The short version: Korean picks the verb by the item. 입다 is for clothes, top or bottom; 신다 is for shoes and socks; 쓰다 is for hats, glasses and masks; 끼다 is for rings and gloves; 차다 is for a watch; 매다 is for a tie; and 하다 covers jewellery and scarves. To take things off, use 벗다, 빼다 or 풀다. To ask to try something on: 입어 봐도 돼요?
English has one verb for everything you put on your body. Korean has at least seven, and choosing the wrong one is one of the most noticeable beginner mistakes. The good news is that the system is logical: each verb describes the movement of putting the item on, and once you know the movement, the verb is easy to predict.
The map: one verb for each kind of item
입다: clothes, top and bottom
신다: anything on your feet
쓰다: hats, glasses and masks
Anything that goes on the head or covers the face takes 쓰다. It is the same verb as to write and to use, so context does the work. Notice that it conjugates to 써요.
끼다, 차다, 매다, 하다: accessories
Taking things off: 벗다, 빼다, 풀다
Describing what someone is wearing
To say what someone has on now, Korean uses -고 있어요, as explained in -고 있어요 vs -아/어 있어요. In everyday speech, the past tense also describes today's outfit: 오늘 청바지를 입었어요 means you put jeans on this morning and still have them on.
To pick a person out of a crowd, Korean places the description before the noun using the past modifier -(으)ㄴ:
In a shop: can I try it on?
Combine the verb with -아/어 보다 (try) and -아/어도 돼요? (may I), and the right verb follows the item.
| Item | Korean | Romanisation |
|---|---|---|
| A jacket | 이거 입어 봐도 돼요? | igeo ibeo bwado dwaeyo? |
| Shoes | 이거 신어 봐도 돼요? | igeo sineo bwado dwaeyo? |
| A hat or glasses | 이거 써 봐도 돼요? | igeo sseo bwado dwaeyo? |
| A ring | 이거 껴 봐도 돼요? | igeo kkyeo bwado dwaeyo? |
Check yourself: which verb?
Think about how the item goes on.
All clothing, top or bottom, takes 입다.
Anything on the feet: 신다.
Glasses take 쓰다, and the past modifier describes the person: 쓴 사람.
A ring slides off the finger: 빼다.
Tie: 매다. 메다 is for carrying a bag on your shoulder.
Shoes come off with 벗다.
Learn each word with the verb it needs
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Learn Korean with Hanguljo - FreeQuick reference
- 입다
- Clothes, top or bottom: 옷, 셔츠, 바지, 치마, 원피스, 코트, 한복.
- 신다
- Feet: 신발, 운동화, 구두, 양말, 슬리퍼.
- 쓰다
- Head and face: 모자, 안경, 선글라스, 마스크, 헬멧; 우산을 쓰다.
- 끼다 / 차다 / 매다 / 하다
- 반지, 장갑, 렌즈 / 시계 / 넥타이, 안전벨트 / 목걸이, 귀걸이, 스카프.
- Taking off
- 벗다 (clothes, shoes, hats, glasses), 빼다 (rings, lenses), 풀다 (ties, watches, belts).
- Wearing now
- -고 있어요, or the past: 오늘 청바지를 입었어요.
- Describing people
- Past modifier: 모자를 쓴 사람, 코트를 입은 사람.
- 매다 vs 메다
- Tie (넥타이를 매다) vs carry on the shoulder (가방을 메다).
Frequently asked questions
What is the Korean verb for wear?
There is no single verb. Use 입다 for clothes (including trousers), 신다 for shoes and socks, 쓰다 for hats, glasses and masks, 끼다 for rings and gloves, 차다 for a watch, 매다 for a tie or seat belt, and 하다 for jewellery and scarves.
How do you say wear glasses in Korean?
안경을 쓰다: 저는 안경을 써요. In casual speech 안경을 끼다 is also common. To say someone is wearing glasses now, use 안경을 쓰고 있어요.
Is it 바지를 입다 or 바지를 신다?
바지를 입다. Unlike Japanese, Korean uses 입다 for all clothing, top or bottom. 신다 is only for things on your feet: 신발, 양말, 구두.
How do you say take off in Korean?
벗다 for clothes, shoes, hats and glasses (신발을 벗어 주세요), 빼다 for rings and contact lenses (반지를 빼다), and 풀다 for things that are tied or fastened (넥타이를 풀다, 시계를 풀다).
What is the difference between 매다 and 메다?
매다 means to tie: 넥타이를 매다, 안전벨트를 매다. 메다 means to carry on your shoulder: 가방을 메다. They sound almost the same, so the spelling is a common mistake even for Korean speakers.
- National Institute of Korean Language, Standard Korean Language Dictionary (표준국어대사전): entries for 입다, 신다, 쓰다, 끼다, 차다, 매다 and 메다.
- National Institute of Korean Language, Basic Korean Dictionary (한국어기초사전): learner entries with example sentences.