기억하다
gieokhada[kiʌ̹kʰa̠da̠]
The English phrase 'remember' is translated into Korean as 기억하다 (gieokhada).
기억하다 is used when you are making a conscious effort to retain or recall information or to bring a piece of information or a past event back into one's mind.
Which one should you use?
기억하다 is an active verb used when you remember something, whereas 기억나다 is an intransitive verb used when a memory spontaneously comes back to you. Additionally, while 기억하다 is a standard way to say 'remember', 생각나다 is a formal expression that translates more closely to 'come to mind'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The base form 기억하다 can be conjugated into different speech levels: 기억해 is the informal version, 기억해요 is the polite version and 기억합니다 is the formal version.
How do you pronounce it?
gieokhada
Did you know?
- In Korean, the distinction between 기억하다 and 기억나다 means that a memory can be treated like a physical event that 'happens' to a person, similar to a sneeze or a cough.
- The word 기억 is composed of two Hanja characters: 기 (record) and 억 (to hold or grasp), literally meaning to 'hold a record' in one's mind.
- Using the active verb 기억하다 in certain contexts can imply a stressful or forceful mental effort, such as the intensity required to recall answers during an exam.
Examples in context
- 기억해주세요.Please remember.
- 그 이름을 기억하다.geu ireumeul gieokhada.To remember that name.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 기억하다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 기억하다, CC BY-SA 4.0.
