Key Facts
- Hangul: 기대하다 (gidaehada)
- Meaning: to look forward to; to expect
- Level: B1
- Part of speech: verb
- Stem: 기대하
- Conjugation class: 하다 type
- Grammar: The thing expected takes 을/를 (결과를 기대하다) and the noun 기대 can take 가 in 기대가 되다.
- Honorific polite: 기대하세요
- Usage: Common set phrases: 기대하고 있어요 (I am looking forward to it) and 기대하세요 (look forward to it). It can also mean to expect too much, so 기대하지 마세요 means do not get your hopes up.
What Does 기대하다 Mean?
- to look forward to; to expect: Used for hoping something good will happen, e.g. 방학을 기대하다 (to look forward to vacation).
기대하다 is to look forward to something or to expect it. It is positive anticipation: 방학을 기대하다 is to look forward to vacation, and 결과를 기대하다 is to expect a result. What is expected takes 을/를, and the noun 기대 also appears in 기대가 되다.
Two set phrases are worth keeping. 기대하고 있어요 means "I am looking forward to it", and 기대하세요 invites someone to look forward to something. Used negatively, 기대하지 마세요 warns against expecting too much.
Which Set Phrases Use 기대하다?
- 기대하고 있어요: I am looking forward to it.
- 기대하세요: Look forward to it.
- 기대하지 마세요: Don't get your hopes up.
How Do You Pronounce 기대하다?
기대하다 is read as spelled. The past 기대했어요 is [기대해써요] and the formal 기대합니다 is [기대함니다]. The future 기대할 거예요 is [기대할꺼예요].
How Do You Use 기대하다 in a Sentence?
저는 여행을 기대해요.
I am looking forward to the trip.
여행을 (the trip) is the thing anticipated, marked with 을. 저는 stresses that it is the speaker's own hope.
저는 큰 선물을 기대하지 않아요.
I am not expecting a big present.
The long negative 기대하지 않아요 says the speaker is not expecting a big present. It does not tell us how the speaker will feel about the actual gift.
그 영화를 많이 기대했어요.
I had high hopes for that movie.
그 영화를 (that movie) is the object, and 많이 adds strength. The past 기대했어요 looks back on high hopes.
How Does Gidaehada Conjugation Work?
기대하다 is a 하다 verb. 하 + 여 becomes 해, so the polite present is 기대해요 and the past is 기대했어요. Consonant endings keep 하: 기대하면, 기대합니다, and the long negative is 기대하지 않아요.
기대하다
| Form | Korean | Romanization | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 기대해요 | ||
| Polite past | 기대했어요 | ||
| Polite future (plan) | 기대할 거예요 | ||
| Polite future (intention or guess) | 기대하겠어요 | ||
| Formal present | 기대합니다 | ||
| Formal past | 기대했습니다 | ||
| Formal future | 기대할 것입니다 | ||
| Casual present | 기대해 | ||
| Casual past | 기대했어 | ||
| Casual future | 기대할 거야 | ||
| Want to (polite) | 기대하고 싶어요 | ||
| Honorific polite | 기대하세요 | ||
| Because / and then | 기대해서 | ||
| If (conditional) | 기대하면 | ||
| Present modifier (before a noun) | 기대하는 | ||
| Past modifier (before a noun) | 기대한 | ||
| Future modifier (before a noun) | 기대할 | ||
| Negative with 안 (short) | 기대 안 해요 | ||
| Negative (long form) | 기대하지 않아요 |
Sound Changes
| Form | Korean | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Polite past | 기대했어요 | [기대해써요] |
| Polite future | 기대할 거예요 | [기대할꺼예요] |
| Polite future guess | 기대하겠어요 | [기대하게써요] |
| Formal present | 기대합니다 | [기대함니다] |
| Formal past | 기대했습니다 | [기대핻씀니다] |
| Formal future | 기대할 것입니다 | [기대할꺼심니다] |
| Casual past | 기대했어 | [기대해써] |
| Casual future | 기대할 거야 | [기대할꺼야] |
| Long negative | 기대하지 않아요 | [기대하지 아나요] |
Common Mistake with 기대하다
Meaning contrast (not a grammar error): 기대해요 vs 긴장돼요
For 'I am nervous about it', say: ✓ 긴장돼요.
Why: 기대해요 is correct Korean, but it means you are looking forward to something. 기대하다 is positive anticipation, not worry, so for nervousness say 긴장돼요.
What Is Easy to Confuse with 기대하다?
| Word | How to tell it from 기대하다 |
|---|---|
| 바라다 | 바라다 is to wish or hope and is general; 기대하다 is to look forward to something or expect a desired outcome; it does not guarantee that outcome. |
| 희망하다 | 희망하다 is a formal word for hoping or wishing; 기대하다 adds the sense of eager anticipation. |
Before a Film Screening
Two friends are waiting outside a cinema for a film they have discussed for weeks.
Mina
이 영화를 많이 기대했어요.
I yeonghwareul mani gidaehaesseoyo.
I had high hopes for this film.
Jun
저도 기대하고 있어요.
