64 Essential Korean Verbs to Help You Start Speaking

Learning to communicate in Korean can be an exciting adventure, full of new sounds, fascinating cultural insights, and a fresh perspective on language. One of the most important building blocks for mastering any language is to get a firm handle on its verbs. After all, verbs do the heavy lifting when it comes to expressing actions, thoughts, and emotions. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by Korean verb conjugation or simply looking for some practical Korean verbs to start speaking right away, you’ve landed on the right article.

This guide gathers 64 essential Korean verbs and groups them into different categories for your convenience. We’ll cover everything from daily action words to social and emotional verbs. While you go through these, remember to keep an eye on Korean verb conjugation patterns so you can start applying them in real conversations.

1. Everyday Action Verbs

Let’s kick off with some everyday action verbs that you’ll likely use multiple times a day. These are the building blocks of daily Korean conversation. Think of them as your “go-to” words for describing basic life routines, from waking up in the morning to winding down in the evening.

• 가다 (ga-da) – to go
• 오다 (o-da) – to come
• 먹다 (meok-da) – to eat
• 마시다 (ma-si-da) – to drink
• 보다 (bo-da) – to see/watch
• 자다 (ja-da) – to sleep
• 일어나다 (i-reo-na-da) – to wake up/get up
• 입다 (ip-da) – to wear/put on clothes

These verbs are your bread and butter for describing simple actions. For example, you can say, “저는 밥을 먹어요 (jeo-neun ba-beul meo-geo-yo)” to mean “I’m eating rice.” Don’t forget that in Korean, using the correct level of politeness in your conjugation is just as important as the verb itself.

2. Household & Routine Verbs

Your day-to-day life likely involves chores and tasks around the house. These verbs will help you communicate all about your chores and any domestic adventures you find yourself in. Think of them as essential if you’re ever going to live or stay in Korea, or simply want to describe your home life in a conversation.

• 청소하다 (cheong-so-ha-da) – to clean
• 씻다 (ssit-da) – to wash
• 요리하다 (yo-ri-ha-da) – to cook
• 만들다 (man-deul-da) – to make
• 설거지하다 (seol-geo-ji-ha-da) – to do the dishes
• 빨래하다 (ppal-lae-ha-da) – to do laundry
• 정리하다 (jeong-ri-ha-da) – to organize
• 쉬다 (swi-da) – to rest

In Korean culture, chores and routines can be communal experiences. Whether you’re sharing a meal or tidying up a shared space, you’ll need these verbs frequently to coordinate tasks and describe what you’re up to. Take baby steps to practice Korean verb conjugation by transforming these dictionary forms into the present tense (e.g., 청소해요, 요리해요) and see how quickly you can converse about household tasks.

3. Communication & Relationship Verbs

Conversations and relationships are at the heart of language learning. No one wants to just talk about themselves, after all—it’s important to engage with other people! This set of verbs allows you to express emotional connections, extend invitations, and relate to friends, family, or even brand-new acquaintances.

• 말하다 (mal-ha-da) – to speak
• 듣다 (deut-da) – to listen
• 주다 (ju-da) – to give
• 받다 (bat-da) – to receive
• 사랑하다 (sa-rang-ha-da) – to love
• 좋아하다 (jo-a-ha-da) – to like
• 싫어하다 (sil-eo-ha-da) – to dislike
• 부탁하다 (bu-tak-ha-da) – to ask a favor

These verbs will help you navigate social situations and form deeper bonds. After all, your personal relationships will blossom when you can convey your thoughts and feelings clearly. You can say, “말해 주세요 (mal-hae ju-se-yo)” to politely ask someone to tell you something, or “도와 주세요 (do-wa ju-se-yo)” for “Please help me.”

4. Travel & Exploration Verbs

The ability to move around and explore is one of the most exciting perks of learning a new language. From asking for directions to describing your travel adventures, these verbs will come in handy whether you’re exploring the busy streets of Seoul or enjoying a quaint countryside getaway.

• 타다 (ta-da) – to ride
• 내리다 (nae-ri-da) – to get off
• 찾다 (chat-da) – to find/look for
• 도착하다 (do-chak-ha-da) – to arrive
• 출발하다 (chul-bal-ha-da) – to depart
• 걷다 (geot-da) – to walk
• 달리다 (dal-li-da) – to run
• 여행하다 (yeo-haeng-ha-da) – to travel

Picture yourself hopping on the subway and knowing exactly how to say, “I’m getting off at the next station.” With these travel verbs, you can discuss your itinerary, get help finding local landmarks, and share your experiences after you’ve returned home.

If you’re feeling adventurous, remember there are plenty of fun ways to spice up your conversations with Korean idioms—check out the post to get creative in your expressions!

One of the best ways to practice Korean verbs in real-life settings is by chatting with native speakers. That’s where Tandem comes in. Download Tandem to connect with people from all over the world who can help you perfect your pronunciation, learn local slang, and expand your vocabulary.

5. Food & Dining Verbs

Korean cuisine is celebrated worldwide, and you’ll definitely want to discuss your favorite dishes, try new restaurants, or talk about cooking techniques. Whether you’re into kimchi, bibimbap, or something sweet like hotteok, these verbs will keep your foodie conversations flowing.

