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fluentbyear

KOREAN VERB

읽다

to read

  • #41 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 read
NegativeI don’t read

Past

과거 · finished actions: 갔어요, 갔습니다, 갔어

Form Polite Formal Casual
AffirmativeI read
NegativeI didn’t read

Future

미래 · plans and guesses: -(으)ㄹ 거예요

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

Honorific

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

Form Polite Formal
PresentI read (respectfully)
PastI read (respectfully)
FutureI will read (respectfully)

Connectives

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

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

Requests and commands

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

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

How to use 읽다

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

  1. Present

    저는 자기 전에 책을 조금 읽어요.

    I read a little before going to bed.

  2. Past

    그 기사는 어제 신문에서 읽었어요.

    I read that article in the newspaper yesterday.

  3. Future

    이번 주말에 이 소설을 다 읽을 거예요.

    I'll finish reading this novel this weekend.

  4. Honorific

    김 선생님은 매일 아침 신문을 읽으세요.

    Mr. Kim reads the newspaper every morning.

  5. Connectives

    메시지를 읽었지만 답장은 안 했어요.

    I read the message, but I didn't reply.

  6. Requests and commands

    먼저 설명서를 처음부터 잘 읽으세요.

    First read the instructions carefully from the start.

Good to know

  • 읽다 is said [익따], but the ㄹ comes back before a vowel: 읽어요 is [일거요].

Where you hear 읽다

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

Korean · Intermediate Level 1

  • 저녁에 책 읽어요. I read in the evening.
  • 그 책 어제 읽었어요. I read that book yesterday.
  • 주말에 한국 책 읽을 거예요. I'll read a Korean book at the weekend.

Korean · Intermediate Level 2

  • 저녁에 책 읽어요. I read in the evening.
  • 그 책 어제 읽었어요. I read that book yesterday.
  • 주말에 한국 책 읽을 거예요. I'll read a Korean book at the weekend.
4
The highway south

Intermediate Level 1 · 나는 책 읽다가 멀미했어. · 차에서 책을 읽다가? 당연하지.

Needs a subscription 4
Two in the morning

Intermediate Level 2 · 나라면 천천히 읽을 거야.

Needs a subscription 20
What if I cry?

Intermediate Level 2 · 그럼 내가 대신 읽을게.

Needs a subscription 25
The admin office

Advanced Level 1 · 월요일에 다 읽겠습니다.

Needs a subscription 9
The small print

Advanced Level 2 · 제오조 읽어 봐. · 작은 글씨 읽는 게 직업이야.

Needs a subscription 20
Article nine

Advanced Level 2 · 아내가 두 번 읽었어요. 번역가예요.

Needs a subscription 26
Grandma's rules

Advanced Level 2 · 옛날 얘기야. 아기가 들으니까 책 읽어 줘.

Needs a subscription 19
The first day of leave

Advanced Level 3 · 좋은 계획이야. 아기는 안 읽었어.

Needs a subscription 18
A rehearsal that goes wrong

Fluency Level 1 · 소 귀에 경 읽기야, 오빠.

Needs a subscription 29
Su-a's dare

Fluency Level 1 · 독서 모임에 읽을 사람이 필요해. · 내 발음으로 읽으면?

Needs a subscription 1
The picture book

Fluency Level 2 · 더 천천히. 날씨 읽는 거 아니야. · 끝은 내일. 곶감은 아직 못 읽어.

Free 2
The club

Fluency Level 2 · 천천히 읽으면 읽을수록 잘 들어요. · 읽을수록 한국 사람 같아요.

Free

And 2 more lessons.

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: verb.