사다
sada[sʰa̠da̠]
To buy in Korean is 사다 (sada), the most common neutral verb for buying.
사다 is used for everyday purchases of any kind.
Which one should you use?
구매하다 is a more formal way to say to buy, often used in business or professional settings. 구입하다 is also formal and is often used for significant purchases such as property or a car.
How does it change in a sentence?
The polite present form is 사요, the past tense is 샀다 and the future form is 살 거예요. To say you want to buy something, add the ending for wanting to the stem to get 사고 싶다. The honorific ~세요 can be attached to show respect.
How do you pronounce it?
Say it as sada.
Did you know?
- The word 사다 is a homonym with another verb meaning 'to live'. Depending on the context, the phrase 살 거예요 could mean 'I will buy it' or 'I will live there'.
- In Korea, it is a common social custom to use 사다 when one person pays for the whole group, often phrased as 내가 살게 meaning 'I will buy'. This is a key part of the culture of treating others to meals.
- In the 15th-century text Seokbo sangjeol, the word was recorded as 사다〮, featuring a distinct pitch or tone mark that has since disappeared from modern standard Korean.
Examples in context
- 뭐 좀 살 게 있어서 시장에 가고 있어요. / 아 그러세요, 저도 시장에 가야 해요.I'm going to the market. I need to buy something. / Really? I need to go to the market too.The form 살 in this sentence comes from the verb for buying and refers to something the speaker needs to buy.
- 어디서 사세요?Where do you buy it?
- 새 옷을 사다.sae os-eul sada.To buy new clothes.
Example conversation
Hyunwoo and Subin are at a cafe.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo수빈 씨, 커피 한 잔 더 사다 줄까요?Subin ssi, keopi han jan deo sada julkkayo?Subin, shall I buy you another cup of coffee?
- 수빈 Su-bin아니요, 괜찮아요. 제가 살게요.aniyo, gwaenchanayo. jega salgeyo.No, it's okay. I will buy it.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo정말요? 고마워요.jeongmallyo? gomawoyo.Really? Thank you.
- 수빈 Su-bin천만에요. 같이 가요.cheonmaneyo. gachi gayo.You're welcome. Let's go together.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 사다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 사다, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
