생각하다 Korean verb conjugation

to think

TOPIK 1 1급verb 동사regular 규칙Dictionary entry 단어

Every form of 생각하다 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
생각하는
아/어Infinitive
생각하
-으니Since
생각하니
합니다Formal
생각합니다

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 생각하요생각합니다생각하생각한다

과거Past

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
서술Statement 생각핬어요생각핬습니다생각핬어생각핬다

미래·추측Future & presumptive

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
-겠-Will / must be 생각하겠어요생각하겠습니다생각하겠어생각하겠다
-을 것이다Going to 생각할 거예요생각할 것입니다생각할 거야생각할 것이다

의문Questions

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
현재Present 생각하요?생각합니까?생각하?생각하니?
과거Past 생각핬어요?생각핬습니까?생각핬어?생각핬니?

명령Commands

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
명령Do it 생각하세요생각하십시오생각하생각하라
청유Let's 생각하요생각합시다생각하생각하자

부정Negation

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
Not (short) 안 생각하요안 생각합니다안 생각하안 생각한다
-지 않다Not (long) 생각하지 않아요생각하지 않습니다생각하지 않아생각하지 않는다
Cannot 못 생각하요못 생각합니다못 생각하못 생각한다

높임Honorific

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
현재Present 생각하세요생각하십니다생각하셔생각하신다
과거Past 생각하셨어요생각하셨습니다생각하셨어생각하셨다

관형사형Modifying a noun

현재Present
생각하는
과거Past
생각한
미래Future
생각할
회상Used to
생각하던

연결Joining clauses

-고and
생각하고
-게-ly / so that
생각하게
-어서so / and then
생각하서
-으니까since
생각하니까
-으면if / when
생각하면
-지만but
생각하지만
-는데and / but (setting up)
생각하는데
-어도even if
생각하도

진행In progress

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
현재Is doing 생각하고 있어요생각하고 있습니다생각하고 있어생각하고 있다
과거Was doing 생각하고 있었어요생각하고 있었습니다생각하고 있었어생각하고 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.

그 말에 생각했어요.

And I thought, "Oh. You're right."

그렇게 생각할 수 있죠.

I understand that.

저는 그렇다고 생각합니다.

Now, I believe so.

생각할 수도 없는 일이었어요.

That was unthinkable.

자주 묻는 질문Common questions

How do you conjugate 생각하다 in Korean?

생각하다 (to think) is 생각하요 in the polite 해요체, 생각합니다 in formal 합니다체, 생각하 in casual 반말 and 생각한다 in the plain written style. The past is 생각핬어요.

What is the past tense of 생각하다?

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

Is 생각하다 a regular verb?

Yes. Its stem never changes shape: 생각합니다, 생각하, 생각하니 all keep 생각하 intact. Only the ending moves.

What TOPIK level is 생각하다?

1급 — TOPIK 1, beginner.

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.