Top 50 Most Common Korean Verbs for Beginners

Korean verbs are essential building blocks for expressing actions, states, and emotions. Unlike English, Korean verbs always come at the end of a sentence. This makes learning verbs early a smart strategy for any beginner who wants to start speaking quickly.

 

Most Korean verbs end in “-다” in their base dictionary form, like "가다 (to go)" or "먹다 (to eat)". But depending on tense and politeness, the endings change: "가요", "갔어요", or "갑니다"—all mean variations of “go.”

 

This guide introduces you to the 50 most common verbs you'll hear in daily life, K-dramas, Korean classrooms, and on the streets of Seoul. Each verb includes pronunciation help, meaning, and a practical example.

Let’s break these down into 5 themed groups: daily essentials, conversation basics, travel-related actions, emotional verbs, and routines. Use this guide as your foundation for natural and useful Korean.

🛒 Group 1: Everyday Essentials

Korean	Pronunciation	English Meaning	Example Sentence
가다	ga-da	to go	학교에 가요 (I go to school)
오다	o-da	to come	친구가 와요 (A friend comes)
보다	bo-da	to see/watch	영화를 봐요 (I watch a movie)
하다	ha-da	to do	숙제해요 (I do homework)
먹다	meok-da	to eat	밥을 먹어요 (I eat rice)
마시다	ma-si-da	to drink	물을 마셔요 (I drink water)
사다	sa-da	to buy	옷을 사요 (I buy clothes)
읽다	ilk-da	to read	책을 읽어요 (I read a book)
주다	ju-da	to give	선물을 줘요 (I give a gift)
쓰다	sseu-da	to write/use	편지를 써요 (I write a letter)

 

💬 Group 2: Conversation Verbs

Korean	Pronunciation	English Meaning	Example Sentence
말하다	mal-ha-da	to speak	한국어로 말해요 (I speak in Korean)
듣다	deut-da	to listen	음악을 들어요 (I listen to music)
묻다	mud-da	to ask	질문을 물어요 (I ask a question)
대답하다	dae-dap-ha-da	to answer	대답해 주세요 (Please answer)
알다	al-da	to know	저 알아요 (I know)
모르다	mo-reu-da	to not know	몰라요 (I don’t know)
부르다	bu-reu-da	to call/sing	이름을 불러요 (I call your name)
기다리다	gi-da-ri-da	to wait	기다려 주세요 (Please wait)
생각하다	saeng-gak-ha-da	to think	생각해 봐요 (Think about it)
대화하다	dae-hwa-ha-da	to converse	친구랑 대화해요 (I talk with a friend)

 

🗺️ Group 3: Travel & Movement

Korean	Pronunciation	English Meaning	Example Sentence
타다	ta-da	to ride	지하철을 타요 (I ride the subway)
내리다	nae-ri-da	to get off	버스에서 내려요 (I get off the bus)
출발하다	chul-bal-ha-da	to depart	출발해요 (I depart)
도착하다	do-chak-ha-da	to arrive	도착했어요 (I arrived)
걷다	geot-da	to walk	공원에서 걸어요 (I walk in the park)
달리다	dal-li-da	to run	운동장에서 달려요 (I run at the track)
건너다	geon-neo-da	to cross	길을 건너요 (I cross the street)
돌아가다	do-ra-ga-da	to return	집에 돌아가요 (I go back home)
여행하다	yeo-haeng-ha-da	to travel	서울을 여행해요 (I travel to Seoul)
찾다	chat-da	to find	길을 찾고 있어요 (I’m finding the way)

 

💭 Group 4: Feelings & Thoughts

Korean	Pronunciation	English Meaning	Example Sentence
기쁘다	gi-ppeu-da	to be glad	정말 기뻐요 (I'm really happy)
슬프다	seul-peu-da	to be sad	조금 슬퍼요 (I'm a bit sad)
사랑하다	sa-rang-ha-da	to love	사랑해요 (I love you)
좋아하다	jo-a-ha-da	to like	음악을 좋아해요 (I like music)
싫어하다	si-reo-ha-da	to dislike	채소를 싫어해요 (I dislike vegetables)
원하다	won-ha-da	to want	책을 원해요 (I want a book)
필요하다	pil-yo-ha-da	to need	도움이 필요해요 (I need help)
걱정하다	geok-jeong-ha-da	to worry	걱정하지 마세요 (Don’t worry)
기억하다	gi-eok-ha-da	to remember	이름을 기억해요 (I remember the name)
잊다	it-da	to forget	숙제를 잊었어요 (I forgot the homework)

 

🏠 Group 5: Daily Routines

Korean	Pronunciation	English Meaning	Example Sentence
자다	ja-da	to sleep	일찍 자요 (I sleep early)
일어나다	i-reo-na-da	to wake up	아침에 일어나요 (I wake up in the morning)
씻다	ssit-da	to wash	손을 씻어요 (I wash my hands)
입다	ip-da	to wear	옷을 입어요 (I wear clothes)
청소하다	cheong-so-ha-da	to clean	방을 청소해요 (I clean my room)
요리하다	yo-ri-ha-da	to cook	아침을 요리해요 (I cook breakfast)
운동하다	un-dong-ha-da	to exercise	매일 운동해요 (I exercise daily)
공부하다	gong-bu-ha-da	to study	한국어를 공부해요 (I study Korean)
놀다	nol-da	to play/hang out	친구랑 놀아요 (I hang out with friends)
쉬다	swi-da	to rest	조금 쉬어요 (I rest a bit)

 

🎯 Tips for Learning Korean Verbs

✅ Start with the most commonly used verbs — just like the 50 listed in this post. They appear in 80% of everyday conversations.

 

✅ Practice each verb in a real sentence. Don't just memorize the meaning—use it in speaking and writing.

 

✅ Use flashcard apps like Anki, Quizlet, or Memrise to memorize verbs in both Korean and English.

 

✅ Record yourself saying full example sentences. Listening to your own voice improves pronunciation and confidence.

 

✅ Study verbs in groups (like this post). Grouping by theme or situation helps with memory and real-life usage.

 

✅ Watch K-dramas and K-pop videos with subtitles and pause to repeat any verbs you recognize.

 

 

📌 FAQ

Q1. How many Korean verbs should I memorize first?
A1. Start with the top 50 most common verbs — it’s enough for basic conversations and grammar practice.

Q2. Are Korean verb conjugations hard?
A2. Not really! Once you understand the patterns, they’re quite logical. Most follow consistent rules.

Q3. Should I learn formal or casual forms first?
A3. Learn polite speech (-요 form) first. It's appropriate in most daily situations and easy to build from.

Q4. What are 하다 verbs?
A4. 하다 verbs are compound verbs like 공부하다 (to study), combining a noun with 하다 (to do). They are very regular and useful.

Q5. Can I understand K-dramas just by learning verbs?
A5. Not completely, but verbs will help you follow the general flow. Combine with particles and basic vocabulary for best results.

Q6. What app is best for practicing Korean verbs?
A6. LingoDeer, Talk To Me In Korean (TTMIK), Anki, and Quizlet are great for beginners.

Q7. How do I practice verbs in real life?
A7. Try language exchanges, journaling in Korean, or narrating your actions out loud in Korean daily.

Q8. Do verbs change based on politeness?
A8. Yes! Korean verbs conjugate based on who you're talking to. Start with -요 form for general polite speech.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this post is for educational and informational purposes only. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the Korean verbs and examples listed, this content does not constitute formal language instruction, professional advice, or certified linguistic resources. Usage and interpretations may vary depending on region, context, or formality. Users are encouraged to consult native speakers, language teachers, or certified programs for further guidance.