Key Facts
- Hangul: 쇼핑하다 (syopinghada)
- Meaning: to shop
- Part of speech: verb (동사)
- Level: A1
- Stem: 쇼핑하
- Class: 하다 type
- Objects: intransitive
What Does 쇼핑하다 Mean?
쇼핑하다 names the activity of shopping, not the purchase of one item. It takes no object, so the place is marked with 에서, as in 백화점에서 쇼핑해요. If you want to say you bought a particular item, use 사다 instead; if you are only looking around, 구경하다 is the closer verb. The word is A1 and comes from English, as do the related phrases 쇼핑 가다 (go shopping) and 쇼핑몰.
Senses:
- to shop. Go shopping: 백화점에서 쇼핑하다.
How Do You Pronounce 쇼핑하다?
Four syllables: syo-ping-ha-da. The ng at the end of 핑 is the same sound as the end of 'sing', and it stays in place when 하 follows, so 쇼핑하다 flows as one unit. The polite past 쇼핑했어요 is said [쇼핑해써요], the formal present 쇼핑합니다 is said [쇼핑함니다], and the plan form 쇼핑할 거예요 is said [쇼핑할꺼예요].
How Do You Use 쇼핑하다 in a Sentence?
주말에 친구와 쇼핑해요.
I go shopping with a friend on weekends.
주말에 친구와 쇼핑해요 pairs 주말에 (on weekends) with 친구와 (with a friend). The polite present describes a regular habit.
어제 백화점에서 쇼핑했어요.
I shopped at the department store yesterday.
어제 백화점에서 쇼핑했어요 puts the place with 에서 and the time with 어제. The past 쇼핑했어요 says the trip is over.
내일 쇼핑하고 싶어요.
I want to go shopping tomorrow.
내일 쇼핑하고 싶어요 uses 하고 싶어요 to state a wish for tomorrow, 내일.
How Does Syopinghada Conjugation Work?
쇼핑하다 follows the 하다 pattern, in which 하 + 여 becomes 해. Endings that start with 아/어 therefore give 쇼핑해요, 쇼핑했어요 and 쇼핑해서. Other endings keep 하: 쇼핑하면, 쇼핑하는, 쇼핑한 and 쇼핑합니다. The short negative splits around the noun: 쇼핑 안 해요, and the long negative is 쇼핑하지 않아요.
쇼핑하다
| Form | Korean | Romanization | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 쇼핑해요 | ||
| Polite past | 쇼핑했어요 | ||
| Polite future (plan) | 쇼핑할 거예요 | ||
| Polite future (intention or guess) | 쇼핑하겠어요 | ||
| Formal present | 쇼핑합니다 | ||
| Formal past | 쇼핑했습니다 | ||
| Formal future | 쇼핑할 것입니다 | ||
| Casual present | 쇼핑해 | ||
| Casual past | 쇼핑했어 | ||
| Casual future | 쇼핑할 거야 | ||
| Want to (polite) | 쇼핑하고 싶어요 | ||
| Honorific polite | 쇼핑하세요 | ||
| Because / and then | 쇼핑해서 | ||
| Conditional (if) | 쇼핑하면 | ||
| Present modifier (before a noun) | 쇼핑하는 | ||
| Past modifier (before a noun) | 쇼핑한 | ||
| Future modifier (before a noun) | 쇼핑할 | ||
| Negative with 안 (short) | 쇼핑 안 해요 | ||
| Negative (long form) | 쇼핑하지 않아요 |
Sound Changes
| Form | Korean | Sound if different |
|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 쇼핑해요 | — |
| Polite past | 쇼핑했어요 | [쇼핑해써요] |
| Polite future (plan) | 쇼핑할 거예요 | [쇼핑할꺼예요] |
| Polite future (intention or guess) | 쇼핑하겠어요 | [쇼핑하게써요] |
| Formal present | 쇼핑합니다 | [쇼핑함니다] |
| Formal past | 쇼핑했습니다 | [쇼핑핻씀니다] |
| Formal future | 쇼핑할 것입니다 | [쇼핑할꺼심니다] |
| Casual present | 쇼핑해 | — |
| Casual past | 쇼핑했어 | [쇼핑해써] |
| Casual future | 쇼핑할 거야 | [쇼핑할꺼야] |
| Want to (polite) | 쇼핑하고 싶어요 | [쇼핑하고 시퍼요] |
| Honorific polite | 쇼핑하세요 | — |
| Because / and then | 쇼핑해서 | — |
| Conditional (if) | 쇼핑하면 | — |
| Modifier, present | 쇼핑하는 | — |
| Modifier, past | 쇼핑한 | — |
| Modifier, future | 쇼핑할 | — |
| Short negative | 쇼핑 안 해요 | — |
| Long negative | 쇼핑하지 않아요 | [쇼핑하지 아나요] |
Is 쇼핑하다 Regular or Irregular?
쇼핑하다 is regular. Its 하다 ending is the one shared by every noun + 하다 verb, so what you learn here carries over. For the rule, see 하다 verbs in the polite present; for how to say it is not happening, see negating 하다 verbs.
Common Mistake with 쇼핑하다
Wrong: ✗ 백화점에 쇼핑해요.
Correct: ✓ 백화점에서 쇼핑해요.
Why: The place where an activity happens takes 에서, not 에. 에 shows a goal or a place something is at, but shopping is an action done in a location. Say 백화점에서 쇼핑해요 whenever a store, mall or market is named.
