🏃 Essential Korean Verbs You’ll Use Every Day
Verbs are the heart of any sentence — and in Korean, they come at the very end. 😮
To speak basic Korean confidently, you need to know the most common verbs used in everyday life.
In this guide, you'll learn 20 must-know Korean verbs, how to conjugate them in polite form, and how to use them in real conversations. Let’s go! 💪🇰🇷
🔤 How Korean Verbs Work
Korean verbs always go at the end of a sentence.
Example:
-
저는 밥을 먹어요. → I eat food.
Verbs change form based on tense and speech level. In this post, we’ll use the present tense, polite form (아요/어요), which is perfect for beginners.
🔑 20 Must-Know Korean Verbs
| Korean (Basic) | Meaning | Present Tense (Polite) | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 가다 | to go | 가요 | 학교에 가요. (I go to school.) |
| 오다 | to come | 와요 | 친구가 와요. (A friend is coming.) |
| 먹다 | to eat | 먹어요 | 점심을 먹어요. (I eat lunch.) |
| 마시다 | to drink | 마셔요 | 물을 마셔요. (I drink water.) |
| 하다 | to do | 해요 | 공부해요. (I study.) |
| 보다 | to see/watch | 봐요 | 영화를 봐요. (I watch a movie.) |
| 자다 | to sleep | 자요 | 일찍 자요. (I sleep early.) |
| 일어나다 | to wake up | 일어나요 | 아침에 일어나요. (I wake up in the morning.) |
| 있다 | to have/exist | 있어요 | 시간이 있어요. (I have time.) |
| 없다 | to not have | 없어요 | 돈이 없어요. (I don’t have money.) |
| 사다 | to buy | 사요 | 책을 사요. (I buy a book.) |
| 배우다 | to learn | 배워요 | 한국어를 배워요. (I learn Korean.) |
| 만나다 | to meet | 만나요 | 친구를 만나요. (I meet a friend.) |
| 듣다 | to listen | 들어요 | 음악을 들어요. (I listen to music.) |
| 읽다 | to read | 읽어요 | 책을 읽어요. (I read a book.) |
| 쓰다 | to write/use | 써요 | 이름을 써요. (I write my name.) |
| 말하다 | to speak | 말해요 | 한국어로 말해요. (I speak in Korean.) |
| 기다리다 | to wait | 기다려요 | 버스를 기다려요. (I wait for the bus.) |
| 살다 | to live | 살아요 | 서울에 살아요. (I live in Seoul.) |
| 걷다 | to walk | 걸어요 | 공원에서 걸어요. (I walk in the park.) |
✍️ How to Practice Verbs Daily
-
Pick 5 verbs each day and make your own sentence.
-
Practice aloud in front of a mirror 🪞
-
Watch a K-drama and listen for these verbs.
-
Write a short diary: “오늘 뭐 했어요?”
-
Quiz yourself: “How do I say ‘I drink coffee’?”
👩🏫 Want to Practice Real Conversations?
Don’t just memorize verbs—use them in sentences with real people. I’ll help you build confidence with daily verbs through live 1:1 practice.
👉 Book your Korean lesson with me on italki:
https://www.italki.com/ko/teacher/7916559
Let’s speak Korean together, one verb at a time! ✨
