Key Facts
- Hangul: 씻다 (ssitda)
- Meaning: to wash
- Level: A1
- Stem: 씻
- Class: regular
- Polite present / past: 씻어요 / 씻었어요
- Honorific polite: 씻으세요
What Does 씻다 Mean?
- to wash. Used for washing parts of your body or things with water: 손을 씻다 (to wash your hands), 얼굴을 씻다 (to wash your face).
The thing you wash takes the object particle 을/를. 씻다 is a very common A1 verb. For doing the dishes as a household chore, 설거지하다 is the usual verb; 씻다 can describe washing an individual dish.
How Do You Pronounce 씻다?
In Revised Romanization, 'to wash' is written ssitda. The spoken form is [씯따], which follows the 국립국어원 standard pronunciation rules.
Every conjugated form of 씻다 sounds different from its spelling, because the final ㅅ changes with what follows it:
- Before a vowel the ㅅ moves into the next syllable and keeps its s sound: 씻어요 [씨서요], 씻으세요 [씨스세요].
- Before ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅅ or ㅈ the ㅅ is pronounced [ㄷ] and makes the next consonant tense: 씻고 싶어요 [씯꼬 시퍼요], 씻지 않아요 [씯찌 아나요].
- Before ㄴ it is pronounced [ㄴ]: 씻는 [씬는], and in 씻습니다 [씯씀니다] the ㅂ before ㄴ is pronounced [ㅁ].
The conjugation table in the next section lists all 19 forms, and the plain table under it gives the pronunciation of ten key ones.
How Do You Use 씻다 in a Sentence?
저는 아침에 얼굴을 씻어요.
I wash my face in the morning.
얼굴을 씻어요 pairs a body part with 을, and the time word 아침에 (in the morning) makes it a daily routine.
먼저 손을 씻으세요.
Please wash your hands first.
씻으세요 is the honorific polite form, used here as a polite request. 먼저 means 'first', as you might say before a meal.
손을 씻어서 깨끗해요.
My hands are clean because I washed them.
씻어서 turns the washing into a reason: the hands are clean because they were washed.
How Does Ssitda Conjugation Work? (19 forms)
씻다
| Form | Korean | Romanization | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 씻어요 | ||
| Polite past | 씻었어요 | ||
| Polite future (plan) | 씻을 거예요 | ||
| Polite future (intention or guess) | 씻겠어요 | ||
| Formal present | 씻습니다 | ||
| Formal past | 씻었습니다 | ||
| Formal future | 씻을 것입니다 | ||
| Casual present | 씻어 | ||
| Casual past | 씻었어 | ||
| Casual future | 씻을 거야 | ||
| Want to (polite) | 씻고 싶어요 | ||
| Honorific polite | 씻으세요 | ||
| Because / and then | 씻어서 | ||
| If (conditional) | 씻으면 | ||
| Present modifier (before a noun) | 씻는 | ||
| Past modifier (before a noun) | 씻은 | ||
| Future modifier (before a noun) | 씻을 | ||
| Negative with 안 (short) | 안 씻어요 | ||
| Negative (long form) | 씻지 않아요 |
| Form | Korean | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 씻어요 | [씨서요] |
| Polite past | 씻었어요 | [씨서써요] |
| Polite future | 씻을 거예요 | [씨슬꺼예요] |
| Formal present | 씻습니다 | [씯씀니다] |
| Casual present | 씻어 | [씨서] |
| Honorific | 씻으세요 | [씨스세요] |
| Because | 씻어서 | [씨서서] |
| If | 씻으면 | [씨스면] |
| Modifier now | 씻는 | [씬는] |
| Long negative | 씻지 않아요 | [씯찌 아나요] |
Is 씻다 Regular or Irregular?
Regular verbs keep the stem as it is and take the vowel-harmony ending. Here the stem 씻 keeps its ㅅ in every form: 씻어요 in the polite present and 씻었어요 in the past. The rule is taught in polite present recipe.
What Is the Most Common Mistake with 씻다?
Wrong: ✗ 옷을 씻어요 (when you mean 'I wash my clothes')
Correct: ✓ 옷을 빨아요, or simply 빨래해요 (I do the laundry)
Why: Laundry has its own verbs in Korean. Clothes are washed with 빨다 or 빨래하다, not 씻다.
How Is 씻다 Different from Similar Words?
| Word | How it differs |
|---|---|
| 닦다 | 닦다 is to wipe or brush (이를 닦다); 씻다 uses water to wash. |
| 빨래하다 | 빨래하다 is to do laundry; 씻다 is for washing body parts and fruit. |
Before Dinner: Checking Clean Hands
A parent and an adult child are preparing to eat. A polite instruction leads to a past-tense reply and then a plan to wash fruit.
Parent
먼저 손을 씻으세요.
Meonjeo soneul ssiseuseyo.
Please wash your hands first.
