Key Facts
- Hangul: 켜다 (kyeoda)
- Meaning: to turn on
- Part of speech: verb (동사)
- Level: A2
- Stem: 켜
- Class: regular
- Object marking: transitive
What Does 켜다 Mean?
- to turn on. Switch on a light or device, as in 불을 켜다 or 텔레비전을 켜다; also to play a stringed instrument.
The same word is also used for playing a bowed stringed instrument such as the violin. Typical objects are 불 (light), 에어컨 (air conditioner) and 컴퓨터 (computer).
The thing switched on takes 을/를. The opposite is 끄다.
How Do You Pronounce 켜다?
The past 켰어요 is read [켜써요], the formal 켭니다 is [켬니다], and the future plan is [켤꺼예요].
How Do You Use 켜다 in a Sentence?
저는 방에 들어가서 불을 켜요.
I go into the room and turn on the light.
A routine: 방에 들어가서 (after going into the room) 불을 켜요. The first clause is joined with the because/and-then ending.
어젯밤에 텔레비전을 켰어요.
I turned on the TV last night.
Last night's TV: 어젯밤에 (last night) 텔레비전을 and the past 켰어요.
잠깐 컴퓨터를 켤 거예요.
I will turn on the computer for a moment.
A short-term plan: 잠깐 (for a moment) 컴퓨터를 and 켤 거예요.
How Does Kyeoda Conjugation Work?
The stem 켜 already ends in the vowel ㅕ, so the 어 of the ending merges into it: 켜요, 켜, 켜서. The formal present is 켭니다 and the modifier before a noun is 켜는. The negative is 안 켜요.
켜다
| Form | Korean | Romanization | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 켜요 | ||
| Polite past | 켰어요 | ||
| Polite future (plan) | 켤 거예요 | ||
| Polite future (intention or guess) | 켜겠어요 | ||
| Formal present | 켭니다 | ||
| Formal past | 켰습니다 | ||
| Formal future | 켤 것입니다 | ||
| Casual present | 켜 | ||
| Casual past | 켰어 | ||
| Casual future | 켤 거야 | ||
| Want to (polite) | 켜고 싶어요 | ||
| Honorific polite | 켜세요 | ||
| Because / and then | 켜서 | ||
| If (conditional) | 켜면 | ||
| Present modifier (before a noun) | 켜는 | ||
| Past modifier (before a noun) | 켠 | ||
| Future modifier (before a noun) | 켤 | ||
| Negative with 안 (short) | 안 켜요 | ||
| Negative (long form) | 켜지 않아요 |
| Form | Korean | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 켜요 | as written |
| Polite past | 켰어요 | [켜써요] |
| Polite future (plan) | 켤 거예요 | [켤꺼예요] |
| Polite future (guess) | 켜겠어요 | [켜게써요] |
| Formal present | 켭니다 | [켬니다] |
| Formal past | 켰습니다 | [켣씀니다] |
| Formal future | 켤 것입니다 | [켤꺼심니다] |
| Casual present | 켜 | as written |
| Casual past | 켰어 | [켜써] |
| Casual future | 켤 거야 | [켤꺼야] |
| Want to (polite) | 켜고 싶어요 | [켜고 시퍼요] |
| Honorific polite | 켜세요 | as written |
| Because / and then | 켜서 | as written |
| If (conditional) | 켜면 | as written |
| Modifier, present | 켜는 | as written |
| Modifier, past | 켠 | as written |
| Modifier, future | 켤 | as written |
| Negative, short | 안 켜요 | as written |
| Negative, long | 켜지 않아요 | [켜지 아나요] |
The rule behind 켜다 (regular) is taught in polite present recipe.
Common Mistake with 켜다
Wrong: ✗ 불을 켜어요
Correct: ✓ 불을 켜요
Why: The stem 켜 already ends in ㅕ, so 켜 + 어요 merges to 켜요.
Writing the 어 out separately, as in 켜어요, is a spelling error, even though it looks like what 'stem plus 어요' predicts. When the stem already ends in ㅓ or ㅕ, the 어 of the ending is absorbed.
켜다 Versus Similar Verbs
| Word | How it differs |
|---|---|
| 끄다 | 켜다 is to turn on; 끄다 is to turn off. |
| 열다 | 켜다 is for switching on lights and devices; 열다 is for opening doors, windows, and programs. |
Turning on a Computer before a Meeting
Two coworkers are preparing a meeting room. Jisu asks about the computer, and Alex explains what has already been done and what will happen next.
Jisu
컴퓨터 켰어요?
