-하다 Verb

Keyword #
Do
Lesson
11
 
 
3 Sentence Summary of This Lesson:
  • The Korean verb "to do" is 하다, which conjugates to 해요 (present), 했어요 (past), and 할 거예요 (future).
  • 하다 uses the special vowel 여, condensing 하여요 to 해요 instead of using 아 or 어.
  • Many Korean verbs are formed by combining nouns with 하다, like 공부하다 (to study) or 사랑하다 (to love).
 
The verb ‘to do’ is ‘하다’ in Korean. This is a special one because it has a rule of its own.
 
The stem of ‘하다’ is ‘하’:
 
  • Simple Present: 해요 → 공부를 해요. (I study.)
  • Simple Past: 했어요 → 명상을 했어요. (I meditated.)
  • Simple Future: 할 거예요 → 내일 운동을 할 거예요. (I will work out tomorrow.)
 
When conjugating verbs, we often have to distinguish whether to use ‘아’ or ‘어’ or ‘여’, like ‘보아요’ and ‘먹어요’. The special rule is that ‘여’ is reserved for ‘하다’. But instead of the original form ‘하여요’, we condense that to ‘해요’.
 
  • 하다 → 하여요 → 해요.
 
It is rare that you will ever hear or see ‘하다’ used in the original form, except when you watch dramas set in the past (사극) or on official notices or announcements.
 
The verb ‘하다’ is often used with nouns, which become a word of its own and used as a verb or adjective.
 
Here are some verbs that end with ‘하다’:
 
  • 공부하다 (to study): 매일 공부를 해요. (I study everyday)
  • 생각하다 (to think): 다르게 생각해요. (I think differently)
  • 운동하다 (to exercise): 내일 운동해요. (I will work out tomorrow)
  • 사랑하다 (to love): 그 사람을 사랑해요. (I love that person)
  • 싫어하다 (to dislike): 그런 게임 싫어해요. (I don’t like games like that)
  • 거절하다 (to reject): 제의를 거절했어요. (He/She rejected the offer)
  • 그리워하다 (to miss): 그 친구가 그리워요. (I miss that friend)
 
These nouns in these verbs can be separated. For example, ‘공부하다’ would become ‘공부를 하다’.
 
 
 
Try the following exercise.
Fill in the blanks with ‘하다’.
 
  1. 운동을 _____. (I exercised)
Answer
했어요
 
  1. 같이 _____. (We do it together)
Answer
해요
 
  1. 생각을 _____. (I think)
Answer
해요
 
 
  1. 내일 _____. (I will do it tomorrow.)
Answer
할 거예요
 
  1. 다시 _____. (I did it again.)
Answer
했어요
 
  1. 걱정을 많이 _____. (I worry a lot.)
Answer
해요
 
  1. 말을 _____. (I will tell/say it.)
Answer
할 거예요.
 
  1. 거의 다 _____. (I almost did it all/ I’m almost done.)
Answer
했어요
 
  1. 모른 척 _____. (I pretend to not know it)
Answer
해요
 
  1. 기억_____. (I will remember it.)
Answer
할 거예요
 
 
 
 
 
* For more practice exercises, visit the ‘Practice Hub’.
 
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