Key Facts
- Hangul: 나가다 (nagada)
- Meaning: to go out
- Level: A1
- Stem: 나가
- Class: regular
- Object marking: intransitive
What Does 나가다 Mean?
나가다 means to go from an inside space to an outside one, as in 밖에 나가다. It can also mean heading out to a place such as work.
The word is built from two smaller verbs, 나다 (to come out) and 가다 (to go). The 가 part tells you the motion leads away from the speaker. It also pairs with 들어가다, which means to go in.
Meanings:
- to go out. Go from inside to outside, as in 밖에 나가다; also to head out to a place such as work.
How Is 나가다 Used?
나가다 is mostly intransitive. The place you are heading to takes 에 or (으)로, so you say 밖에 나가요 or 밖으로 나가요, and the place you come out of takes 에서. When you talk about leaving a place behind, that place can also take 을/를. Typical chunks are 밖으로 나가다 and 외출하러 나가다 (to go out on an errand or outing).
The honorific is 나가세요. Direction is the key idea: if the movement comes toward you, switch to 나오다.
How Do You Pronounce 나가다?
나가다 is romanized nagada. Most forms are read as written; the past 나갔어요 is read [나가써요] and the formal present 나갑니다 is read [나감니다].
Example Sentences
주말에는 밖에 나가요.
I go outside on weekends.
This is the polite present form. 주말에는 sets the time, and the destination 밖에 uses 에 and not 을/를. The pattern is typical for an everyday habit.
어제 친구와 같이 나갔어요.
I went out with a friend yesterday.
This is the polite past form. 같이 and the companion 친구와 show who went along. 나갔어요 is the polite past, with 갔 coming from 가.
지금 나가면 늦지 않아요.
If you go out now, you will not be late.
This is the if (conditional) form: 나가면 means 'if you go out'. The result clause uses the long negative 늦지 않아요 (you will not be late).
Nagada Conjugation: What Are the Forms of 나가다?
The stem 나가 ends in ㅏ, so the endings merge: 나가 plus 아요 becomes 나가요, and the past 나갔어요 adds ㅆ. Because the stem already ends in ㅏ, no extra vowel appears in 나가요, 나갔어요 or 나가서.
나가다
| Form | Korean | Romanization | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 나가요 | ||
| Polite past | 나갔어요 | ||
| Polite future (plan) | 나갈 거예요 | ||
| Polite future (intention or guess) | 나가겠어요 | ||
| Formal present | 나갑니다 | ||
| Formal past | 나갔습니다 | ||
| Formal future | 나갈 것입니다 | ||
| Casual present | 나가 | ||
| Casual past | 나갔어 | ||
| Casual future | 나갈 거야 | ||
| Want to (polite) | 나가고 싶어요 | ||
| Honorific polite | 나가세요 | ||
| Because / and then | 나가서 | ||
| If (conditional) | 나가면 | ||
| Present modifier (before a noun) | 나가는 | ||
| Past modifier (before a noun) | 나간 | ||
| Future modifier (before a noun) | 나갈 | ||
| Negative with 안 (short) | 안 나가요 | ||
| Negative (long form) | 나가지 않아요 |
| Form | Korean | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 나가요 | - |
| Polite past | 나갔어요 | [나가써요] |
| Polite future (plan) | 나갈 거예요 | [나갈꺼예요] |
| Polite future (guess) | 나가겠어요 | [나가게써요] |
| Formal present | 나갑니다 | [나감니다] |
| Formal past | 나갔습니다 | [나갇씀니다] |
| Formal future | 나갈 것입니다 | [나갈꺼심니다] |
| Casual present | 나가 | - |
| Casual past | 나갔어 | [나가써] |
| Casual future | 나갈 거야 | [나갈꺼야] |
| Want to (polite) | 나가고 싶어요 | [나가고 시퍼요] |
| Honorific polite | 나가세요 | - |
| Because / and then | 나가서 | - |
| If (conditional) | 나가면 | - |
| Modifier, present | 나가는 | - |
| Modifier, past | 나간 | - |
| Modifier, future | 나갈 | - |
| Short negative | 안 나가요 | - |
| Long negative | 나가지 않아요 | [나가지 아나요] |
Is 나가다 Regular or Irregular?
나가다 is regular. The stem never changes, and only the ordinary contraction applies. Because 가다 is its second half, you may be tempted to expect irregular behaviour, but nothing special happens.
Common Mistake with 나가다
Wrong (standard Korean): ✗ 밖을 나가요
Correct: ✓ 밖에 나가요
Why: 밖 is where you are heading, so it takes 에 or (으)로: 밖에 나가요, 밖으로 나가요. You may hear 밖을 나가요 in casual speech, but in standard Korean 을/를 with 나가다 marks a place you leave behind, not your destination.
