노래하다
noraehada[no̞ɾɛɦa̠da̠]
To sing in Korean is 노래하다 (noraehada). Wiktionary also lists 부르다 (bureuda) and 노래부르다 (noraebureuda).
Meaning: to produce harmonious sounds with one’s voice (verb)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 노래하다 | noraehada | [no̞ɾɛɦa̠da̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [no̞ɾe̞ɦa̠da̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 부르다 | bureuda | [puɾɯda̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 노래부르다 | noraebureuda |
The verb for producing harmonious sounds with one's voice can be expressed in several ways. While 노래하다 means 'to sing', in natural conversation, Koreans frequently use the object construction 노래를 부르다 (to sing a song) to express the action of singing.
Which one should you use?
노래하다 is more formal or descriptive, often used when discussing the act of singing as a hobby or a professional activity, whereas 부르다 is more common in everyday speech.
How does it change in a sentence?
부르다 is a ㄹ-irregular verb, meaning the ㄹ is dropped when followed by a suffix starting with ㄴ, ㅂ or ㅅ.
How do you pronounce it?
noraehada
Did you know?
- The verb 부르다 is a linguistic chameleon that can mean 'to sing', 'to call out a name', or even 'to be full' depending on the context. You might find yourself saying you are 'full' using the exact same verb you use to 'sing' a song.
- South Korea has a unique culture of 노래방 (noraebang), which literally translates to 'song room'. These private booths are a central part of social life and stress relief for all ages.
- The word 노래 (song) is a pure Korean word, meaning it does not have any roots in Chinese characters (Hanja). This distinguishes it from many other Korean nouns that are derived from Sino-Korean roots.
Examples in context
- 애국가를 부르다To sing the national anthemThis example is useful for learning how to use 부르다 in the context of singing the national anthem.
- 저는 매일 노래를 합니다.I sing every day.
- 내일 함께 노래를 부르자!Let's sing together tomorrow!
- 그 친구는 항상 잘 노래를 부릅니다.That friend always sings well.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sing” translations and entries 노래하다, 부르다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
