Key Facts
- Hangul: 고르다 (goreuda, 3 syllables)
- Meaning: to choose
- Level: A2
- Stem: 고르
- Conjugation class: 르-irregular
- What it takes: Takes an object with 을/를: 선물을 골라요.
What Does 고르다 Mean?
고르다 is for choosing among options you can see or compare: 옷을 고르다 for clothes, 메뉴를 고르다 for a menu item, 선물을 고르다 for a gift. The thing chosen takes 을/를.
A second, unrelated word shares the same spelling. The adjective meaning 'to be even or level' also has the form 골라요, but only the 'choose' verb is conjugated on this page.
- to choose: Pick one from several options: 옷을 고르다, 메뉴를 고르다.
How Do You Pronounce 고르다?
Three syllables. The past 골랐어요 is said [골라써요] and the formal 고릅니다 is said [고름니다], where the ㅂ of the ending turns into an m sound before ㄴ. Revised Romanization is goreuda.
How Do You Use 고르다 in a Sentence?
친구 선물을 골라요.
I choose a gift for my friend.
A present action with the gift as object. Note the doubled ㄹ in the verb: 골라요.
메뉴를 골랐어요.
I chose a dish from the menu.
Past tense with a menu as the thing picked.
마음에 드는 걸 고르세요.
Please choose what you like.
An invitation with the honorific -세요, as heard in a shop: choose whatever you like.
How Does Goreuda Conjugation Work?
This is a 르-irregular verb. The stem 고르 does not simply add 아요; it becomes 골라, so you get 골라요 and 골랐어요. Endings that begin with a consonant leave the stem alone: 고릅니다, 고르는, 고르고 싶어요.
The pattern behind 고르다 is taught step by step in 르-irregular verbs and adjectives.
고르다
| Form | Korean | Romanization | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 골라요 | ||
| Polite past | 골랐어요 | ||
| Polite future (plan) | 고를 거예요 | ||
| Polite future (guess) | 고르겠어요 | ||
| Formal present | 고릅니다 | ||
| Formal past | 골랐습니다 | ||
| Formal future | 고를 것입니다 | ||
| Casual present | 골라 | ||
| Casual past | 골랐어 | ||
| Casual future | 고를 거야 | ||
| Want to (polite) | 고르고 싶어요 | ||
| Honorific polite | 고르세요 | ||
| Because / and then | 골라서 | ||
| If (conditional) | 고르면 | ||
| Present modifier | 고르는 | ||
| Past modifier | 고른 | ||
| Future modifier | 고를 | ||
| Short negative | 안 골라요 | ||
| Long negative | 고르지 않아요 |
| Form | Korean | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 골라요 | as written |
| Polite past | 골랐어요 | [골라써요] |
| Polite future (plan) | 고를 거예요 | [고를꺼예요] |
| Polite future (guess) | 고르겠어요 | [고르게써요] |
| Formal present | 고릅니다 | [고름니다] |
| Formal past | 골랐습니다 | [골랃씀니다] |
| Formal future | 고를 것입니다 | [고를꺼심니다] |
| Casual present | 골라 | as written |
| Casual past | 골랐어 | [골라써] |
| Casual future | 고를 거야 | [고를꺼야] |
| Want to (polite) | 고르고 싶어요 | [고르고 시퍼요] |
| Honorific polite | 고르세요 | as written |
| Because / and then | 골라서 | as written |
| If (conditional) | 고르면 | as written |
| Present modifier | 고르는 | as written |
| Past modifier | 고른 | as written |
| Future modifier | 고를 | as written |
| Short negative | 안 골라요 | as written |
| Long negative | 고르지 않아요 | [고르지 아나요] |
Common Mistake
Wrong: ✗ 선물을 고라요
Correct: ✓ 선물을 골라요.
Why: 고르다 is a 르-irregular verb: 고르- becomes 골라, not 고라.
How Does 고르다 Differ from Similar Words?
| Word | How to tell it from 고르다 |
|---|---|
| 선택하다 | The formal word for choosing. 고르다 is everyday and mostly about items. |
| 결정하다 | To decide. 고르다 is picking among options, not settling a question. |
Choosing a Birthday Present
Two coworkers are in a gift shop. One has already picked something; the other is still comparing the choices.
Jisu
선물 골랐어요?
Seonmul gollasseoyo?
Have you chosen a gift?
Alex
아니요. 뭘 고르면 좋을까요?
Aniyo. Mwol goreumyeon joeulkkayo?
