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Changing Verbs to Nouns with ~기

In Korean, you can turn a verb into a noun by attaching ~기 to the verb stem. This is similar to adding “-ing” to a verb in English, turning “run” into “running” or “read” into “reading.” It allows the action to function like a noun — the subject or object of a sentence.

✅ How to Form

1. Take the verb stem (remove 다).
2. Add 기.

Examples:

• 가다 → 가기 (going)
• 먹다 → 먹기 (eating)
• 배우다 → 배우기 (learning)
• 운동하다 → 운동하기 (exercising)

✅ When to Use ~기

Use ~기 when you want to:

1. Talk about habits or preferences

• 저는 요리하기를 좋아해요.
  (I like cooking.)
• 운동하기는 어려워요.
  (Exercising is difficult.)

2. Describe activities as general concepts

• 공부하기가 재미있어요.
  (Studying is fun.)
• 일찍 일어나기는 힘들어요.
  (Waking up early is hard.)

3. List actions or goals

• 제 취미는 책 읽기, 영화 보기예요.
  (My hobbies are reading books and watching movies.)
• 목표는 한국어 배우기예요.
  (My goal is learning Korean.)

⚠️ Common Mistakes

• Don’t confuse ~기 with ~는 것, which also nominalizes verbs.
  ~기 is often used for general concepts or routines, while ~는 것 is used more descriptively (e.g., “the thing that…”).

Summary Table

Final Tip

💡 If you can say “~ing” in English, try using ~기 in Korean.
💡 It’s especially useful when combining with 좋아하다, 싫어하다, 어렵다, 쉽다, and 재미있다.