TOPIK I Core Vocabulary · Core Words ③

Everyday verbs — 주다, 받다, 자다, 일어나다, 말하다

You use these five verbs in everyday situations. Learn 주다 ↔ 받다 and 자다 ↔ 일어나다 as pairs.

01주다juda

to give · to hand something over to someone.

Forms 줘요 · 줍니다 · 줬어요 (past)

Examples 친구에게 주다 (to give to a friend) · 선물을 주다 (to give a gift)

친구에게 생일 선물을 줬어요. I gave my friend a birthday present.  |  선물 = gift  |  The person who receives something takes 에게. The more casual form is 한테

02받다batda🔊 [받따]

to receive · to be given or sent something. The opposite is 주다.

Pronunciation [받따]. After the final consonant ㄷ, you say the next ㄷ as a strong (tense) sound ㄸ.

Note Use 에게 for the person who receives something. Use 에게서 for the person you receive it from.

Examples 선물을 받다 (to receive a gift) · 친구에게서 받다 (to receive something from a friend)

어제 친구에게서 편지를 받았어요. I got a letter from a friend yesterday.  |  편지 = letter  |  한테서 is the more casual form of 에게서. You can use it with polite sentence endings

03자다jada

to sleep · to close your eyes and rest.

Forms 자요 · 잡니다 · 잤어요 (past)

Examples 잠을 자다 (to get some sleep) · 일찍 자다 (to go to bed early)

어젯밤에는 일찍 잤어요. I went to bed early last night.  |  어젯밤 = last night · 일찍 = early

04일어나다ireonada

to get up · to wake up and get out of bed. It also means to stand up. The opposite is 자다.

Forms 일어나요 · 일어납니다 · 일어났어요

Examples 아침에 일어나다 (to get up in the morning) · 일찍 일어나다 (to get up early)

저는 매일 여섯 시에 일어나요. I get up at six every day.  |  매일 = every day  |  Clock times take 에. It works like English at

05말하다malhada🔊 [마라다]

to speak, to say · to put thoughts into words.

Pronunciation [마라다]. The final consonant ㄹ moves to the next syllable. The ㅎ becomes very weak.

Examples 천천히 말하다 (to speak slowly) · 사실을 말하다 (to tell the truth)

조금만 천천히 말해 주세요. Could you speak a bit more slowly?  |  천천히 = slowly  |  -아/어 주세요 makes a polite request

Quick check3 questions

Fill in each blank in Korean. Every answer appears above.

1. 어제 친구에게서 편지를 __________. (I ______ a letter yesterday.)
2. 저는 매일 여섯 시에 __________. (I ______ at six every day.)
3. 조금만 천천히 __________ 주세요. (Could you ______ more slowly?)

Show answers

1. 받았어요   2. 일어나요   3. 말해

Study tip Use 친구에게 주다 to give something to a friend. Use 친구에게서 받다 to receive something from a friend. 에게서 shows the source.