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KOREAN VERB

전화하다

to phone, to call

  • #59 most used
  • 하다 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 phone
NegativeI don’t phone

Past

과거 · finished actions: 갔어요, 갔습니다, 갔어

Form Polite Formal Casual
AffirmativeI phoned
NegativeI didn’t phone

Future

미래 · plans and guesses: -(으)ㄹ 거예요

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

Honorific

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

Form Polite Formal
PresentI phone (respectfully)
PastI phoned (respectfully)
FutureI will phone (respectfully)

Connectives

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

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

Requests and commands

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

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

How to use 전화하다

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

  1. Present

    저는 매주 일요일에 부모님한테 전화해요.

    I phone my parents every Sunday.

  2. Past

    오늘 아침에 민준이 어머니한테 전화했어요.

    This morning I called Min-jun's mother.

  3. Future

    서울에 도착하면 제가 바로 전화할 거예요.

    As soon as I arrive in Seoul, I'll call you.

  4. Honorific

    김 선생님께서 조금 전에 전화하셨어요.

    Mr. Kim called a little while ago.

  5. Connectives

    아까 수아한테 전화했지만 안 받았어요.

    I called Su-a a while ago, but she didn't answer.

  6. Requests and commands

    늦으면 꼭 저한테 먼저 전화하세요.

    If you're going to be late, be sure to call me first.

Good to know

  • The person you call takes 한테 or 에게: 친구한테 전화해요; "give me a call" is 전화 주세요.

Where you hear 전화하다

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

Korean · Beginner Level 2

  • 저는 매일 어머니한테 전화해요. I call my mother every day.
  • 어제 학교에 전화했어요. Yesterday I called the school.
  • 내일 형한테 전화할 거예요. Tomorrow I'll call Eli.

Korean · Beginner Level 3

  • 저는 매일 어머니한테 전화해요. I call my mother every day.
  • 어제 학교에 전화했어요. Yesterday I called the school.
  • 내일 형한테 전화할 거예요. Tomorrow I'll call Eli.
3
The phone

Beginner Level 2 · 지금 전화하고 싶어요! · 저한테 전화하세요.

Needs a subscription 18
A cold

Beginner Level 2 · 제가 학교에 전화해요. 쉬세요.

Needs a subscription 29
A second year?

Beginner Level 2 · 부모님께 전화하고 대답하겠습니다.

Needs a subscription 5
Moving day

Beginner Level 3 · 감사합니다. 전화할게요.

Needs a subscription 14
The bus terminal

Beginner Level 3 · 일요일에 전화해. 잊지 마.

Needs a subscription 20
Monday

Beginner Level 3 · 어젯밤에 저한테 전화했어요. · 그럼 오늘 전화할 것 같아요.

Needs a subscription 22
Holiday plans

Beginner Level 3 · 수업 후에 전화하세요.

Needs a subscription 11
A cold phone call

Intermediate Level 1 · 나중에 전화할게.

Needs a subscription 28
We meant to, but

Intermediate Level 1 · 전화하려고 했는데요.

Needs a subscription 30
Two fathers, one phone

Intermediate Level 3 · 일라이, 아버지한테 전화해.

Needs a subscription 13
Calling the estate agent

Advanced Level 1 · 강변 투룸 때문에 전화했어요.

Needs a subscription 6
The side street

Advanced Level 2 · 번호로 전화해 보자.

Needs a subscription

And 1 more lessons.

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: 하다 verb.