Key Facts
- Hangul: 출근하다 (chulgeunhada)
- Meaning: to go to work
- Level: A2
- Stem: 출근하
- Class: 하다 type
- Objects: intransitive
Meaning and Register
출근하다 means to go to work at the start of a work shift: 아홉 시에 출근하다. It takes no object, and the time takes 에.
Two related nouns are common: 출근 시간 (the time of going to work or starting work) and 출근길 (the commute to work).
Senses recorded for this verb:
- to go to work. Go to work at the start of a work shift: 아홉 시에 출근하다.
Grammar note: No object; the time takes 에, e.g. 아홉 시에 출근해요.
Usage note: Very common. 출근 시간 is the start of work; 출근길 is the commute.
Sound
Most forms are read as written. The main changes are 출근했어요 [출근해써요] and 출근합니다 [출근함니다].
Example Sentences
저는 아침 아홉 시에 출근해요.
I go to work at nine in the morning.
The time, 아침 아홉 시에 (at nine in the morning), takes 에.
오늘 일찍 출근했어요.
I went to work early today.
일찍 means early.
내일은 출근하지 않아요.
I do not go to work tomorrow.
The long negative 출근하지 않아요; 내일은 marks tomorrow as a contrast with other days.
Chulgeunhada Conjugation Table
하다 pattern: 출근해요, 출근했어요, 출근해; 출근합니다, 출근하면, 출근하는. Negatives: 출근 안 해요, 출근하지 않아요.
출근하다
| Form | Korean | Romanization | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 출근해요 | ||
| Polite past | 출근했어요 | ||
| Polite future (plan) | 출근할 거예요 | ||
| Polite future (intention or guess) | 출근하겠어요 | ||
| Formal present | 출근합니다 | ||
| Formal past | 출근했습니다 | ||
| Formal future | 출근할 것입니다 | ||
| Casual present | 출근해 | ||
| Casual past | 출근했어 | ||
| Casual future | 출근할 거야 | ||
| Want to (polite) | 출근하고 싶어요 | ||
| Honorific polite | 출근하세요 | ||
| Because / and then | 출근해서 | ||
| If (conditional) | 출근하면 | ||
| Present modifier (before a noun) | 출근하는 | ||
| Past modifier (before a noun) | 출근한 | ||
| Future modifier (before a noun) | 출근할 | ||
| Negative with 안 (short) | 출근 안 해요 | ||
| Negative (long form) | 출근하지 않아요 |
| Form | Korean | Sound if different |
|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 출근해요 | - |
| Polite past | 출근했어요 | [출근해써요] |
| Polite future | 출근할 거예요 | [출근할꺼예요] |
| Future guess | 출근하겠어요 | [출근하게써요] |
| Formal present | 출근합니다 | [출근함니다] |
| Formal past | 출근했습니다 | [출근핻씀니다] |
| Formal future | 출근할 것입니다 | [출근할꺼심니다] |
| Casual present | 출근해 | - |
| Casual past | 출근했어 | [출근해써] |
| Casual future | 출근할 거야 | [출근할꺼야] |
| Want to | 출근하고 싶어요 | [출근하고 시퍼요] |
| Honorific | 출근하세요 | - |
| Because | 출근해서 | - |
| If | 출근하면 | - |
| Present modifier | 출근하는 | - |
| Past modifier | 출근한 | - |
| Future modifier | 출근할 | - |
| Short negative | 출근 안 해요 | - |
| Long negative | 출근하지 않아요 | [출근하지 아나요] |
Class: 하다 Type
하다 type: 하 + 여 contracts to 해, so every ending that starts with 아/어 becomes 해-.
Common Mistake
Wrong: ✗ 회사를 출근해요. (sometimes heard, but avoid it)
Correct: ✓ 회사에 출근해요.
Why: If you name the place, use 에, not 을/를.
Learners copy English "go to the office" with an object. In Korean the workplace is a destination, so it takes 에, as with 가다.
Confusable Verbs
| Verb | Difference |
|---|---|
| 퇴근하다 | 퇴근하다 is leaving work; 출근하다 is going to work. |
| 가다 | 가다 is general going; 출근하다 is specifically going to your job. |
Where It Sits in the Working Day
Related verbs form a small chain. 취직하다 is getting the job, 출근하다 is the daily start, 일하다 is the working itself and 퇴근하다 is the finish. 도착하다 can describe reaching the workplace if you want to stress arrival rather than routine.
Two nouns help here. 출근 시간 names the hour work begins, and 출근길 names the commute on the way in. Both let you talk about the same event without repeating the verb.
The third example uses the long negative 출근하지 않아요. The word 내일은 marks tomorrow as the contrasted day, so the sentence reads as 'as for tomorrow, I am not going in'. The short negative 출근 안 해요 would carry the same meaning, with the long form sounding a little more careful.
Checking Tomorrow’s Office Schedule
Two coworkers compare when they need to come in. One has already arrived early today, while the other explains tomorrow’s arrangement.
Jisu
오늘 일찍 출근했어요?
Oneul iljjik chulgeunhaesseoyo?
Did you come in early today?
Alex
네. 내일도 아홉 시에 출근해요.
Ne. Naeildo ahop sie chulgeunhaeyo.
