보답하다 Korean verb conjugation

to reward, to recompense, remunerate, repay, return

TOPIK 6 6급verb 동사regular 규칙Dictionary entry 단어

Every form of 보답하다 across the four speech levels. It is a regular stem, so the endings below attach without changing it.

기본형Principal parts

The four forms the dictionary prints. Every other form on this page is derived from them.

관형사형Modifier
보답하는
아/어Infinitive
보답하
-으니Since
보답하니
합니다Formal
보답합니다

현재Present

The tense that does the most work. 해요체 is the one to learn first — it is polite without being formal, and it is what most conversation is in.

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
서술Statement 보답하요보답합니다보답하보답한다

과거Past

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
서술Statement 보답핬어요보답핬습니다보답핬어보답핬다

미래·추측Future & presumptive

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
-겠-Will / must be 보답하겠어요보답하겠습니다보답하겠어보답하겠다
-을 것이다Going to 보답할 거예요보답할 것입니다보답할 거야보답할 것이다

의문Questions

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
현재Present 보답하요?보답합니까?보답하?보답하니?
과거Past 보답핬어요?보답핬습니까?보답핬어?보답핬니?

명령Commands

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
명령Do it 보답하세요보답하십시오보답하보답하라
청유Let's 보답하요보답합시다보답하보답하자

부정Negation

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
Not (short) 안 보답하요안 보답합니다안 보답하안 보답한다
-지 않다Not (long) 보답하지 않아요보답하지 않습니다보답하지 않아보답하지 않는다
Cannot 못 보답하요못 보답합니다못 보답하못 보답한다

높임Honorific

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
현재Present 보답하세요보답하십니다보답하셔보답하신다
과거Past 보답하셨어요보답하셨습니다보답하셨어보답하셨다

관형사형Modifying a noun

현재Present
보답하는
과거Past
보답한
미래Future
보답할
회상Used to
보답하던

연결Joining clauses

-고and
보답하고
-게-ly / so that
보답하게
-어서so / and then
보답하서
-으니까since
보답하니까
-으면if / when
보답하면
-지만but
보답하지만
-는데and / but (setting up)
보답하는데
-어도even if
보답하도

진행In progress

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
현재Is doing 보답하고 있어요보답하고 있습니다보답하고 있어보답하고 있다
과거Was doing 보답하고 있었어요보답하고 있었습니다보답하고 있었어보답하고 있었다

문형Sentence patterns

How the dictionary says this verb is used. The numbers are slots: 1 is the subject, 2 the object.

예문In real sentences

From the dictionary, each with its translation.

제 삶을 구해준 단체에 조금이라도 보답하고 싶었어요.

Wanted to pay something back to the organization that had really saved my life.

고마워, 행복했어 보답할게

Thank you, I'm so happy - I'll repay you

언젠가 보답할 방법을 찾겠네

Someday I'll find a way to repay you.

그런데 나한테 어떻게 보답했어?

And how did you repay me?

자주 묻는 질문Common questions

How do you conjugate 보답하다 in Korean?

보답하다 (to reward, to recompense, remunerate, repay, return) is 보답하요 in the polite 해요체, 보답합니다 in formal 합니다체, 보답하 in casual 반말 and 보답한다 in the plain written style. The past is 보답핬어요.

What is the past tense of 보답하다?

보답핬어요 in everyday polite speech, 보답핬습니다 formally. It is built from the 아/어 form 보답하 plus ㅆ, which is why an irregular stem shows its irregularity here.

Is 보답하다 a regular verb?

Yes. Its stem never changes shape: 보답합니다, 보답하, 보답하니 all keep 보답하 intact. Only the ending moves.

What TOPIK level is 보답하다?

6급 — TOPIK 6, mastery.

Dictionary form, meaning, sentence patterns, examples and audio from the 국립국어원 한국어기초사전, used under CC BY-SA 2.0 KR.

Conjugations are generated by this site's own engine and checked against the 9,380 forms the dictionary publishes on every build.