Key Facts
- Hangul: 축하하다 (chukahada)
- Meaning: to congratulate
- Level: A2
- Syllables: 4 (축 · 하 · 하 · 다)
- Stem: 축하하
- Conjugation class: 하다 type
- Object marking: transitive
- Polite present: 축하해요
What Does 축하하다 Mean?
The usual object is the occasion, not the person: 생일을 축하해요 and 합격을 축하해요. To name the person, add 에게 or 한테: 친구에게 졸업을 축하해요. When you talk about a third person, the friend can also be the object, as in 우리는 친구를 축하할 거예요.
Two set phrases to keep ready are 축하합니다 and the more respectful 축하드립니다. In speech the particle often drops, which gives the everyday greeting 생일 축하해요.
How Do You Pronounce 축하하다?
Chukahada has 4 syllables (축 · 하 · 하 · 다). The ㄱ of 축 meets the ㅎ of 하 and the two merge into one aspirated sound, so the lemma is said [추카하다]. Revised Romanization shows that merger as k, which is why the spelling is chukahada and not chukhahada.
How Do You Use 축하하다 in a Sentence?
생일을 축하해요.
Happy birthday (I congratulate you on your birthday).
축하해요 is the polite present form.
친구의 합격을 축하했어요.
I congratulated my friend on passing.
축하했어요 is the polite past form.
우리는 친구를 축하할 거예요.
We will congratulate our friend.
축하할 거예요 is the polite future (plan) form.
Usage Notes
Compare the first two examples: 생일을 and 합격을 name the event being celebrated, and the second one adds 친구의 to say whose success it is. In the future example the subject is 우리는, so the congratulation is something the group plans to do together.
How Does Chukahada Conjugation Work?
축하하다 (to congratulate) follows the 하다 pattern: the 하 of the stem 축하하 meets 여 and contracts to 해, which gives 축하해요 and 축하했어요. The short negative of 축하하다 (to congratulate) is 축하 안 해요, with 안 placed after the noun part; see negating 하다 verbs.
The pattern behind 축하하다 (to congratulate) is taught step by step in 하다 to 해요.
축하하다
| Form | Korean | Romanization | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 축하해요 | ||
| Polite past | 축하했어요 | ||
| Polite future (plan) | 축하할 거예요 | ||
| Polite future (intention or guess) | 축하하겠어요 | ||
| Formal present | 축하합니다 | ||
| Formal past | 축하했습니다 | ||
| Formal future | 축하할 것입니다 | ||
| Casual present | 축하해 | ||
| Casual past | 축하했어 | ||
| Casual future | 축하할 거야 | ||
| Want to (polite) | 축하하고 싶어요 | ||
| Honorific polite | 축하하세요 | ||
| Because / and then | 축하해서 | ||
| If (conditional) | 축하하면 | ||
| Present modifier (before a noun) | 축하하는 | ||
| Past modifier (before a noun) | 축하한 | ||
| Future modifier (before a noun) | 축하할 | ||
| Negative with 안 (short) | 축하 안 해요 | ||
| Negative (long form) | 축하하지 않아요 |
Before a noun, 축하하다 (to congratulate) becomes 축하하는 (present) or 축하한 (past); as a link between clauses it is 축하해서 for 'because' and 축하하면 for 'if'.
Sound Changes
| Form | Korean | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 축하해요 | [추카해요] |
| Polite past | 축하했어요 | [추카해써요] |
| Future (plan) | 축하할 거예요 | [추카할꺼예요] |
| Future (guess) | 축하하겠어요 | [추카하게써요] |
| Formal present | 축하합니다 | [추카함니다] |
| Formal past | 축하했습니다 | [추카핻씀니다] |
| Formal future | 축하할 것입니다 | [추카할꺼심니다] |
| Casual present | 축하해 | [추카해] |
| Casual past | 축하했어 | [추카해써] |
| Casual future | 축하할 거야 | [추카할꺼야] |
| Want to | 축하하고 싶어요 | [추카하고 시퍼요] |
| Honorific | 축하하세요 | [추카하세요] |
| Because | 축하해서 | [추카해서] |
| If (conditional) | 축하하면 | [추카하면] |
| Modifier, present | 축하하는 | [추카하는] |
| Modifier, past | 축하한 | [추카한] |
| Modifier, future | 축하할 | [추카할] |
| Short negative | 축하 안 해요 | [추카 안 해요] |
| Long negative | 축하하지 않아요 | [추카하지 아나요] |
Common Mistake
Wrong: ✗ 당신을 축하해요.
Correct: ✓ 생일을 축하해요.
Why: 당신 is not a neutral 'you' and can sound cold or even rude face to face. Name the occasion instead (생일을, 합격을), or use the person's name or title.
축하하다 Versus Similar Words
| Word | How it differs |
|---|---|
| 감사하다 | 감사하다 is thanking; 축하하다 is congratulating. |
| 환영하다 | 환영하다 is welcoming someone; 축하하다 is celebrating good news. |
Congratulating a Coworker Who Passed an Exam
Two coworkers have heard that their friend passed an exam. They discuss a message already sent and a celebration still to come.
Jisu
민수 씨가 시험에 합격했어요.
Minsu ssiga siheome hapgyeokaesseoyo.
Minsu passed the exam.
Alex
정말요? 같이 축하해요.
Jeongmallyo? Gachi chukahaeyo.
