Key Facts
- Hangul: 참석하다 (chamseokada)
- Meaning: to attend
- Level: B1
- Syllables: 4 (참 · 석 · 하 · 다)
- Stem: 참석하
- Conjugation class: 하다 type
- Object marking: intransitive
- Polite present: 참석해요
What Does 참석하다 Mean?
참석하다 has one core meaning: being present at an organised event. The event takes 에, as in 회의에 참석하다 and 결혼식에 참석하다.
It is slightly formal and typical for meetings, weddings and classes. The related noun 참석자 means an attendee, and you will see it on lists and invitations.
How Do You Pronounce 참석하다?
Chamseokada has 4 syllables (참 · 석 · 하 · 다). The ㄱ of 석 meets the ㅎ of 하 and they merge into an aspirated ㅋ, so the lemma is said [참서카다]. Revised Romanization writes that sound as k, giving chamseokada.
How Do You Use 참석하다 in a Sentence?
저는 내일 회의에 참석해요.
I will attend the meeting tomorrow.
참석해요 is the polite present form.
친구 결혼식에 참석했어요.
I attended my friend's wedding.
참석했어요 is the polite past form.
참석하는 사람이 많아요.
There are many attendees.
참석하는 is the present modifier (before a noun) form.
Usage Notes
All three examples are tied to events: a meeting tomorrow, a friend's wedding, and a crowd of people. The third, 참석하는 사람이 많아요, uses the present modifier 참석하는 before 사람 to say that many people attend. Compared with 참가하다, which means joining in actively, 참석하다 only asks that you are there.
How Does Chamseokada Conjugation Work?
참석하다 (to attend) follows the 하다 pattern: the 하 of the stem 참석하 meets 여 and contracts to 해, which gives 참석해요 and 참석했어요. The short negative of 참석하다 (to attend) is 참석 안 해요, with 안 placed after the noun part; see negating 하다 verbs.
The pattern behind 참석하다 (to attend) is taught step by step in 하다 to 해요.
참석하다
| Form | Korean | Romanization | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 참석해요 | ||
| Polite past | 참석했어요 | ||
| Polite future (plan) | 참석할 거예요 | ||
| Polite future (intention or guess) | 참석하겠어요 | ||
| Formal present | 참석합니다 | ||
| Formal past | 참석했습니다 | ||
| Formal future | 참석할 것입니다 | ||
| Casual present | 참석해 | ||
| Casual past | 참석했어 | ||
| Casual future | 참석할 거야 | ||
| Want to (polite) | 참석하고 싶어요 | ||
| Honorific polite | 참석하세요 | ||
| Because / and then | 참석해서 | ||
| If (conditional) | 참석하면 | ||
| Present modifier (before a noun) | 참석하는 | ||
| Past modifier (before a noun) | 참석한 | ||
| Future modifier (before a noun) | 참석할 | ||
| Negative with 안 (short) | 참석 안 해요 | ||
| Negative (long form) | 참석하지 않아요 |
Before a noun, 참석하다 (to attend) becomes 참석하는 (present) or 참석한 (past); as a link between clauses it is 참석해서 for 'because' and 참석하면 for 'if'.
Sound Changes
| Form | Korean | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 참석해요 | [참서캐요] |
| Polite past | 참석했어요 | [참서캐써요] |
| Future (plan) | 참석할 거예요 | [참서칼꺼예요] |
| Future (guess) | 참석하겠어요 | [참서카게써요] |
| Formal present | 참석합니다 | [참서캄니다] |
| Formal past | 참석했습니다 | [참서캗씀니다] |
| Formal future | 참석할 것입니다 | [참서칼꺼심니다] |
| Casual present | 참석해 | [참서캐] |
| Casual past | 참석했어 | [참서캐써] |
| Casual future | 참석할 거야 | [참서칼꺼야] |
| Want to | 참석하고 싶어요 | [참서카고 시퍼요] |
| Honorific | 참석하세요 | [참서카세요] |
| Because | 참석해서 | [참서캐서] |
| If (conditional) | 참석하면 | [참서카면] |
| Modifier, present | 참석하는 | [참서카는] |
| Modifier, past | 참석한 | [참서칸] |
| Modifier, future | 참석할 | [참서칼] |
| Long negative | 참석하지 않아요 | [참서카지 아나요] |
Common Mistake
Wrong: ✗ 회의를 참석해요
Correct: ✓ 회의에 참석해요
Why: The event is where you are present, so it takes 에, not 을/를.
참석하다 Versus Similar Words
| Word | How it differs |
|---|---|
| 참가하다 | 참가하다 is to take part in a contest or event actively; 참석하다 is to be present at a meeting or ceremony. |
| 가다 | 가다 just means to go; 참석하다 implies attending an event. |
Replying to a Meeting Invitation
Two coworkers are checking who will be at tomorrow’s meeting. The reply confirms attendance, then connects it with an earlier meeting.
Jisu
내일 회의에 참석해요?
Naeil hoeuie chamseokaeyo?
Are you attending the meeting tomorrow?
Alex
네. 참석할 거예요.
Ne. Chamseokal geoyeyo.
