50 Essential Korean Verbs: Dictionary Form (Part 1)

EPS-TOPIK · NOVA PLUS

🎯 50 Must-Know Verbs — The Foundation of Every Korean Sentence

📌 What Is “Dictionary Form”?

Every Korean verb and adjective has a dictionary form — the form you’d find if you looked the word up in a dictionary. It always ends in -다 (da). You won’t actually say this form out loud in conversation (for that, you need to conjugate it — like 가다 → 가요), but it’s the essential starting point: dictionaries, textbooks, and every grammar rule use this form as the base. Once you know a verb’s dictionary form, you can build any conjugation from it.

🇵🇭 Ang bawat Korean verb at adjective ay may dictionary form — ang anyo na makikita mo kapag hinanap mo ang salita sa diksyunaryo. Palaging nagtatapos ito sa -다 (da). Hindi mo ito aktwal na sasabihin sa pag-uusap (kailangan mo munang i-conjugate ito — tulad ng 가다 → 가요), pero ito ang mahalagang panimulang punto: ginagamit ito bilang batayan sa mga diksyunaryo, textbook, at lahat ng grammar rule. Kapag alam mo na ang dictionary form ng isang verb, magagawa mo na ang kahit anong conjugation mula dito.

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Step 1. Look, Listen, Speak, Write & Relax: Look at the word. Press the listen button and repeat again and again until you feel you’ve fully memorized it! Input the word into your brain using your eyes, ears, and mouth muscles. Write it down if you want to practice writing as well! Then, take a 10-minute break. Close your eyes and comfortably recall the words like you are meditating. Don’t force it, just relax!

Step 2. The 4-Step Spaced Repetition: Finished the first loop? Wait 10 to 20 minutes, then go back to the beginning. This is your 1st review! Focus on the words you couldn’t memorize. Press the listen button as much as possible and repeat. (Remember: If you don’t know the meaning, a word is just a secret code, and a voice is just noise!) Do your 2nd review the Next Day, 3rd review Next Week, and 4th review in 4 Weeks. The words will move to your long-term memory!

Step 3. Create the “Nova Prison” Folder: Still can’t memorize some stubborn words? Take a screenshot and create a special “Nova Prison” folder on your phone or computer! Lock those words inside. Review them in your free time, and release them only when you’ve memorized them perfectly!



📖 List of 50 Essential Korean Verbs

Korean Romanization / Real Sound English / Tagalog
1. 가다 ga-da
[가다]
Go 🚶
Pumunta
2. 오다 o-da
[오다]
Come 🏃
Dumating
3. 먹다 meok-da
[먹따]
Eat 🍽️
Kumain
4. 마시다 ma-si-da
[마시다]
Drink 🥤
Uminom
5. 자다 ja-da
[자다]
Sleep 💤
Matulog
6. 일어나다 il-eo-na-da
[이러나다]
Wake up 🌅
Gumising
7. 일하다 il-ha-da
[일하다]
Work 💼
Magtrabaho
8. 쉬다 swi-da
[쉬다]
Rest 🛋️
Magpahinga
9. 운동하다 un-dong-ha-da
[운동하다]
Exercise 🏋️
Mag-ehersisyo
10. 공부하다 gong-bu-ha-da
[공부하다]
Study 📚
Mag-aral
11. 보다 bo-da
[보다]
See, Watch 👀
Manood
12. 읽다 ik-da
[익따]
Read 📖
Magbasa
13. 쓰다 sseu-da
[쓰다]
Write ✍️
Magsulat
14. 듣다 deut-da
[듣따]
Listen 🎧
Makinig
15. 말하다 mal-ha-da
[말하다]
Speak 🗣️
Magsalita
16. 만나다 man-na-da
[만나다]
Meet 🤝
Makipagkita
17. 사다 sa-da
[사다]
Buy 🛒
Bumili
18. 팔다 pal-da
[팔다]
Sell 💰
Magbenta
19. 입다 ip-da
[입따]
Wear 👕
Magsuot
20. 벗다 beot-da
[벋따]
Take off 🧢
Maghubad
21. 씻다 ssit-da
[씯따]
Wash 🧼
Maghugas
22. 청소하다 cheong-so-ha-da
[청소하다]
Clean 🧹
Maglinis
23. 요리하다 yo-ri-ha-da
[요리하다]
Cook 🍳
Magluto
24. 전화하다 jeon-hwa-ha-da
[전화하다]
Call 📞
Tumawag
25. 기다리다 gi-da-ri-da
[기다리다]
Wait ⏳
Maghintay
26. 타다 ta-da
[타다]
Ride 🚌
Sumakay
27. 내리다 nae-ri-da
[내리다]
Get off 🔻
Bumaba
28. 걷다 geot-da
[걷따]
Walk 🚶‍♂️
Maglakad
29. 뛰다 ttwi-da
[뛰다]
Run 🏃‍♂️
Tumakbo
30. 알다 al-da
[알다]
Know 💡
Malaman
31. 모르다 mo-reu-da
[모르다]
Don’t know 🤷
Hindi alam
32. 묻다 mut-da
[묻따]
Ask ❓
Magtanong
33. 대답하다 dae-dap-ha-da
[대다파다]
Answer 🙋
Sumagot
34. 주다 ju-da
[주다]
Give 🎁
Magbigay
35. 받다 bat-da
[받따]
Receive 🤲
Tumanggap
36. 빌리다 bil-li-da
[빌리다]
Borrow 🤝
Humiram
37. 가르치다 ga-reu-chi-da
[가르치다]
Teach 👨‍🏫
Magturo
38. 배우다 bae-u-da
[배우다]
Learn 🧠
Matuto
39. 찾다 chat-da
[찯따]
Find 🔍
Maghanap
40. 잃어버리다 i-reo-beo-ri-da
[이러버리다]
Lose 😭
Mawala
41. 열다 yeol-da
[열다]
Open 🔓
Magbukas
42. 닫다 dat-da
[닫따]
Close 🔒
Magsara
43. 켜다 kyeo-da
[켜다]
Turn on 💡
Buksan
44. 끄다 kkeu-da
[끄다]
Turn off 📴
Patayin
45. 좋아하다 jo-a-ha-da
[조아하다]
Like 👍
Gustuhin
46. 싫어하다 si-reo-ha-da
[시러하다]
Dislike 👎
Ayawan
47. 시작하다 si-jak-ha-da
[시자카다]
Start 🏁
Magsimula
48. 끝나다 kkeut-na-da
[끈나다]
Finish 🛑
Matapos
49. 만들다 man-deul-da
[만들다]
Make 🛠️
Gumawa
50. 사용하다 sa-yong-ha-da
[사용하다]
Use 📱
Gumamit

✏️ Self-Test

Korean (Hangul) Your Answer
1. 가다
2. 오다
3. 먹다
4. 마시다
5. 자다
6. 일어나다
7. 일하다
8. 쉬다
9. 운동하다
10. 공부하다
11. 보다
12. 읽다
13. 쓰다
14. 듣다
15. 말하다
16. 만나다
17. 사다
18. 팔다
19. 입다
20. 벗다
21. 씻다
22. 청소하다
23. 요리하다
24. 전화하다
25. 기다리다
26. 타다
27. 내리다
28. 걷다
29. 뛰다
30. 알다
31. 모르다
32. 묻다
33. 대답하다
34. 주다
35. 받다
36. 빌리다
37. 가르치다
38. 배우다
39. 찾다
40. 잃어버리다
41. 열다
42. 닫다
43. 켜다
44. 끄다
45. 좋아하다
46. 싫어하다
47. 시작하다
48. 끝나다
49. 만들다
50. 사용하다