사업하다

§ Korean Word: 사업하다

Definition

To do business; to engage in commercial activities.

Hello learners! Today we're breaking down 사업하다 (sa-eop-ha-da), a super useful verb for talking about business in Korean. It's an A2 level word, so it's good to get familiar with it early on.

At its core, 사업하다 means 'to do business' or 'to engage in commercial activities.' Think of it as the go-to verb when you want to describe someone running a company, starting a venture, or generally being involved in the business world.

§ How to use it in a sentence — grammar, prepositions

Let's dive into how to use 사업하다 in real sentences. Like many Korean verbs ending in -하다, it's pretty straightforward. You can often attach it directly to a subject, or combine it with nouns to be more specific about the kind of business.

One common way to use it is with a subject (who is doing business). For example:

Translation hint

I want to do business in Korea. (저는: I, 한국에서: in Korea, 싶어요: want to)

Here, '저는' is the subject, and '한국에서' tells us where the business activity is happening. The verb ending '-고 싶어요' expresses a desire or wish.

You can also use 사업하다 to talk about someone's profession or what they do for a living.

Translation hint

He does a trade business. (그는: he, 무역: trade, 을 해요: does)

In this example, '무역' (trade) is a noun that specifies the type of business. The object marker '을' is used here because '무역 사업' acts as the object of '하다'. While 사업하다 itself is a verb, '사업' can also be a noun meaning 'business' or 'project'. So, '무역 사업을 하다' is a common phrase meaning 'to do a trade business'.

Here's another example, focusing on the act of starting a business:

Translation hint

My friend started a new business. (친구가: my friend, 새로운: new, 시작했어요: started)

In this case, we're using '사업' (business) as a noun with '시작하다' (to start). This highlights that '사업' itself is a very versatile word. You'll hear '사업하다' more often when the focus is on the ongoing activity of doing business, while '사업을 시작하다' specifically refers to the beginning of that activity.

What about prepositions? Korean uses postpositions, which come after the noun. When talking about *where* you do business, you'll often use '에서' (e-seo), meaning 'in' or 'at'.

Translation hint

My father runs a small business in Seoul. (아버지는: father, 서울에서: in Seoul, 작은: small, 하세요: does - honorific)

The postposition '에서' clearly marks '서울' (Seoul) as the location of the business activity.

Let's look at a few more examples to solidify your understanding:

• 하고 싶은 사업이 있어요? (Do you have a business you want to do?)

• 성공적으로 사업하고 싶으면 열심히 해야 해요. (If you want to do business successfully, you have to work hard.)

• 우리 회사는 해외에서 사업을 확장하고 있습니다. (Our company is expanding business overseas.)

In summary, 사업하다 is your go-to verb for anything related to doing business. Remember to use appropriate particles like '에서' for location and '을/를' when '사업' is used as a noun and functions as an object. Keep practicing with these examples, and you'll be using it like a pro in no time!