No. What would be good to choose?
Jisu
이 컵은 어때요?
I keobeun eottaeyo?
How about this cup?
Alex
좋아요. 이걸 골라요.
Joayo. Igeol gollayo.
Good. Let’s choose this one.
골랐어요 checks whether the choice is complete. 고르면 keeps 르 before the conditional ending, while 골라요 uses the changed stem. 이걸 is short for 이것을, “this one” as the object. In the final line the polite present proposes a choice the two coworkers can agree on.
Phrases for Choosing Carefully
마음에 드는 걸 고르다 means to choose what you like. The literal wording is “choose the thing that pleases your heart”, but ordinary English is simply “choose something you like”. A shop assistant can use this wording to let the customer decide without pushing a particular item.
신중하게 고르다 means to choose carefully. It describes the manner of choosing, so it works for an expensive purchase or an important gift. 아무거나 고르다 means to choose anything. That removes a restriction on the choice; it does not necessarily mean picking randomly without looking.
하나만 고르다 means to choose just one. The 만 limits the number rather than naming a particular option. This is useful when someone offers several snacks or presents but expects you to take only one. 고르다 itself does not say how many items you may select.
Where Do Learners Meet 고르다?
In shops, 고르세요 is an invitation or request to choose. The customer has options in front of them, so the verb focuses on selecting an item. A friend saying 골라 is using the casual form; keep 고르세요 for a polite invitation to someone you do not know well.
At a restaurant, 메뉴를 고르다 means choosing a dish from the menu. It does not mean designing the restaurant's printed menu. The object 메뉴 can refer to the available food choices, so the natural English translation depends on whose choice is being discussed.
On a website or form, 선택하다 is common for selecting an option. In a conversation about which shirt to buy, 고르다 is the everyday choice. Both can describe selection, but 결정하다 focuses on reaching a decision, including questions with no physical item to pick up.
What Changes in 골라서 and 고르는?
The 르 change belongs to endings beginning with 아 or 어. 골라서 means “after choosing” or “because [someone] chose”, depending on the sentence. The choosing verb uses 아 here because the vowel before 르 is ㅗ. The result has two ㄹ sounds across the syllable boundary: 골라.
고르는 keeps 르 and describes the choosing action before a noun. 고른 describes something already chosen, while 고를 looks ahead to a choice. These forms do not start with 골라. Learning only 골라요 can hide this distinction, so pair it with the unchanged stem in 고르면 and 고르세요.
고르다 does not mean “to buy”. A customer may choose a coat and leave without paying for it. 사다 adds the purchase. When you translate a sentence about shopping, keep the selecting and buying steps separate unless the Korean actually includes both.
| Related word | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 선물 | gift | A frequent object when choosing for someone else. |
| 색깔 | color | One feature you may choose before buying clothes. |
| 비교하다 | to compare | Comparing can happen before choosing. |
| 사다 | to buy | Describes the purchase after selection. |
The shopping vocabulary lesson teaches words for the wider buying situation.
The chosen object may be a person as well as a product. 대표를 고르다 means to choose a representative. This extends the same selecting idea to a role that needs filling. The verb still focuses on which candidate is picked; it does not describe the representative accepting the role or starting the job.
Mini Drill: Choosing Forms
- Give the polite past of 고르다.
- Invite a customer to choose, using the polite request form.
- Give the conditional “if you choose”.
- Make “I don't choose” with the short negative.
Show drill answers
- 골랐어요.
- 고르세요.
- 고르면.
- 안 골라요. 안 is a separate word.
Quick Self-Test
- Does 고르다 guarantee a purchase?
- What restriction does 하나만 add?
- Which form keeps 르: 골라요 or 고르세요?
Show answers
- No. It means choosing.
- Choose just one.
- 고르세요.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Polite Present of 고르다?
It is 골라요. The ㅡ of 르 drops and an extra ㄹ appears, so 고르 + 아요 becomes 골라요.
Is 고르다 Regular?
No. It is a 르-irregular verb, so 고라요 is wrong and 골라요 is correct.
How Do I Politely Tell Someone to Choose?
Say 고르세요, as in 마음에 드는 걸 고르세요.
What Is the Formal Present?
It is 고릅니다, said [고름니다].
Which Words Are Related to 고르다?
What Should You Learn Next?
Look at 선택하다 and 결정하다 for the formal side of choosing, then 비교하다, because people compare before they pick. To test another form of 고르다 ('to choose'), open the Korean verb conjugator, or browse the Korean verb dictionary.