Similar Words
| Word | How it differs from 나가다 |
|---|---|
| 나오다 | 나가다 is going out away from the speaker; 나오다 is coming out toward the speaker. |
| 들어가다 | 나가다 is to go out; 들어가다 is to go in. |
나가다 goes away from the speaker, 나오다 comes toward the speaker, and 들어가다 is the opposite direction, going in.
Getting Ready to Leave the Office
Two coworkers are still inside the office. Jisu asks about leaving, and Alex explains his plan. Both speakers describe a movement outward from their shared location.
Jisu
지금 나가요?
Jigeum nagayo?
Are you going out now?
Alex
네. 곧 나갈 거예요.
Ne. Gon nagal geoyeyo.
Yes. I’m going out soon.
Jisu
민수 씨는 벌써 나갔어요.
Minsu ssineun beolsseo nagasseoyo.
Minsu has already gone out.
Alex
그럼 혼자 나가요.
Geureom honja nagayo.
Then I’ll go out alone.
나가요 asks about an immediate action here, rather than a weekend habit. 나갈 거예요 states a plan; 나갔어요 reports that someone has already left. 곧 means “soon”, so Alex expects to leave shortly. 나갔어요 describes Minsu’s departure as already complete.
Phrases for Leaving and Taking Part
산책하러 나가다 means to go out for a walk. The purpose comes before 나가다: the person leaves in order to take a walk. 외출하러 나가다 is broader and does not tell you whether the outing is for shopping, an appointment or leisure.
회사에 나가다 means to go to work or attend work. The emphasis is on heading out and showing up, rather than simply being employed there. A conversation about whether someone works from home or goes into the office can use this phrase.
대회에 나가다 means to enter or take part in a competition. It does not describe walking out of a competition venue. The noun 대회, “competition”, makes participation the natural reading. Korean uses the same verb for entering a contest that it uses for leaving a room.
정신이 나가다 literally pictures the mind going out. In everyday speech it can mean to be out of one's mind or so shocked that one cannot think clearly. This is a strong expression; calling another person this can sound insulting.
Where Will You Hear 나가다?
At home and at work, 나가다 often answers a question about someone's whereabouts: they were here, but they have gone out. In a drama, a bare 나가! can mean “Get out!” The casual form is short and forceful in a confrontation.
나가세요 adds respect, but a direct instruction to leave can still sound dismissive. In an office or shop, a direction such as 밖으로 나가세요 is easier to understand when the speaker also explains the route or reason. A polite ending does not turn every order into a friendly invitation.
The time phrase changes how you read 나가요. With 주말에는, it describes a routine; with 지금 and a question mark, it can ask whether someone is setting off now. You do not need a separate tense form for each use.
| Related word | Meaning | When it helps |
|---|---|---|
| 밖 | outside | Names the area you move into when leaving a building. |
| 출구 | exit | Labels the way out in stations and public buildings. |
| 외출 | going out / an outing | Names a temporary absence from home or work. |
| 현관 | entrance hall / front entrance | Names the place where you put on shoes before leaving. |
The house and home vocabulary lesson teaches the rooms and entrances around this movement.
Mini Drill: Describe the Departure
- Change 나가요 to the polite past.
- Say “I plan to go out” using the plan form.
- Complete “if you go out”: 나가____.
- Make the short negative of 나가요.
Show drill answers
- 나갔어요.
- 나갈 거예요. Keep the space before 거예요.
- 나가면.
- 안 나가요.
Quick Self-Test
- You are outside, calling a friend toward you through the door. 나가다 or 나오다?
- Does 대회에 나가다 mean leaving the competition venue?
- Does adding 세요 always make an instruction to leave sound welcoming?
Show answers
- 나오다: your friend comes out toward you.
- No. It means taking part in the competition.
- No. 나가세요 is respectful in form, but the situation can still make it sound like a dismissal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Polite Present of 나가다?
It is 나가요. The two vowels ㅏ and 아 merge into one, so the ending is not written separately.
Do I Say 밖에 or 밖을 with 나가다?
Use 밖에 or 밖으로. 밖 is where you are heading, so it takes 에 or (으)로; with 나가다, 을/를 marks a place you leave behind.
How Is It Different from 나오다?
나가다 moves away from the speaker and 나오다 moves toward the speaker. The same door can be either one, depending on where you stand.
Can I Use 나가다 for Going to Work?
Yes. 나가다 also covers heading out to a place such as work, even though English would simply say 'go to work'.
How Do I Ask Someone to Go out Politely?
Use 나가세요, the honorific form. It works as a polite request as well as a description.
Which Words Are Related to 나가다?
What Should You Learn Next?
Learn 나오다 right after this page: it is the same movement seen from outside. Practise by describing doors, rooms and plans, and look at 들어가다 for the opposite direction.
Class lesson: How to Conjugate Korean Verbs in the Present Tense. Tool: Korean verb conjugator.