Jeodo gidaehago isseoyo.
I am looking forward to it too.
Mina
너무 기대하지 마세요.
Neomu gidaehaji maseyo.
Do not get your hopes up too much.
Jun
그래도 기대해요.
Geuraedo gidaehaeyo.
I am looking forward to it anyway.
기대했어요 looks back at the anticipation before this moment. 기대하고 있어요 presents it as ongoing, and 기대해요 states the feeling now. The warning in the third line is playful here. With a different tone, the same warning could sound dismissive of someone's work.
Anticipation and Expectations
기대하다 can mean looking forward to an enjoyable event or expecting a good outcome. 여행을 기대하다 focuses on the trip you anticipate. 좋은 결과를 기대하다 focuses on the result you hope to receive. The second use is common when people discuss exams, projects or new products.
The verb does not guarantee that the outcome is likely or that it will happen. You can have high expectations and later feel disappointed. In the existing film example, the past tense only tells us that the speaker had hopes; the next sentence would tell us whether the film met them.
기대하다 is usually positive in feeling, but the expectation can put pressure on another person. A teacher or manager who says they expect good results may be expressing confidence and setting a standard at the same time. Check who is speaking and what outcome they want.
Expressions Built around 기대
| Expression | Literal idea | Natural meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 기대가 크다 | expectations are big | have high expectations |
| 기대를 걸다 | place expectations on something | pin one's hopes on it |
| 기대 이상 | above expectations | better than expected |
| 기대에 못 미치다 | fail to reach expectations | fall short of expectations |
기대 is the noun “expectation.” These phrases explain why reviews can talk about 기대 even without using 기대하다. 기대 이상 gives a positive comparison with the writer’s hopes. 기대에 못 미치다 gives the reverse comparison; it does not necessarily mean the product is bad in every respect.
기대하세요 can serve as a promotional invitation: “Look forward to it.” You may hear it at the end of a trailer or an announcement about a performance. In a personal exchange, 기대하고 있어요 tells the other person that you are already interested in what is coming.
What Makes 기대하다 Tricky?
기대하다 takes an object: 여행을 기대해요. In 기대가 돼요, the noun 기대 becomes the subject of 되다. Both can convey looking forward to something, but their grammatical pieces differ. Keep the particle matched to the construction rather than swapping 을 and 가 at random.
The spelling follows 하다: 기대해요, 기대했어요, 기대해서. Keep the verb together as 기대하다. In the ongoing expression 기대하고 있어요, leave a space before 있어요. In the long negative 기대하지 않아요, leave a space before 않아요. The negative rejects the expectation; it does not automatically say the speaker dislikes the event.
기대 안 해요 is another everyday negative. The noun-and-하다 structure allows 안 before 해요, as the existing table shows. For a more explicit warning to another person, 기대하지 마세요 asks them to lower their hopes. That request can feel blunt, so the speaker's relationship and tone matter.
Words for Hopes and Reactions
| Word | Meaning | One useful distinction |
|---|---|---|
| 기대 | expectation | The noun used in reviews and comparisons. |
| 결과 | result | A common object of 기대하다. |
| 실망하다 | be disappointed | A possible reaction when expectations are unmet. |
| 바라다 | hope; wish | Expresses a desired outcome without necessarily eager anticipation. |
The emotions vocabulary lesson puts anticipation alongside worry and disappointment. Nervousness and anticipation can occur together before the same event, even though 기대하다 itself does not mean “be nervous.”
Mini Drill: Choose the Form
- Make 기대하다 polite present.
- Say “I am not expecting a big present” using the long negative.
- Say “I had high hopes for that movie.”
- Give the formal present of 기대하다.
Show drill answers
- 기대해요. 하여 contracts to 해.
- 저는 큰 선물을 기대하지 않아요. Keep the space before 않아요.
- 그 영화를 많이 기대했어요. The past describes earlier expectations.
- 기대합니다. Keep 하 before this ending.
Quick Self-Test
- Does 기대했어요 tell you whether the event was good?
- Which phrase means better than expected: 기대 이상 or 기대에 못 미치다?
- Does 기대하다 itself mean “be nervous”?
Show self-test answers
- No. It reports past anticipation, not the eventual result.
- 기대 이상 means above expectations.
- No. 긴장되다 expresses nervousness.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Polite Present of 기대하다?
기대해요.
How Do I Say 'I'm Looking Forward to It'?
Say 기대하고 있어요.
Can 기대하다 Mean Nervous?
No. It is positive. For nervousness use 긴장돼요.
What Is the Difference between 기대하다 and 바라다?
바라다 is to wish or hope in a general way. 기대하다 is to look forward to something or expect a desired outcome; it does not guarantee that outcome.
Which Words Are Related to 기대하다?
What Should You Learn Next?
Learn 바라다 and 희망하다 as the nearby wishing verbs, and 꿈꾸다 for dreaming. 걱정하다 is the worry side of the same topic. For the rule behind these forms, read how 하다 words become 해요, then try another stem in the Korean verb conjugator or browse the Korean verb dictionary.