Yes. I’m coming in at nine tomorrow too.
Jisu
저는 내일 출근하지 않아요.
Jeoneun naeil chulgeunhaji anayo.
I’m not coming in tomorrow.
Alex
그럼 금요일에 봐요.
Geureom geumyoire bwayo.
Then see you on Friday.
출근했어요 asks about today’s completed arrival. 출근해요 can state tomorrow’s schedule when paired with 내일. 출근하지 않아요 says that Jisu will not come in, but it does not explain why. Jisu might have leave, a different schedule or a day working elsewhere; the sentence alone leaves that open.
Which Phrases Describe the Trip to Work?
출근 시간 can mean the time someone goes in or starts work. In a traffic report, it can refer more broadly to the commuting period. A personal schedule and a report about crowded roads therefore use the same noun phrase at different scales. Check whether the speaker names one person or commuters in general.
출근길 means the way to work or the journey there. 길 literally means a road or way, but the compound can cover the whole commute, including a train ride or walk. 출퇴근 combines going to work and coming away from work, so 출퇴근 시간 can concern both ends of the working day.
정시 출근 means coming in at the appointed time. 지각 means lateness. 일찍 출근하다 says someone goes in early, relative to their expected time; it does not necessarily mean early in the morning. A worker starting a night shift can also arrive early.
첫 출근 means the first day of reporting to a job. It can be part of a conversation about meeting a team or learning the workplace routine. It is different from 취직, getting a job: someone may be hired before the date of their first 출근.
Where Will You Hear 출근하다?
Office small talk, shift schedules, messages to a manager and commuting conversations all use 출근하다. The workplace can be a shop, hospital, factory or office. The verb is about reporting to your place of work, so it is not restricted to desk jobs or a nine-to-five schedule.
Traffic news uses 출근길 and 출근 시간 when describing travel conditions. In dramas, a question about whether someone has gone in often appears during morning family conversations. The same verb remains suitable for an evening or night shift; the time comes from the sentence, rather than from 출근하다 itself.
출근하세요 honours the person going to work. It can occur in a respectful question about a manager’s schedule or in an instruction, depending on the sentence. 출근합니다 is formal without the subject honorific. A formal announcement about your own attendance can use 출근합니다; you would not honour yourself with 출근하세요.
Why Is 출근하다 Different from Simply Working?
일하다 describes doing work. 출근하다 describes going in or reporting to the workplace. Someone on a day off does neither, but someone working from home can 일하다 without making the usual trip. 재택근무 names working from home and helps make that distinction explicit.
Likewise, 출근하지 않아요 does not automatically mean “I am unemployed” or “I do no work.” It negates attendance at the workplace in the stated situation. Add the reason if your listener needs to know whether you are on leave, working remotely or changing your schedule.
The workplace is a destination with 에: 회사에 출근해요. The time also takes 에, as in 아홉 시에 출근해요. These two uses are compatible. A location phrase with 에서 would instead suggest where an action happens or where a movement begins, rather than where you report for duty.
출근하다 follows 하다 conjugation, but keep the noun 출근 unchanged when forming 출근해요 and 출근했어요. The short negative 출근 안 해요 puts 안 before the 하다 part. The long negative 출근하지 않아요 is useful when you want a clear written statement about a particular day.
Words for the Working Day
| Word | Meaning | Useful connection |
|---|---|---|
| 퇴근 | leaving work | The counterpart to going in. |
| 지각 | lateness | Arriving after the expected start time. |
| 휴가 | leave; vacation | One possible reason for not coming in. |
| 재택근무 | working from home | Working without the usual workplace commute. |
| 근무 시간 | working hours | The hours of duty, beyond the trip to work. |
The daily routines vocabulary lesson puts work travel alongside other recurring activities.
Mini Drill: Describe Attendance
- Complete 회사___ 출근해요 with 에 or 를.
- Put 오늘 일찍 출근해요 into polite past.
- Make 출근해요 negative with 안.
- Complete 내일은 ___ using the long negative.
Show the attendance answers
- 회사에 출근해요.
- 오늘 일찍 출근했어요.
- 출근 안 해요.
- 내일은 출근하지 않아요.
Quick Self-Test
- Can a night-shift worker use 출근하다?
- Does 출근하지 않아요 always mean “I won’t work”?
- Which verb describes leaving work: 퇴근하다 or 취직하다?
Show answers
- Yes. The verb applies to reporting for work at any hour.
- No. The person might still work from home or elsewhere.
- 퇴근하다. 취직하다 means getting a job.
FAQ
Which Particle Marks the Time?
에, as in 아홉 시에 출근해요 (I go to work at nine).
What Is the Long Negative?
출근하지 않아요 (I don't go to work). The short negative is 출근 안 해요.
What Is the Polite Past?
출근했어요 (I went to work), read [출근해써요].
What Does 출근길 Mean?
The commute to work, literally the road (길) to work.
What Is the Opposite of 출근하다?
퇴근하다, to leave work at the end of the day.
Related Verbs
Next Steps
Read 퇴근하다 and 일하다, then 취직하다 and 도착하다.
To try other forms of 출근하다 yourself, open the Korean verb conjugator; all entries are listed in the verb dictionary.