Keompyuteo kyeosseoyo?
Did you turn on the computer?
Alex
네, 켰어요. 화면이 아직 안 나와요.
Ne, kyeosseoyo. Hwamyeoni ajik an nawayo.
Yes, I did. The screen isn’t showing anything yet.
Jisu
그럼 모니터를 켜세요.
Geureom moniteoreul kyeoseyo.
Then turn on the monitor.
Alex
네. 불도 켤 거예요.
Ne. Buldo kyeol geoyeyo.
Okay. I’ll turn on the light too.
The first question omits 를 after 컴퓨터. The reply uses 켰어요 because the computer was already switched on, even though the display is blank. 켤 거예요 names a separate planned action. Turning on the computer and turning on its monitor can be two different tasks.
Common Combinations with 켜다
불을 켜다 usually means to turn on a light in a room. 불 can mean fire elsewhere, but a person entering a dark room normally means the electric light. The object and setting guide the translation; the phrase does not usually mean starting a fire in that scene.
전원을 켜다 means to switch on the power. 전원 is useful on device instructions because it names the power supply rather than one particular appliance. 컴퓨터를 켜다 focuses on the computer, while 전원을 켜다 focuses on supplying power to the device under discussion.
에어컨을 켜다 means to turn on the air conditioner. It describes starting the machine, without specifying its temperature setting. 텔레비전을 켜다 similarly means switching on the television; it does not say that someone has chosen a channel or begun watching a particular show.
Where Will You See or Hear 켜다?
At home, someone may use 켜요 as a suggestion to turn on a light or appliance. In a request, 켜세요 asks the listener to do it. With a friend, the short 켜 can be an instruction, but it needs a relationship where casual speech is welcome.
Device instructions often pair 켜다 with 끄다. A switch or menu may show 켜기 for “turn on” and 끄기 for “turn off.” These are action labels rather than complete sentences. The 기 ending lets the action work like a noun, which suits a button or instruction heading.
In music lessons, 바이올린을 켜다 means to play the violin with a bow. The violin is not being switched on. This separate meaning is tied to bowed instruments; it does not make 켜다 a general replacement for every verb meaning “play.”
Words for Devices and Their Controls
| Korean | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 전원 | power | Names what is switched on or off. |
| 스위치 | switch | The physical control for many lights and appliances. |
| 화면 | screen / display | A device can be on while its screen is blank. |
| 리모컨 | remote control | Used to control a TV or air conditioner. |
Learn the wider set in technology vocabulary.
켜다 describes the action of switching something on. It does not by itself say how long the device stays on. In a sentence about a morning routine, the present 켜요 can describe what someone does each day; in a conversation beside a switch, the same form can suggest doing it now.
Mini Drill: Switch the Form
- Give the polite past of 켜다.
- Make a polite instruction to turn something on.
- Give the formal present used in an explanation.
- Write “I don't turn it on” with 안.
Show drill answers
- 켰어요.
- 켜세요.
- 켭니다.
- 안 켜요. The negative word stays separate.
Keep the vowel ㅕ in 켜요, 켰어요 and 켜세요. 켜다 and 끼다 have different stems: the latter gives 껴요 with a tense ㄲ. Mixing those first syllables changes the verb rather than creating a different speech level. The initial ㅋ in 켜다 is aspirated, so it has a stronger puff of air than ㄲ.
Quick Self-Test
- What does 불을 켜다 usually mean in a dark room?
- Does 컴퓨터를 켜다 mean opening a file?
- What action does 바이올린을 켜다 describe?
Show answers
- To turn on the light.
- No. It means switching on the computer; opening uses 열다.
- Playing the violin with a bow.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Polite Present of 켜다?
It is 켜요. The stem 켜 already ends in a vowel, so the ending merges instead of being added, and the casual form is the short 켜.
Why Is 켜어요 Wrong?
The stem 켜 already ends in ㅕ, so the ending merges with it.
What Is the Opposite of 켜다?
끄다 is the opposite: it switches the same lights and devices off, and it is a ㅡ-irregular verb unlike this one.
Can 켜다 Be Used for Music?
Yes, in two ways: you can 켜다 a device that plays music, and the verb also means playing a bowed stringed instrument such as the violin.
How Is the Formal Present Pronounced?
켭니다, read [켬니다].
Which Words Are Related to 켜다?
What Should You Learn Next?
Learn 끄다 next, then 열다 for doors and windows. When 켜다 feels familiar, compare it with other entries in the verb dictionary or check a form in the conjugator.