Korean verb · regular · first needed at beginner level (A1)
알다
alda
to know
An ㄹ stem: the ㄹ drops before ㄴ, ㅂ and ㅅ: (amnida), (aseyo?), do you know? Its negative is the separate verb (moreuda), never 안 알아요. (algetseumnida) means “understood”.
Speed:
Present
현재
Know. The negative is (mollayo).
| polite | 알아요arayo | |
|---|---|---|
| formal | 압니다amnida | |
| casual | 알아ara | |
| polite negative | 몰라요mollayo |
Past
과거
Knew, found out; (arasseoyo) also means “OK, got it”. The negative is (mollasseoyo).
| polite | 알았어요arasseoyo | |
|---|---|---|
| formal | 알았습니다aratseumnida | |
| casual | 알았어arasseo | |
| polite negative | 몰랐어요mollasseoyo |
Future
미래
A guess: someone will (probably) know. The negative is (moreul geoyeyo).
| polite | 알 거예요al geoyeyo | |
|---|---|---|
| formal | 알 겁니다al geomnida | |
| casual | 알 거야al geoya | |
| polite negative | 모를 거예요moreul geoyeyo |
Progressive
진행
Be aware of, already know (-고 있다); very common for “I know”. The negative means “not aware”.
| polite | 알고 있어요algo isseoyo | |
|---|---|---|
| formal | 알고 있습니다algo itseumnida | |
| casual | 알고 있어algo isseo | |
| polite negative | 모르고 있어요moreugo isseoyo |
Examples
- 그 사람 알아요?Geu saram arayo?Do you know that person?
- 네, 알고 있어요.Ne, algo isseoyo.Yes, I know.
- 알겠습니다.Algetseumnida.Understood.