• 주문하다 (ju-mun-ha-da) – to order
• 맛보다 (mat-bo-da) – to taste
• 굽다 (gup-da) – to grill/bake
• 튀기다 (twi-gi-da) – to fry
• 끓이다 (kkeul-i-da) – to boil
• 넣다 (neot-da) – to put in/add
• 빼다 (ppae-da) – to leave out/remove
• 데우다 (de-u-da) – to heat up

With these handy verbs, you’ll have no trouble communicating your culinary preferences. For instance, you can say “고기를 빼 주세요 (go-gi-reul ppae ju-se-yo)” if you want a vegetarian meal and need the meat removed.

6. Emotions & State-of-Being Verbs

Emotions are universal, and Korean is filled with ways to describe how you’re feeling. Not only do these verbs help you articulate your internal state, but they also allow you to empathize with those around you. Use them to express happiness, sadness, excitement, and more.

• 기쁘다 (gi-ppeu-da) – to be glad/happy
• 슬프다 (seul-peu-da) – to be sad
• 화나다 (hwa-na-da) – to be angry
• 걱정하다 (geok-jeong-ha-da) – to worry
• 두렵다 (du-ryeop-da) – to be afraid
• 피곤하다 (pi-gon-ha-da) – to be tired
• 부끄러워하다 (bu-kkeu-reo-wo-ha-da) – to be shy/embarrassed
• 설레다 (seol-le-da) – to be excited/nervous (in a good way)

Adjectives in Korean can function similarly to verbs when describing states of being. For example, “기뻐요 (gi-ppeo-yo)” can mean “I’m happy.” As you learn more about Korean verb conjugation, you’ll discover different endings that can intensify or soften these emotions.

7. Cultural & Social Activity Verbs

Korean culture is rich with traditions, celebrations, and social activities, from casual hangouts with friends to grand festivals. Being able to describe these events and participate actively in them requires a specific set of verbs.

• 춤추다 (chum-chu-da) – to dance
• 노래하다 (no-rae-ha-da) – to sing
• 게임하다 (ge-im-ha-da) – to play games
• 축하하다 (chuk-ha-ha-da) – to celebrate
• 초대하다 (cho-dae-ha-da) – to invite
• 사귀다 (sa-gwi-da) – to date/be friends with
• 전통을 지키다 (jeon-tong-eul ji-ki-da) – to keep tradition
• 행사에 참여하다 (haeng-sa-e cha-myeo-ha-da) – to participate in an event

These verbs will help you engage more naturally with people in a wide range of social settings—whether it’s a quick karaoke session (노래방, anyone?) or a traditional holiday gathering. For instance, you might say “친구 생일 파티에 초대했어요 (chin-gu saeng-il pa-ti-e cho-dae-hae-sseo-yo)” to mean “I invited my friend to a birthday party.”

8. Self-Improvement & Daily Progress Verbs

Learning a language often goes hand in hand with personal growth and day-to-day self-improvement. Whether you’re forming new habits or setting goals, these verbs empower you to talk about progress and personal development.

• 배우다 (bae-u-da) – to learn
• 공부하다 (gong-bu-ha-da) – to study
• 연습하다 (yeon-seup-ha-da) – to practice
• 노력하다 (no-ryeok-ha-da) – to make an effort
• 집중하다 (jip-jung-ha-da) – to focus
• 계획하다 (gye-hoek-ha-da) – to plan
• 준비하다 (jun-bi-ha-da) – to prepare
• 성장하다 (seong-jang-ha-da) – to grow/develop

It’s not just about the verbs themselves; it’s about building a habit of using them in context. For instance, “매일 한국어를 공부해요 (mae-il han-gu-geo-reul gong-bu-hae-yo)” means “I study Korean every day.” With consistency, you’ll see your language skills skyrocket.

Polishing Your Korean Verb Conjugation Skills

If you’re looking for more practical phrases to use daily, check out our common Korean phrases. If you want to expand beyond verbs, you might also enjoy these Korean idioms or basic Korean phrases.

As you can see, Korean verbs form the core of daily communication. But don’t stop at just memorizing the dictionary forms—you’ll want to explore the nuances of Korean verb conjugation. For starters, focus on:

• Present Tense (해요체): This polite speech level is perfect for everyday use.
• Past Tense (했어요체): Great for sharing stories about what happened.
• Future Tense (할 거예요): Useful for talking about plans or intentions.

Once you get a hang of the basic tenses, look into the various politeness levels, from casual speech (반말) to more formal styles (존댓말). This step might seem complex, but regular interaction with native speakers (and plenty of practice) will help you internalize these patterns naturally.

Wrapping It All Up

We’ve walked through over 50 essential Korean verbs to help you start speaking confidently. Grouped by categories—everyday actions, household tasks, communication, travel, food, emotions, cultural activities, and self-improvement—these words give you a holistic foundation for everyday conversation. Mastering Korean verb conjugation will allow you to adapt each verb to different contexts and levels of formality.

Remember, language learning is a journey, and every new verb you pick up is a step closer to fluency. Keep practicing, stay curious, and immerse yourself in real conversations as often as possible.

As a final tip, one of the best ways to keep the momentum going is to practice directly with native speakers by downloading Tandem! It’s an excellent platform for meeting people who can guide you through the quirks of Korean conversation, share slang and cultural insights, and help you polish those verb conjugations through genuine dialogue. Hit the download button and see how quickly your confidence skyrockets.

Happy studying, and may your Korean-learning adventure be full of fun, growth, and memorable moments—one verb at a time!