Child
네. 손을 씻었어요.
Ne. Soneul ssiseosseoyo.
Yes. I washed my hands.
Parent
저는 사과를 씻을 거예요.
Jeoneun sagwareul ssiseul geoyeyo.
I’m going to wash the apples.
손 and 사과 take the same object particle because each is being washed. The final line changes the object from a body part to food without changing the verb. Korean does not mark singular and plural here, so 사과 can mean an apple or apples depending on what is on the counter.
Why Does 씻다 Keep Its ㅅ?
씻다 ends in ㅅ, but it does not belong to the ㅅ-irregular group that drops this consonant before certain vowel endings. Keep 씻 in 씻어요, 씻으면 and 씻으세요. Looking only at a verb's last letter is not enough to decide its irregular class.
The pronunciation changes with the next sound while the written stem stays fixed. Before a vowel, as in 씻어요, you hear the ㅅ at the start of the following syllable. Before ㄴ, as in 씻는, you hear a nasal sound. These readings describe speech; they do not give you permission to replace the written ㅅ.
씻어서 can connect washing to the next step or to a result. In the existing sentence, cleanliness is the result. In a sequence about preparing food, the same ending can connect washing to what you do afterward. The next clause tells you which relationship is intended.
What Can You Wash with 씻다?
손을 씻다 and 얼굴을 씻다 are everyday combinations. 발을 씻다 means to wash your feet, and 과일을 씻다 means to wash fruit. These are literal uses: something is cleaned with water. The object gives the listener the scope of the washing.
By itself, 씻다 can mean to wash yourself or get washed. In a conversation at home, the body can be understood without naming every part. If you need to specify a shower, 샤워하다 is clearer. If you mean brushing your teeth, use 이를 닦다; Korean chooses the verb for that particular cleaning action.
설거지하다 is the usual verb for doing the dishes as a household chore. 그릇을 씻다 is also natural for washing a bowl or dish. 씻다 can name the physical washing; 설거지하다 names the overall job, including more than one item.
Where Will You See Washing Expressions?
Handwashing reminders use 손 씻기, “handwashing”. The ending 기 turns the action into a noun expression suitable for a sign or a heading. It names the activity rather than addressing one person. 손을 씻으세요 is a full polite instruction asking someone to do it.
In a kitchen, 씻다 helps separate washing produce from wiping a surface. The contrast with 닦다 concerns the cleaning action: water washing versus wiping, rubbing or brushing. A cloth can wipe a table, while fruit is normally described as being washed. Name the object rather than assuming English “clean” selects one Korean verb.
| Related word | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 비누 | soap | A common object beside handwashing instructions. |
| 수건 | towel | Used for drying after washing. |
| 세면대 | washbasin | Names the fixture where you wash your hands or face. |
| 손 | hand | One of the most frequent objects of 씻다. |
The personal care vocabulary lesson teaches words for this part of a daily routine.
Mini Drill: Spelling Versus Sound
- Give the polite present of 씻다.
- Give the conditional “if you wash”.
- Give the present modifier before a noun.
- Choose the laundry verb: 씻다 or 빨래하다?
Show drill answers
- 씻어요, keeping ㅅ.
- 씻으면, also keeping ㅅ.
- 씻는. Its spelling retains ㅅ despite the pronunciation.
- 빨래하다.
Quick Self-Test
- What does 손 씻기 name?
- Can 씻다 describe washing fruit?
- Is every verb ending in ㅅ irregular?
Show answers
- Handwashing.
- Yes. 과일을 씻다 means to wash fruit.
- No. 씻다 keeps its ㅅ in conjugation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 씻다 a Regular or Irregular Verb?
씻다 is regular. The stem 씻 never changes; you add the ending that matches its vowel: 씻어요, 씻었어요, 씻으면.
What Is the Polite Present Form of 씻다?
It is 씻어요, as in 저는 아침에 얼굴을 씻어요 (I wash my face in the morning). The past is 씻었어요, the future is 씻을 거예요, and the honorific polite form is 씻으세요.
Does 씻다 Take an Object?
Yes. The thing you wash takes 을/를: 손을 씻다 (to wash your hands), 얼굴을 씻다 (to wash your face).
Does the ㅅ in 씻다 Change When I Conjugate?
Not in spelling: 씻어요 and 씻으세요 keep the ㅅ. Only the pronunciation changes, for example 씻는 is read [씬는].
Can I Use 씻다 for Washing Clothes?
No. For clothes, use 빨다 (옷을 빨아요) or 빨래하다 (빨래해요). 씻다 is for your body and for things like fruit.
Which Words Are Related to 씻다?
What Should You Learn Next?
Once 씻다 feels settled, continue with 샤워하다 (to shower) and 청소하다 (to clean). To compare 씻어요 with other verbs, use the Korean verb conjugator or browse the verb dictionary.