Korean Daily Routines Vocabulary일상생활

to wake up / to get up

아침 7시에 일어나요.I wake up at 7 in the morning.

💡 Memory tip: il-eo-na-da — "I lean on a ladder" to get up in the morning!

to sleep

보통 11시에 자요.I usually sleep at 11 o'clock.

💡 Memory tip: The opposite of 일어나다 (to wake up) — the two ends of your day.

Pronunciation: Short and simple — one of the easiest Korean verbs to conjugate: 자 + 요 = 자요.

to wash (oneself)

아침에 얼굴을 씻어요.I wash my face in the morning.

💡 Memory tip: 씻다 is washing your own body (face, hands). For washing dishes/clothes you use a different verb, 빨다/닦다.

Pronunciation: ㅆ is a tense "ss" sound. The final ㄷ becomes [ㄷ] before a consonant but links to the next syllable before a vowel: 씻어요 → [씨서요].

to eat

밥을 먹어요.I eat rice (a meal).

💡 Memory tip: meok-da — sounds like "muck" — you muck through your food!

Pronunciation: ㄱ final + ㄷ = tensification [먹따]. Before a vowel: 먹어요 → [머거요].

to drink

커피를 마셔요.I drink coffee.

💡 Memory tip: The drinking partner to 먹다 (to eat): you 먹다 solids and 마시다 liquids.

Pronunciation: Conjugates as 마시 + 어요 → 마셔요 (시 + 어 contracts to 셔).

to go

학교에 가요.I go to school.

💡 Memory tip: The opposite of 오다 (to come). Destination takes 에: 학교에 가요 (go TO school).

Pronunciation: One of the most common Korean verbs. Conjugates easily: 가 + 아요 → 가요 (아 merges with 가).

to work

월요일부터 금요일까지 일해요.I work from Monday to Friday.

💡 Memory tip: 일 (work, the noun) + 하다 (to do) = "to do work." The 하다 pattern builds tons of verbs.

Pronunciation: 일 (work) + 하다 (to do) = 일하다. Many Korean verbs are formed with noun + 하다.

to study

한국어를 공부해요.I study Korean.

💡 Memory tip: 공부 (study, the noun) + 하다 (to do). What you're doing right now: 한국어를 공부해요!

Pronunciation: Another noun + 하다 verb: 공부 (study) + 하다 (to do). Conjugates as 공부해요.

to exercise

매일 아침 운동해요.I exercise every morning.

💡 Memory tip: 운동 (exercise/sports, the noun) + 하다 (to do). 운(運, move) + 동(動, motion) — "moving motion."

to rest

주말에 집에서 쉬어요.I rest at home on weekends.

💡 Memory tip: The breathy "shwi" sound is like an exhale — exactly what you do when you rest.

Pronunciation: ㅅ + ㅟ — the ㅅ before ㅟ sounds like "sh": [쉬다].

to watch / to see

드라마를 봐요.I watch a drama.

💡 Memory tip: One core verb covers both "to see" and "to watch." It also means "to read" a book or "to take" a test.

Pronunciation: Conjugates as 보 + 아요 → 봐요 (보 + 아 contracts to 봐).

to listen / to hear

음악을 들어요.I listen to music.

💡 Memory tip: The hearing partner to 보다 (to see). It's ㄷ-irregular: 듣다 → 들어요 (ㄷ turns to ㄹ).

Pronunciation: ㄷ irregular verb! When the stem ㄷ is followed by a vowel, ㄷ changes to ㄹ: 듣 + 어요 → 들어요 (not 듣어요). This is one of the most important irregular patterns to memorize.

to read

책을 읽어요.I read a book.

💡 Memory tip: Pair it with 책 (book): 책을 읽어요. The double-consonant 읽 hides a ㄹ that resurfaces before vowels: 읽어요 [일거요].

Pronunciation: The ㄹ in the final consonant cluster ㄺ is silent: 읽다 → [익따]. But before a vowel: 읽어요 → [일거요].