20 Everyday Korean Verbs for Beginners (With Simple Sentences)

안녕~ it’s Kayi from @KoreanWithKayi! And if you're anything like me, you're probably trying to go from “Annyeong!” to actually speaking Korean without sounding like a confused K-drama extra. 

Listen, verbs are everything. You can’t talk about what you're doing, feeling, eating, binge-watching, or simping over without verbs. That’s why I put together this ✨super chill, beginner-friendly✨ list of Korean verbs you’ll actually use—no textbook blah-blah here. Just words for real life, with sample sentences that even your sleep-deprived brain can understand.

Let’s get into it. You ready? Coffee in one hand, vocab in the other. Let’s gooo! 가자!!

Let’s Get Verb-ified: 20 Must-Know Korean Verbs
(With Hangul, Romanization, and Meaning)

1. 하다 (ha-da) – to do

👉 공부해요. (gong-bu-hae-yo) – I study.

2. 가다 (ga-da) – to go

👉 학교에 가요. (hak-gyo-e ga-yo) – I’m going to school.

3. 오다 (o-da) – to come

👉 친구가 와요. (chin-gu-ga wa-yo) – A friend is coming.

4. 먹다 (meok-da) – to eat

👉 밥 먹어요. (bap meo-geo-yo) – I’m eating rice.

5. 마시다 (ma-si-da) – to drink

👉 커피 마셔요. (keo-pi ma-syeo-yo) – I’m drinking coffee. (My daily ritual ☕)

6. 보다 (bo-da) – to see/watch

👉 드라마 봐요. (deu-ra-ma bwa-yo) – I’m watching a drama. (Again.)

7. 자다 (ja-da) – to sleep

👉 잘 자요. (jal ja-yo) – Sleep well.

8. 사다 (sa-da) – to buy

👉 물 사요. (mul sa-yo) – I’m buying water.

9. 읽다 (ilg-da) – to read

👉 책 읽어요. (chaek il-geo-yo) – I’m reading a book.

10. 쓰다 (sseu-da) – to write

👉 편지 써요. (pyeon-ji sseo-yo) – I’m writing a letter.

11. 일하다 (il-ha-da) – to work

👉 회사에서 일해요. (hoe-sa-e-seo il-hae-yo) – I work at an office.

12. 운동하다 (un-dong-ha-da) – to exercise

👉 운동해요. (un-dong-hae-yo) – I’m working out. (Kinda.)

13. 듣다 (deut-da) – to listen

👉 음악 들어요. (eu-mak deu-reo-yo) – I’m listening to music.

14. 말하다 (mal-ha-da) – to speak

👉 한국어 말해요. (han-guk-eo mal-hae-yo) – I speak Korean.

15. 배우다 (bae-u-da) – to learn

👉 한국어 배워요. (han-guk-eo bae-wo-yo) – I’m learning Korean! (Like a boss 💁‍♀️)

16. 살다 (sal-da) – to live

👉 서울에 살아요. (seo-ul-e sal-a-yo) – I live in Seoul.

17. 걷다 (geot-da) – to walk

👉 공원에서 걸어요. (gong-won-e-seo geo-reo-yo) – I walk in the park.

18. 춤추다 (chum-chu-da) – to dance

👉 춤 춰요. (chum chwo-yo) – I’m dancing! (Probably to NewJeans.)

19. 일어나다 (i-reo-na-da) – to wake up

👉 아침에 일어나요. (a-chim-e il-eo-na-yo) – I wake up in the morning. (Sadly.)

20. 기다리다 (gi-da-ri-da) – to wait

👉 친구를 기다려요. (chin-gu-reul gi-da-ryeo-yo) – I’m waiting for a friend.

💡 Kayi’s Tip:

Don’t just read these — speak 'em out loud like you’re in a K-drama audition. Better yet, record yourself and cringe later (I mean, self-reflect 💅). Repetition is the queen when it comes to language.

What to Do Next:

✔️ Bookmark this post so you can revisit it faster than your bias drops a photocard.

✔️ Write 5 sentences using these verbs and drop them in the comments for feedback!

✔️ Wanna master the grammar too? My next post dives into sentence structure like a pro. 👀

✔️ Share this with your 언니, oppa, or group chat who keeps saying “Annyeonghaseyo” and nothing else.