말하다 (malhada) Conjugation: Meaning, Forms & Examples

Key Facts

• Hangul: 말하다 (malhada)
• Meaning: to speak
• Part of speech: verb (동사)
• Level: A1
• Stem: 말하
• Class: 하다 type
• Object marking: transitive or intransitive

What Does 말하다 Mean?

• to speak. Say words aloud or tell someone something, as in 한국어로 말하다.

말하다 means to say words aloud or to tell someone something, as in 한국어로 말하다. It is transitive and intransitive at once: the thing said can take 을/를 (한국어를 말해요), or the listener can be marked with 에게/한테.

The register is where this verb needs care. 말씀 is the honorific noun for speech. 말하다 has an honorific form, 말씀하시다, for a respected person who is speaking, and a humble form, 말씀드리다, which lowers yourself when you talk to a senior. The plain verb is neutral to equals and juniors.

How Do You Pronounce 말하다?

The past form is read [말해써요] and the formal present [말함니다]. In careful speech the ㅎ is pronounced, but in everyday speech it often fades after ㄹ, so 말해요 can sound like ma-rae-yo. Both pronunciations are heard; the second is simply faster.

How Do You Use 말하다 in a Sentence?

A description of manner. 천천히 (slowly) modifies 말해요, and 그는 is the speaker being described. The sentence shows 말하다 used with no object at all.

Here 말하다 has the listener marked by 께, a respectful marker, and 사실을 is the thing told. The past form 말했어요 fits "I told the teacher the truth". 께 already adds respect; when you speak directly to the teacher, or want to be fully polite, the humble verb 말씀드리다 is the safer choice, as the mistake below explains.

The want-to form 말하고 싶어요 follows 한국어로, which marks the language as the means of speaking.

How Does Malhada Conjugation Work?

Like every 하다-type verb, the stem 말하 plus 여 contracts to 해, so you get 말해요, 말했어요, and 말해서. The honorific polite is 말하세요. In the short negative, 안 usually goes before 하: 말 안 해요 sounds more natural than putting 안 before the whole verb.

The rule behind to speak (하다 type) is taught in 하다 to 해요.

Common Mistake with 말하다

Wrong (too plain for an elder): ✗ 할머니께 말해요

Correct: ✓ 할머니께 말씀드려요

Why: When speaking to an elder, use 말씀드리다 instead of 말하다, and 께 for the person.

The slip is using the neutral verb with a respected listener: 할머니께 말해요 mixes a respectful particle with a plain verb. The corrected sentence keeps 께 for the person and swaps the verb for 말씀드리다 to lower yourself.

말하다 Versus Similar Verbs

이야기하다 is closer to talk or tell a story; 말하다 is to say or tell a thing. Pick 말하다 when a single statement is the point, such as telling the teacher the truth.

말씀하시다 and 말씀드리다 are a pair: the first raises a respected speaker, the second lowers you when you speak to them. Plain 말하다 is for equals, juniors and neutral narration.

Asking a Classmate to Repeat a Room Number

Two classmates are discussing which classroom to use. One missed the room number and asks for it again.

Jisu

Alex

Jisu

Alex

말했어요 looks back at what was said. 말해 주세요 asks for a repetition now, and 말할 거예요 announces the next attempt. The quoted room number connects to 말하다 through 라고; you can recognize that connection before learning every quotation ending.

Useful Phrases with 말하다

다시 말해 주세요 means “please say it again”. 천천히 말해 주세요 asks someone to speak slowly. The first request concerns repetition; the second concerns speed. Combining a request with the exact difficulty helps the listener adjust instead of repeating at the same pace.

솔직히 말하다 means “to speak honestly”. 솔직히 말해서 often introduces an honest opinion, much like “to be honest”. 쉽게 말하다 means “to explain or say something simply”. These describe how a speaker presents a message; they do not change who receives it.

말도 안 돼요 is a common reaction meaning “that makes no sense”, “that's impossible”, or “no way”. Literally, it says that something does not even qualify as sensible speech. This set expression contains the noun 말 rather than a conjugated form of 말하다. Its tone depends on whether the speaker sounds amused, shocked, or dismissive.

Where Will You Hear 말하다?

In classrooms, 말해 주세요 helps learners ask for repetition. In dramas, 말했어요 often introduces a dispute about who said what. In interviews, 솔직히 말해서 signals an opinion that may be more direct than the preceding conversation. The words following it carry the actual opinion.

한국어로 말하다 identifies Korean as the language used to deliver a message. 한국어를 하다 can describe speaking Korean as an ability. In the first pattern, 로 highlights the medium: the message could be expressed in a different language too.

The conversation practice lesson gives situations for repetition and clarification requests.

Mini Drill: Change the Message

1. Change 말하다 to the polite past.
2. Write “I don't speak” using the short negative in the table.
3. Complete “a person who speaks”: ___ 사람.
4. Which phrase asks for slower speech: 다시 말해 주세요 or 천천히 말해 주세요?

Quick Self-Test

1. What does 한국어로 identify in 한국어로 말하다?
2. Does 말도 안 돼요 always mean the speaker cannot talk?
3. Which respectful verb describes your own speech to a senior?

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 말하다 Used with Elders?

Not in its plain form. When you speak to an elder, use the humble 말씀드리다; when an elder is the one speaking, use 말씀하시다.

What Is the Polite past of 말하다?

It is 말했어요, pronounced [말해써요].

Does 말하다 Take 을/를 or 에게?

Both appear. The thing said usually takes 을/를, and the listener takes 에게/한테, or 께 for a respected person.

What Is the Difference between 말하다 and 이야기하다?

말하다 is to say or tell something; 이야기하다 is to talk or tell a story.

What Does 말씀 Mean?

It is the honorific noun for speech, which is why both honorific partners of 말하다 contain it.

Which Words Are Related to 말하다?

• 이야기하다
• 말씀하다
• 대화하다
• 설명하다

What Should You Learn Next?

Continue with 이야기하다 for longer talk, then 설명하다 for explaining. When to speak feels familiar, compare it with other entries in the verb dictionary or check a form in the conjugator.