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fluentbyear

KOREAN VERB

기다리다

to wait

  • #60 most used
  • Verb

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present

현재 · now and habits: polite, formal and casual speech

Form Polite Formal Casual
AffirmativeI wait
NegativeI don’t wait

Past

과거 · finished actions: 갔어요, 갔습니다, 갔어

Form Polite Formal Casual
AffirmativeI waited
NegativeI didn’t wait

Future

미래 · plans and guesses: -(으)ㄹ 거예요

Form Polite Formal Casual
AffirmativeI will wait
NegativeI won’t wait

Honorific

높임말 · to or about an elder: the -시- forms

Form Polite Formal
PresentI wait (respectfully)
PastI waited (respectfully)
FutureI will wait (respectfully)

Connectives

연결 어미 · and, so, if, because, but: joining two sentences

  1. And (-고) waiting, and…, and…
  2. So, and then (-아/어서) waiting, and…, so…
  3. If, when (-(으)면) if I wait
  4. Because (-(으)니까) because I wait
  5. But (-지만) I wait, but…

Requests and commands

명령형 · -(으)세요, -(으)십시오, the casual form, -지 마세요

  1. Please (-(으)세요) please wait
  2. Formal request (-(으)십시오) please wait (formal)
  3. Plain command wait! (casual)
  4. Please don’t please don’t wait

How to use 기다리다

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present

    저는 버스 정류장에서 지영 씨를 기다려요.

    I'm waiting for Ji-yeong at the bus stop.

  2. Past

    아까 카페에서 삼십 분이나 기다렸어요.

    Earlier I waited a whole thirty minutes at the cafe.

  3. Future

    제가 학교 정문 앞에서 기다릴 거예요.

    I'll wait in front of the school gate.

  4. Honorific

    할머니께서 집에서 저녁을 안 드시고 기다리셨어요.

    Grandma waited at home without eating dinner.

  5. Connectives

    조금만 기다리면 버스가 올 거예요.

    If you wait a little, the bus will come.

  6. Requests and commands

    여기에서 잠깐만 기다리세요. 금방 올게요.

    Wait here just a moment. I'll be right back.

Good to know

  • Korean waits for someone with 을/를, with no "for": 친구를 기다려요. 잠깐만 기다리세요 is "just a moment".

Where you hear 기다리다

The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.

Korean · Beginner Level 2

  • 저는 역에서 기다려요. I wait at the station.
  • 삼십 분 기다렸어요. I waited thirty minutes.
  • 내일 학교 앞에서 기다릴 거야. I'll wait in front of the school tomorrow.

Korean · Beginner Level 3

  • 저는 역에서 기다려요. I wait at the station.
  • 삼십 분 기다렸어요. I waited thirty minutes.
  • 내일 학교 앞에서 기다릴 거야. I'll wait in front of the school tomorrow.
11
Kimchi-making day: the cabbage

Beginner Level 2 · 많이요. 그리고 기다리세요. · 얼마나 기다려요? · 오늘 밤까지 기다려.

Needs a subscription 7
The new class

Beginner Level 3 · 학생들이 기다리고 있어요.

Needs a subscription 14
The bus terminal

Beginner Level 3 · 걱정하지 마. 기다릴게.

Needs a subscription 3
Chuseok in Jeonju

Intermediate Level 1 · 할머니가 기다려요. · 공항에서 다섯 시간 기다려 봤어요.

Needs a subscription 4
The highway south

Intermediate Level 1 · 할머니는 육십 년 기다리셨어. 한 시간은 괜찮아.

Needs a subscription 14
The bench by the river

Intermediate Level 1 · 화내기 전에 기다릴걸 그랬어.

Needs a subscription 23
The shadowless pagoda

Intermediate Level 1 · 어느 날 아내가 연못에서 기다렸어요.

Needs a subscription 27
The seal

Intermediate Level 2 · 기다리시더라도 네 시까지 회의입니다. · 네 시더라도 기다릴게요.

Needs a subscription 20
Namsan

Intermediate Level 3 · 잠깐만 기다려 줄래?

Needs a subscription 3
The clinic

Advanced Level 2 · 기다리지 말고 보건소에 등록하세요.

Needs a subscription 11
The tax office

Advanced Level 2 · 번호표 뽑고 기다리시면 됩니다.

Needs a subscription 21
Water through the ceiling

Advanced Level 2 · 언제까지 기다려요?

Needs a subscription

And 3 more lessons.

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: verb.