쇼핑하다 Compared with 사다 and 구경하다
Shopping in English can mean buying, browsing or the whole outing. Korean uses a different verb for each of those pictures.
| Word | How it differs |
|---|---|
| 사다 | 사다 is buying a specific item; 쇼핑하다 is the activity of shopping. Say 사다 when a particular item changes hands. |
| 구경하다 | 구경하다 is looking around; 쇼핑하다 is shopping, usually to buy. 구경하다 emphasizes browsing; 쇼핑하다 describes the shopping activity without guaranteeing a purchase. |
Planning a Saturday at the Department Store
Two coworkers are making weekend plans. Alex wants company for a shopping trip, and Jisu checks where they will go.
Jisu
주말에 뭐 해요?
Jumare mwo haeyo?
What are you doing this weekend?
Alex
쇼핑하고 싶어요.
Syopinghago sipeoyo.
I want to go shopping.
Jisu
어디에서 쇼핑할 거예요?
Eodieseo syopinghal geoyeyo?
Where are you going to shop?
Alex
백화점에서 쇼핑해요. 같이 가요.
Baekhwajeomeseo syopinghaeyo. Gachi gayo.
I’m shopping at the department store. Let’s go together.
쇼핑하고 싶어요 expresses a wish, 쇼핑할 거예요 asks about a plan, and 쇼핑해요 describes the arranged activity. 에서 marks the shopping location in both the question and answer. 같이 가요 invites the coworker along. The dialogue never names an item bought, so it makes no claim that a purchase is already complete.
Common Shopping Combinations
온라인 쇼핑 means online shopping. The noun 쇼핑 appears without 하다 in labels for an activity or service. Add 하다 when the sentence needs the verb “shop”. Recognizing the noun helps with website headings that describe the shopping experience rather than saying what a particular person does.
쇼핑몰 means a shopping mall, and 온라인 쇼핑몰 refers to an online store or shopping site. The full noun can name a physical place or a website depending on context. It is not a conjugated form of 쇼핑하다. Look for words describing a location, delivery or a web address to understand which kind is meant.
아이쇼핑 means window-shopping: looking at goods without intending to buy. Although it contains a form borrowed from English “eye”, the Korean expression is a single noun. Its meaning is about looking, rather than a special kind of eye-related purchase.
쇼핑 가다 focuses on going shopping. Compare the destination in 백화점에 with the activity location in 백화점에서 쇼핑하다. A destination goes with the movement verb, while 에서 tells you where the shopping takes place. The store stays the same; the grammatical relationship changes.
What Does a Shopping Report Actually Tell You?
쇼핑했어요 says someone spent time shopping. It does not by itself guarantee that they bought anything. If you need to report a purchase, 사다 is more precise and lets you name the item. 구경하다 emphasizes looking around and also works for places that have nothing to do with shopping.
In a weekend conversation, 쇼핑해요 can describe a habit or a planned outing. 주말마다 means “every weekend”, which favors the habit reading. 이번 주말 means “this weekend”, which points to a particular plan. The time phrase often resolves something the present ending leaves open.
Retail signs and website headings often use the noun 쇼핑. A message about someone’s day needs a sentence ending, such as 쇼핑했어요. Reading a heading as if it were a complete spoken sentence can make the missing 하다 seem puzzling, even though noun headings are normal.
Keep the Verb and Negative Spaced Correctly
쇼핑해요 is written as one word. In 쇼핑 안 해요, 안 sits between 쇼핑 and 해요 and each part is separated. The longer 쇼핑하지 않아요 keeps 쇼핑하지 together and separates 않아요. Both negatives deny the activity; neither means “I shopped but bought nothing”.
The table’s 쇼핑하세요 can work as an invitation or instruction, but it is not a price question. In an actual shop, you will need separate language for size, cost and payment. The shopping phrases guide supplies those exchanges.
Words for Browsing and Buying
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 백화점 | department store | Takes 에서 as the location of shopping. |
| 할인 | discount | Describes a price reduction, not a payment method. |
| 영수증 | receipt | The purchase record you may need for a return. |
| 장보다 | to buy groceries | More specific to food and household shopping. |
The shopping vocabulary lesson teaches the wider set of shops, prices and transaction words.
Mini Drill
- Give the polite past for yesterday’s shopping.
- Give “I want to shop”.
- Choose 에 or 에서: 백화점____ 쇼핑해요.
- Make 쇼핑해요 negative using 안.
Show drill answers
- 쇼핑했어요.
- 쇼핑하고 싶어요.
- 백화점에서 쇼핑해요.
- 쇼핑 안 해요.
Quick Self-Test
- Does 쇼핑했어요 guarantee a purchase?
- What does 아이쇼핑 mean?
- Which verb is more specific for grocery shopping?
Show answers
- No. Use 사다 to report buying a particular item.
- Window-shopping: looking without intending to buy.
- 장보다.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 쇼핑하다 Take an Object?
No. It is intransitive. Name the place with 에서, as in 백화점에서 쇼핑해요.
How Do I Say 'I Want to Go Shopping'?
Say 쇼핑하고 싶어요.
What Is the Short Negative of 쇼핑하다?
It is 쇼핑 안 해요, with 안 after the noun part.
Is 쇼핑 가다 Different from 쇼핑하다?
Both mean going shopping. 쇼핑 가다 stresses going to a shopping place, while 쇼핑하다 describes the activity itself.
Which Words Are Related to 쇼핑하다?
What Should You Learn Next?
Follow a shopping trip from start to finish with 고르다 (choose) and 계산하다 (pay). The Korean verb conjugator handles other loanword verbs, and the Korean verb dictionary lists the rest.