섬기다 Korean verb conjugation

to serve

TOPIK 5 5급verb 동사regular 규칙Dictionary entry 단어

Every form of 섬기다 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
섬기는
아/어Infinitive
섬겨
-으니Since
섬기니
합니다Formal
섬깁니다

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 섬겨요섬깁니다섬겨섬긴다

과거Past

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
서술Statement 섬겼어요섬겼습니다섬겼어섬겼다

미래·추측Future & presumptive

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
-겠-Will / must be 섬기겠어요섬기겠습니다섬기겠어섬기겠다
-을 것이다Going to 섬길 거예요섬길 것입니다섬길 거야섬길 것이다

의문Questions

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
현재Present 섬겨요?섬깁니까?섬겨?섬기니?
과거Past 섬겼어요?섬겼습니까?섬겼어?섬겼니?

명령Commands

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
명령Do it 섬기세요섬기십시오섬겨섬겨라
청유Let's 섬겨요섬깁시다섬겨섬기자

부정Negation

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
Not (short) 안 섬겨요안 섬깁니다안 섬겨안 섬긴다
-지 않다Not (long) 섬기지 않아요섬기지 않습니다섬기지 않아섬기지 않는다
Cannot 못 섬겨요못 섬깁니다못 섬겨못 섬긴다

높임Honorific

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
현재Present 섬기세요섬기십니다섬기셔섬기신다
과거Past 섬기셨어요섬기셨습니다섬기셨어섬기셨다

관형사형Modifying a noun

현재Present
섬기는
과거Past
섬긴
미래Future
섬길
회상Used to
섬기던

연결Joining clauses

-고and
섬기고
-게-ly / so that
섬기게
-어서so / and then
섬겨서
-으니까since
섬기니까
-으면if / when
섬기면
-지만but
섬기지만
-는데and / but (setting up)
섬기는데
-어도even if
섬겨도

진행In progress

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
현재Is doing 섬기고 있어요섬기고 있습니다섬기고 있어섬기고 있다
과거Was doing 섬기고 있었어요섬기고 있었습니다섬기고 있었어섬기고 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.

리키니아는 자신의 행동 방식은 자신이 섬기는 여신을 반영한다고 알고 있습니다.

Licinia understands that the way she must act is a reflection of the goddess she serves.

그들은 이 원시부족들을 보호하려고 숲을 섬기며 살던 이들이었습니다.

They were serving the forest to protect those uncontacted tribes.

모든 사람은 섬겨야한다

All men must serve.

난 빛의 신을 섬깁니다

I serve the Lord of Light.

자주 묻는 질문Common questions

How do you conjugate 섬기다 in Korean?

섬기다 (to serve) is 섬겨요 in the polite 해요체, 섬깁니다 in formal 합니다체, 섬겨 in casual 반말 and 섬긴다 in the plain written style. The past is 섬겼어요.

What is the past tense of 섬기다?

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

Is 섬기다 a regular verb?

Yes. Its stem never changes shape: 섬깁니다, 섬겨, 섬기니 all keep 섬기 intact. Only the ending moves.

What TOPIK level is 섬기다?

5급 — TOPIK 5, advanced.

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.