Yes. I’ll attend.
Jisu
지난 회의에도 참석했어요?
Jinan hoeuiedo chamseokaesseoyo?
Did you attend the previous meeting too?
Alex
네. 지난 회의에도 참석했어요.
Ne. Jinan hoeuiedo chamseokaesseoyo.
Yes. I attended the previous meeting too.
참석해요 asks about an arranged event, 참석할 거예요 confirms the future plan, and 참석했어요 looks back. The event remains marked with 에. In 회의에도, 도 adds “too” after 에, so the question asks whether the previous meeting belongs on the same list of events the coworker attended.
What Do Attendance Forms Actually Ask?
참석 여부 means whether someone will attend or has attended, depending on the context. 여부 means “whether or not.” On an invitation reply, the organiser is asking for a yes or no about attendance. The phrase does not ask you to describe your role or promise to give a presentation.
참석자 is an attendee, and 참석자 명단 is an attendee list. 참석 인원 refers to the number of people attending. These noun phrases appear in meeting plans and event arrangements because the organiser needs names and numbers. The noun 참석 carries the attendance meaning without a verb ending.
전원 참석 means everyone attending, or full attendance. 전원 refers to all members of the relevant group. It does not mean everyone in the building. On a team notice, the group is the team; on a class notice, it may be the class. Identify that group before interpreting the request.
Where Does 참석하다 Sound Natural?
참석하다 fits workplace email, wedding invitations, school notices about a meeting, and news reports about people present at an event. It describes attendance without saying whether someone spoke, voted, or competed. A guest can attend a wedding without having a task in the ceremony.
For routine school attendance, 출석하다 is another useful verb. It focuses on being present when attendance is counted, such as in class. 참석하다 fits a particular organised gathering. The distinction is a useful starting point rather than a rule that every class-related sentence must use only one of them.
A written reply with 참석합니다 sounds formal and direct. The conversational 참석해요 is suitable in polite talk with a coworker. The form 참석하세요 can be a respectful request to attend. Adding respect does not make it an RSVP from the speaker: a request and a confirmation have different jobs.
What Makes 참석하다 Easy to Mishear?
The spelling keeps 석하, but ㄱ and ㅎ combine in pronunciation. That sound change occurs inside the word before you choose a tense. It explains why the romanization has chamseoka- rather than a separately pronounced final k followed by h. Keep the original Hangul spelling when writing the forms.
The present modifier 참석하는 describes people who attend, while 참석한 describes people who attended. In an attendance report after a meeting, the past modifier is often the useful choice. Both forms stay directly before the noun they describe; neither can stand alone as the polite answer “I attended.” For that answer, use 참석했어요.
| Related word | Meaning | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| 초대장 | invitation | Gives the event details before you reply. |
| 참석자 | attendee | Names a person who is present. |
| 불참 | nonattendance | Often appears as the alternative to 참석 on a reply form. |
| 출석 | attendance | Useful when a class or institution counts presence. |
The office meetings vocabulary lesson gives you words for the gathering itself, including the people and actions around it.
Mini Drill: Build the Right Form
- Choose the event particle: 회의____ 참석해요.
- Confirm a future plan with 참석하다.
- Give the past modifier before 사람.
- Write “I do not attend” using the long negative.
Show drill answers
- 회의에 참석해요. 에 marks the event.
- 참석할 거예요. The plan form has a space before 거예요.
- 참석한 사람. The modifier describes someone who attended.
- 참석하지 않아요. Keep a space before 않아요.
Quick Self-Test
- What information does 참석 여부 request?
- Does 참석하다 say that a person gave a presentation?
- Which word means nonattendance: 불참 or 참석자?
Show answers
- Whether or not someone attends.
- No. It says the person was present at the event.
- 불참. 참석자 means an attendee.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Say 'I Will Attend the Meeting Tomorrow' in Korean?
저는 내일 회의에 참석해요. The meeting takes 에, and the present tense covers a planned event.
How Is 참석하다 (to attend) Different from 참가하다?
참석하다 is being present at a meeting or ceremony; 참가하다 is taking part actively in a contest or event.
Can I Just Use 가다 Instead?
가다 only says that you go somewhere. 참석하다 says you are present at an event, so it fits invitations, meetings and replies to organisers.
Is 회의를 참석해요 Correct Korean?
No, use 회의에 참석해요. The event is where you are present, so it takes 에, not 을/를.
What Is the Polite past of 참석하다?
For 'to attend', the polite past is 참석했어요; the polite present is 참석해요 and the formal present is 참석합니다.
How Do You Say 'Not Attend' with 참석하다?
For 'not attend', the short negative is 참석 안 해요 and the long one is 참석하지 않아요.
Which Words Are Related to 참석하다?
- 참가하다 (to participate)
- 발표하다 (to present)
- 회의하다 (to hold a meeting)
- 초대하다 (to invite)
- Korean verb dictionary
What Should You Learn Next?
Try other forms of 참석하다 in the Korean verb conjugator, then continue with 참가하다 (to participate). More entries like 참석하다 (to attend) sit together in the Korean verb dictionary.