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A1 suffix 1 min de lecture

~하다

-hada

Entraîne-toi Notes et astuces

§ What ~하다 Means

The Korean suffix ~하다 (hada) literally means 'to do'. It's one of the most useful elements in Korean because it takes many nouns and adjectives and turns them into verbs. Think of it as a verb-making machine. If you learn a new noun, chances are you can add ~하다 to it to make a verb. This makes your vocabulary go a lot further!

DEFINITION: to do (forms many verbs)

§ Basic Examples of ~하다

Let's look at some simple examples to see how ~하다 works. You'll notice it's very common.

공부 (gongbu) = study (noun) → 공부하다 (gongbuhada) = to study
일 (il) = work (noun) → 일하다 (ilhada) = to work
사랑 (sarang) = love (noun) → 사랑하다 (saranghada) = to love
행복 (haengbok) = happiness (noun) → 행복하다 (haengbokhada) = to be happy (here it acts like an adjective verb)

§ Where You'll Actually Hear ~하다

You'll hear ~하다 everywhere in daily Korean, from casual conversations to news broadcasts. It’s unavoidable because it's so fundamental.

§ At Work

In a work environment, ~하다 is essential for talking about tasks, duties, and actions.

오늘 회의를 해야 합니다. (Oneul hoeui-reul haeya hamnida.)

Translation hint: "Today I have to do the meeting." (or "I have a meeting today.")

제가 이 프로젝트를 담당하고 있습니다. (Jega i peurojekteu-reul damdanghago itseupnida.)

Translation hint: "I am in charge of this project." (담당하다 means 'to be in charge of')

§ At School

Students and teachers use ~하다 constantly when discussing studies, assignments, and school activities.

숙제를 하고 있어요. (Sukje-reul hago isseoyo.)

Translation hint: "I am doing homework."

친구와 같이 공부해요. (Chingu-wa gachi gongbuhaeyo.)

Translation hint: "I study with a friend."

§ In the News

News reports frequently use ~하다 to describe actions, statements, and events, often in its formal forms.

정부가 새로운 정책을 발표했습니다. (Jeongbu-ga saeroun jeongchaeg-eul balpyohaetseumnida.)

Translation hint: "The government announced a new policy." (발표하다 means 'to announce')

시위대가 평화롭게 시위했습니다. (Suiwi-daega pyeonghwaropge suiwihamneeda.)

Translation hint: "The protestors protested peacefully." (시위하다 means 'to protest')

§ What ~하다 Means

The Korean suffix ~하다 (hada) is super common and essential for forming many verbs. It literally means 'to do,' but it's used in a much broader sense than just 'doing' something physically. Think of it as a verb-maker.

DEFINITION: to do (forms many verbs)

When you attach ~하다 to a noun, it generally turns that noun into a verb, indicating the action of 'doing' or 'being' that noun. For example, if '공부' (gongbu) means 'study' (as a noun), then '공부하다' (gongbuhada) means 'to study' (as a verb).

§ How to Use ~하다

The basic structure is simple: Noun + 하다.

Here are some common examples:

공부 + 하다 = 공부하다 (gongbuhada) - to study
사랑 + 하다 = 사랑하다 (saranghada) - to love
일 + 하다 = 일하다 (ilhada) - to work
운동 + 하다 = 운동하다 (undonghada) - to exercise
말 + 하다 = 말하다 (malhada) - to speak/talk

§ Examples in Sentences

저는 매일 한국어를 공부해요.

Hint: I study Korean every day.

사랑해요.

Hint: I love you.

저는 회사에서 일해요.

Hint: I work at a company.

매일 아침 운동해요.

Hint: I exercise every morning.

§ Important Note on Conjugation

Remember that ~하다 itself needs to be conjugated depending on the tense, politeness level, and mood of your sentence. The most common polite present tense form is '해요' (haeyo). So, 공부하다 becomes 공부해요, 사랑하다 becomes 사랑해요, and so on.

§ Similar Words and When to Use ~하다 vs. Alternatives

While ~하다 is incredibly versatile, sometimes other verbs are used. Here's a look at when to stick with ~하다 and when you might encounter alternatives:

Verbs for 'To Do' (General Action): The most direct alternative to ~하다 when you mean 'to do' in a very general sense is '하다' as a standalone verb. For example, '무엇을 해요?' (mueoseul haeyo?) means 'What are you doing?' In this case, '하다' is the main verb, not a suffix. When ~하다 is a suffix, it's attached to a noun to create a new verb with a specific meaning.
Creating Verbs from Nouns: For a vast majority of action-oriented nouns, ~하다 is your go-to suffix. There isn't really a direct 'alternative' for this verb-making function.
Exceptions/Specific Verbs: Some nouns don't take ~하다 to become a verb, or they have their own specific verbs. For instance:
- Instead of '식사하다' (siksahada - to have a meal), you'll often hear '밥을 먹다' (babeul meokda - to eat rice/a meal). While '식사하다' is grammatically correct and understood, '먹다' is more natural for the act of eating.
- For 'speaking,' while '말하다' (malhada - to speak/talk) uses ~하다, you might also hear '이야기하다' (iyagihada - to tell a story/talk) or even '말씀하다' (malsseumhada - to speak, honorific). Both '이야기하다' and '말씀하다' also use ~하다! This shows how prevalent ~하다 is.
- For 'wearing,' you don't say '옷하다' (othada). Instead, you use specific verbs like '입다' (ipda) for clothes, '신다' (sinda) for shoes, '쓰다' (sseuda) for hats/glasses, etc.

In summary, ~하다 is a powerful and frequently used suffix that transforms nouns into verbs. While there are specific verbs for certain actions (like 'to eat' or 'to wear'), for many abstract or action-oriented nouns, ~하다 is the primary way to create a verb. Mastering its use is crucial for building a strong foundation in Korean verb conjugation and vocabulary expansion.

How Formal Is It?

Formel

"공부합니다. (I study.)"

Neutre

"요리해요. (I cook.)"

Informel

"운동해. (Exercise.)"

Mémorise-le

Moyen mnémotechnique

Think of '~하다' as 'to DO' things. It's like the little engine that says 'I can DO that!' and turns nouns into action verbs or adjectives into states of being.

Association visuelle

Imagine a little stick figure happily 'doing' various actions, and each action bubble has the '~하다' suffix written on it. Or, picture a 'to-do' list, and at the end of each item, you see '~하다' like a checkmark, meaning 'done' or 'to do'.

Word Web

공부하다 (to study) 일하다 (to work) 요리하다 (to cook) 운동하다 (to exercise) 청소하다 (to clean) 운전하다 (to drive) 노래하다 (to sing) 춤추다 (to dance - although 춤 = dance, and 춤추다 uses a different verb ending, it's often conceptualized as 'to do a dance' for learners) 말하다 (to speak) 생각하다 (to think)

Défi

Try to identify 5 English nouns that can become verbs by adding 'to do' (e.g., 'study' becomes 'to study'). Then, find the Korean equivalent noun and try to form the '~하다' verb. For example, 'clean' -> 'to clean'. Korean: 청소 (cleaning) + 하다 = 청소하다 (to clean).