Lesson 18 · Actions Happening Now
Hyeju’s Beginner Korean Vocabulary · Lesson 18
Actions Happening Now
Learn 12 Korean words for current activities, including reading, waiting, calling, cooking, and taking photos, with simple practice.
Introduction
Look around you: someone is reading, someone is cleaning, and someone is waiting. Today, learn the action words first. In a clear 지금 context, ordinary present forms can describe what is happening now; the grammar lesson adds -고 있어요 to make an ongoing action explicit.
Romanization is a reading aid, not a complete pronunciation guide. Read Hangul first. Notes marked “Review” revisit earlier themes; other words extend today’s topic.
Today’s Vocabulary
지금
jigeum · now지금 adds a present-time frame. Ordinary present forms can describe current actions in context.
지금 뭐 해요?jigeum mwo haeyoWhat are you doing now?읽다
ikda · to readReview. Notice the pronunciation changes between 읽다 and 읽어요.
책을 읽어요.chaegeul ilgeoyoI read a book.보다
boda · to see; to watchReview of the main verb 보다. It is different from the comparison particle 보다 in Lesson 19.
영화를 봐요.yeonghwareul bwayoI watch a movie.기다리다
gidarida · to waitThe thing or person you wait for takes 을/를.
버스를 기다려요.beoseureul gidaryeoyoI wait for the bus.전화하다
jeonhwahada · to make a phone call전화 + 하다. The person called is omitted here to keep the pattern simple.
지금 전화해요.jigeum jeonhwahaeyoI am making a phone call now.요리하다
yorihada · to cookReview of everyday activities. 요리 is cooking or cuisine; 요리하다 is the action.
집에서 요리해요.jib-eseo yorihaeyoI cook at home.청소하다
cheongsohada · to cleanThe place being cleaned can be an object: 방을.
방을 청소해요.bangeul cheongsohaeyoI clean the room.운동하다
undonghada · to exerciseReview. 공원에서 states where the activity happens.
공원에서 운동해요.gongwon-eseo undonghaeyoI exercise in the park.이야기하다
iyagihada · to talk; to tell a story친구와 means with a friend; it is a familiar partner particle.
친구와 이야기해요.chinguwa iyagihaeyoI talk with a friend.사진
sajin · photograph; photoUse 사진을 찍다 for taking a photo. The noun alone is not the action.
이 사진이 좋아요.i sajini joayoThis photo is good.찍다
jjikda · to take a photo찍다 has several meanings. This lesson uses the photo-taking sense only.
사진을 찍어요.sajineul jjigeoyoI take a photo.일하다
ilhada · to workReview of the workplace theme. 일하다 names the activity; 출근하다 names going to work.
회사에서 일해요.hoesa-eseo ilhaeyoI work at my workplace.Useful Phrases
Make Your Own Sentences
Use 지금 + object + action: 지금 책을 읽어요. Name one action you can observe. If an object is unnecessary, use a place instead: 집에서 요리해요. Keep a space between separate words; particles stay attached to nouns.
Hyeju’s Note
Say a sentence you can use in your own life. Change just one noun or one action at a time, then read the full sentence aloud.
Mini Practice
Check the answers
1. 읽어요.
2. 기다려요.
3. 찍어요.
4. Now.
5. 방을. Cleaning a bus is possible, but it is not “my room.”
6. Sample: 지금 책을 읽어요. Other natural activity answers are possible.
Today’s Key Point
Learn object + action pairs: 책을 읽다, 사진을 찍다.
지금 supplies a now context.
Vocabulary first; -고 있어요 is the explicit ongoing-action pattern.
Hyeju Word Match
KOREAN VOCABULARY · BEGINNER
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