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Top 100+ Basic Korean Verbs You MUST Know (with Meanings)

Verbs run the show in any language, especially Korean. Trying to express what you like, what you’re doing, or what you’re totally not vibing with? You’ll need the right verb to support it. This isn’t just about memorizing words—it’s about unlocking the core of everyday conversation.

This post provides a comprehensive list of over 100 essential Korean verbs that every beginner should know, along with their English meanings, organized for easy learning. 

Let’s dive in:



Why Should You Learn Korean Verbs?

  • They're the heart of every sentence 🧡

  • Essential for basic conversation and comprehension

  • Appear in TOPIK and EPS-TOPIK exams

  • Common in everyday situations, K-dramas, and K-pop lyrics

  • Help you build confidence while speaking Korean fast

🔥 The Ultimate List of 100+ Basic Korean Verbs

KoreanEnglish
하다to do
가다to go
오다to come
먹다to eat
마시다to drink
있다to have
없다to not have
살다to live
만들다to make
요리하다to cook
사다to buy
팔다to sell
주문하다to order
내다to pay
준비하다to prepare
쉬다to rest
자다to sleep
일어나다to get up / wake up
좋아하다to like
싫어하다to dislike / hate
보다to see / to watch
운동하다to exercise
연습하다to practice
걷다to walk
경험하다to experience
만나다to meet
소개하다to introduce
인사하다to greet
전화하다to call (on phone)
초대하다to invite
읽다to read
가르치다to teach
공부하다to study
적다to write down
배우다to learn
알다to know
모르다to not know
생각하다to think
성공하다to succeed
실패하다to fail
신다to wear (shoes)
입다to wear (clothes)
사용하다to use
청소하다to clean
씻다to wash
노래하다to sing
춤추다to dance
웃다to laugh / smile
울다to cry
이야기하다to talk
타다to ride
내리다to get off
운전하다to drive
도착하다to arrive
출발하다to depart
설명하다to explain
잊어버리다to forget
기억하다to remember
포기하다to give up
계속하다to continue
늦다to be late
기다리다to wait
걱정하다to worry
따라가다to follow
물어보다to ask
여행하다to travel
나가다to go out
들어가다to go in
떠나다to leave
방문하다to visit
듣다to listen
필요하다to need
빌리다to borrow
주다to give
도와주다to help
닫다to close
열다to open
넣다to put in
정리하다to organize
시작하다to start
끝나다to finish
멈추다to stop
일하다to work
놀다to play / hang out
실수하다to make a mistake
거짓말하다to lie
확인하다to check
믿다to believe
후회하다to regret
이해하다to understand
놀라다to be surprised
화나다to be angry
말씀하다to speak (formal)
대답하다to answer
도망가다to run away
사라지다to disappear
잃어버리다to lose
조심하다to be careful
찾다to find
데려오다to bring
다치다to get hurt
미치다to go crazy
버리다to throw away
미워하다to hate
사랑하다to love
선택하다to choose
결혼하다to marry
이혼하다to divorce
싸우다to fight
죄송하다to be sorry
약속하다to promise
죽다to die
태어나다to be born

🧠 Tips to Learn These Korean Verbs Faster:

  1. Group them by theme (travel, work, food, etc.)

  2. Practice with real-life phrases or K-drama scenes

  3. Use flashcards or apps (like Anki, Quizlet, or Memrise)

  4. Speak out loud with sentence repetition

  5. Follow my Instagram @KoreanWithKayi for daily verb content 💜

  6. Subscribe to my YouTube channel @TheAsianBelle for Korean video lessons


    📹 Bonus: Watch the Video Lesson

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✨ From your Korean-learning friend,
Kayi (a.k.a. TheAsianBelle on YouTube)

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