Really? Let’s congratulate him together.
Jisu
저는 아까 문자로 축하했어요.
Jeoneun akka munjaro chukahaesseoyo.
I congratulated him by text earlier.
Alex
저는 내일 직접 축하할 거예요.
Jeoneun naeil jikjeop chukahal geoyeyo.
I’ll congratulate him in person tomorrow.
같이 축하해요 is an invitation to celebrate the news together. 축하했어요 reports a congratulation already sent, while 축하할 거예요 describes a plan. 문자로 explains the means, “by text,” and 직접 says the next congratulation will happen in person. The occasion can stay unstated once both speakers know the good news.
Which Occasions Go with 축하하다?
합격을 축하하다 means congratulating someone on passing an exam or selection process. 졸업을 축하하다 is congratulating someone on graduation, and 결혼을 축하하다 celebrates a marriage. In each phrase, English may name the person first, while Korean can put the occasion directly before the verb.
진심으로 축하합니다 means “sincere congratulations” or “I sincerely congratulate you.” 진심으로 adds sincerity, literally “from the heart.” It suits a card or a formal message about an achievement. 축하 인사 is a congratulatory greeting or message; it names the words or gesture of congratulation rather than the occasion itself.
For a birthday, 생일 축하해요 is already a complete greeting in everyday polite speech. The dropped 을 is normal in this familiar phrase. A birthday message does not need a second sentence explaining whose birthday it is when it is addressed to the person celebrating.
How Do You Choose between 축하해요 and 축하드립니다?
축하해요 is a polite conversational greeting. 축하합니다 has a formal ending and works in a speech, announcement, or card. 축하드립니다 adds respect through 드리다, the humble verb used for giving something to someone you honour. The speaker presents the congratulation respectfully to its recipient.
The form 축하하세요 in the table has a different job. It can respectfully tell someone to congratulate another person. It is not the greeting you use to congratulate the listener directly. Changing 축하해요 to 축하하세요 just because the recipient is older would change the intended action.
Among close friends, 축하해 is the casual greeting. You may see it in a short message after good news. Match the greeting to your relationship with the recipient: the emotional warmth comes from the situation and wording, while the ending controls how you address the listener.
Where Will You See 축하 outside a Conversation?
Cards, graduation banners, wedding messages, and workplace announcements often use the noun 축하. 축하 선물 means a congratulatory gift, and 축하 케이크 is a cake for the celebration. Neither expression says what happened; the surrounding message supplies the birthday, graduation, or other happy event.
Congratulations acknowledge good news. 감사하다 instead thanks someone for something they did, and 환영하다 welcomes an arrival. You might thank the friend who organised a party and congratulate the friend whose success it celebrates. Choosing the verb depends on your purpose, even when everyone is at the same gathering.
| Related word | Meaning | What to notice |
|---|---|---|
| 합격 | passing an exam / selection | A common achievement to congratulate someone on. |
| 졸업 | graduation | Often appears on banners and cards with 축하. |
| 생일 | birthday | Combines directly with 축하해요 in a greeting. |
| 축하 선물 | congratulatory gift | Names the gift's purpose, rather than a particular type of present. |
The birthday greetings lesson gives the fuller set of birthday expressions and helps you choose a greeting for the recipient.
Mini Drill: Build the Right Form
- Give a polite conversational congratulation.
- Change 축하해요 to the polite past.
- Which direct greeting is respectful: 축하드립니다 or 축하하세요?
- Complete the future plan: 축하할 ____.
Show drill answers
- 축하해요. The occasion can be supplied by the context.
- 축하했어요.
- 축하드립니다. 축하하세요 can ask someone to congratulate another person.
- 축하할 거예요. Leave a space before 거예요.
Quick Self-Test
- What is being celebrated in 졸업을 축하하다?
- Which word thanks someone: 축하하다 or 감사하다?
- Does 축하 선물 identify the actual item being given?
Show answers
- Graduation. 졸업을 names the occasion.
- 감사하다. 축하하다 celebrates good news.
- No. It says the gift is for a congratulation or celebration.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Say 'Happy Birthday' in Korean?
생일을 축하해요, or with the particle dropped, 생일 축하해요. To someone older, 축하드립니다 is more respectful.
How Is 축하하다 (to congratulate) Different from 감사하다?
감사하다 is thanking someone; 축하하다 is congratulating them on good news.
How Is 축하하다 (to congratulate) Different from 환영하다?
환영하다 is welcoming someone who arrives; 축하하다 is celebrating their good news.
Is 당신을 축하해요 Correct Korean?
Avoid it. 당신 can sound cold or rude face to face; name the occasion instead, as in 생일을 축하해요.
What Is the Polite past of 축하하다?
For 'to congratulate', the polite past is 축하했어요; the polite present is 축하해요 and the formal present is 축하합니다.
How Do You Say 'Not Congratulate' with 축하하다?
For 'not congratulate', the short negative is 축하 안 해요 and the long one is 축하하지 않아요.
Which Words Are Related to 축하하다?
- 환영하다 (to welcome)
- 감사하다 (to thank)
- 합격하다 (to pass)
- 결혼하다 (to marry)
- Korean verb dictionary
What Should You Learn Next?
Try other forms of 축하하다 in the Korean verb conjugator, then continue with 환영하다 (to welcome). More entries like 축하하다 (to congratulate) sit together in the Korean verb dictionary.