How do you say "read" in Korean?

읽다

ikda

Verb Hangul

In Korean, "read" is 읽다 (ikda).

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Pronunciation

Ikda is two syllables, ik ending with a firm k stop and da said short and flat, close in rhythm to matda.

Writing and usage

읽다 is written using hangul. It's a verb, and this word is also taught inside the Noun Town language learning game, where it appears in interactive lessons alongside hundreds of other everyday words.

Example sentence

자기 전에 책을 읽어요.

jagi jeone chaegeul ilgeoyo.

I read a book before bed.

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How to remember 읽다

Ik sounds like 'ick', but there's nothing icky about curling up to read a good book before bed.

Related words

Browse all Korean words in the glossary.

Questions about 읽다

How do you pronounce 읽다?

Ikda is two syllables, ik ending with a firm k stop and da said short and flat, close in rhythm to matda.

Is 읽다 formal or casual?

읽다 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.

How is 읽다 written in Korean?

읽다 is written using hangul. Romanised, it reads as ikda.

Where can I practice Korean words for free?

You can play free Korean minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, with no sign-up needed. Every word in the Korean glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.

"Read" in other languages

Curated by Callan Ratcliffe

This word is part of the vocabulary taught in the Korean language learning game Noun Town, where words are introduced through play rather than memorisation. Want to play the full game? Get Noun Town on Steam.

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