Korean · Everyday Verbs
"to give" in Korean: 주다
주다juda
to give in Korean is 주다 (juda). 주다 takes the gift as an object and the recipient with 에게; 드리다 is its humble counterpart.
to give: an everyday statement
친구에게 책을 줘요.chinguege chaegeul jwoyo.
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How to pronounce 주다
Say it
juda
/tɕuta/
Read 주다 as juda. The spoken form 줘요 is jwoyo; preserve its final 요 when addressing someone politely.
"to give" in Korean: quick reference
| Korean | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| 주다juda | to give Dictionary form. | Dictionary form. |
| 줘요jwoyo | to give (polite present) Use 줘요 in an everyday polite sentence. | Use 줘요 in an everyday polite sentence. |
| 줬어요jwosseoyo | to give (polite past) Use 줬어요 for a completed past action or state. | Use 줬어요 for a completed past action or state. |
How to use 주다 in real life
- 1to give: an everyday statement
친구에게 책을 줘요.
chinguege chaegeul jwoyo.
I give my friend a book.
줘요 is the present form of 주다.
- 2to give: a different situation
아이에게 물을 줬어요.
aiege mureul jwosseoyo.
I gave the child water.
줬어요 is the past form of 주다.
- 3to give: a question or request
누구에게 줘요?
nuguege jwoyo?
Who do you give it to?
줘요 is the present form of 주다.
Mistakes English speakers make with 주다
Incorrect: 주다.
Correct: 줘요.
When practicing to give, 주다 names the dictionary entry. In polite speech, change the ending to 줘요.
Incorrect: 어제 줘요.
Correct: 어제 줬어요.
When practicing to give, for a completed event yesterday, use 줬어요; the present form 줘요 does not express that past event.
Good to know
주다 takes the gift as an object and the recipient with 에게; 드리다 is its humble counterpart. 줘요 is the polite conversational form of 주다; 줬어요 gives a past-tense form.
Read this practice conversation aloud
Tutor-led everyday verbs study exercise: two sentences with 주다
Partner
이 표현을 사용해서 한 문장 말해 볼까요?
i pyohyeoneul sayonghaeseo han munjang malhae bolkkayo?
Shall we say a sentence using this expression?
You
친구에게 책을 줘요.
chinguege chaegeul jwoyo.
I give my friend a book.
Partner
좋아요. 다른 문장으로도 연습해 볼까요?
joayo. dareun munjangeurodo yeonseupae bolkkayo?
Good. Shall we practice with another sentence too?
You
아이에게 물을 줬어요.
aiege mureul jwosseoyo.
I gave the child water.
This is a sample dialogue for reading aloud. Try both parts, then replace a detail with one from your own life.
Explore ChatPal"to give" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to give" in Korean
How do I use 주다 in polite speech?
줘요 is the polite conversational form of 주다; 줬어요 gives a past-tense form.
How do I use 주다 in a past-tense sentence?
줬어요 is the polite past form. 주다 takes the gift as an object and the recipient with 에게; 드리다 is its humble counterpart.
What does 줘요 mean here?
줘요 is used for to give. For example, 친구에게 책을 줘요. means “I give my friend a book.”
What should I remember about 주다?
주다 takes the gift as an object and the recipient with 에게; 드리다 is its humble counterpart.
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