤어지다 he-eo-ji-dato part, to separate
호응하다 ho-eung-ha-dato respond
회복하다 hoe-bok-ha-dato recover
후회하다 hu-hoe-ha-dato regret
흔들다 heun-deul-dato shake
흐르다 heu-leu-dato flow
흘리다 heul-li-dato spill
흩어지다 heut-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 있다 hal su it-dacan
해야 하다 hae-ya ha-damust
해도 되다 hae-do doe-damay
할 것이다 hal 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.

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.

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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!

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