Korean VerbsEssential verbs with romanization — free list
Every Korean verb ends in 다 in its dictionary form — 가다 (to go), 먹다 (to eat), 하다 (to do). This free list covers the most useful everyday verbs with romanization and meaning. To actually use them, drop 다 and add the polite 해요 ending.
| Korean | Romanization | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 가다 | gada | to go |
| 오다 | oda | to come |
| 먹다 | meokda | to eat |
| 마시다 | masida | to drink |
| 보다 | boda | to see / watch |
| 듣다 | deutda | to listen / hear |
| 자다 | jada | to sleep |
| 일어나다 | ireonada | to get up |
| 하다 | hada | to do |
| 말하다 | malhada | to speak / say |
| 읽다 | ikda | to read |
| 쓰다 | sseuda | to write / use |
| 사다 | sada | to buy |
| 팔다 | palda | to sell |
| 주다 | juda | to give |
| 받다 | batda | to receive |
| 만나다 | mannada | to meet |
| 공부하다 | gongbuhada | to study |
| 일하다 | ilhada | to work |
| 살다 | salda | to live |
| 좋아하다 | joahada | to like |
| 알다 | alda | to know |
| 모르다 | moreuda | to not know |
| 만들다 | mandeulda | to make |
| 놀다 | nolda | to play / hang out |
| 걷다 | geotda | to walk |
| 웃다 | utda | to laugh / smile |
| 울다 | ulda | to cry |
💡 Good to know
The 하다 verbs are a huge shortcut: noun + 하다 makes a verb — 공부 (study) → 공부하다 (to study), 일 (work) → 일하다 (to work). Learn how 다 becomes the 해요 form once, and these all conjugate the same way.
FAQ
- What are the most common Korean verbs?
- 가다 go, 오다 come, 먹다 eat, 마시다 drink, 보다 see, 하다 do, 좋아하다 like — all in the list above. Every verb ends in 다 in its dictionary form.
- How do you conjugate Korean verbs?
- Drop the 다 and add the right ending. For the everyday polite form, 가다 → 가요, 먹다 → 먹어요, 하다 → 해요. Our 해요 lesson walks through the rule.
- What is a 하다 verb?
- A verb made from a noun + 하다 ("to do"): 공부 (study) → 공부하다, 운동 (exercise) → 운동하다. They all conjugate as …해요, so they are easy to learn in bulk.
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Written by Alvin Lim Certified Korean Language Teacher (Level 2)