Key Facts
- Word: 농구 (nonggu)
- Part of speech: noun; origin: Sino-Korean
- Meaning: basketball
- Register: Neutral.
- Hanja: 籠球 (籠 basket + 球 ball)
Basketball in Korean: Meaning and Register
농구 is basketball. It has one sense and a neutral register, and it is Sino-Korean. Like other sport names it forms the verb phrase 농구를 하다 for playing, and 농구공 is the ball itself.
Word Origin
The hanja 籠球 combines 籠 (basket) and 球 (ball), so the word is literally basket ball.
Pronunciation
Say nong-gu. The first syllable, 농, ends in ㅇ, the ng sound at the end of English "song"; it is not an n. The second syllable starts with ㄱ, so RR writes nonggu, with ng followed by g. The place word 농구장 is nonggujang in the examples.
Example Sentences
저는 농구를 해요.
jeoneun nonggureul haeyo.
I play basketball.
The basic statement. 농구를 해요 is the pattern for any sport: the sport name, the object particle 를, then 해요.
친구들과 농구장에 가요.
chingudeulgwa nonggujange gayo.
I go to the basketball court with friends.
This one brings in 농구장, the court, and the particle that means with, for company. The phrase pairs naturally with 가요 because you travel to a court.
동생은 농구를 잘해요.
dongsaengeun nonggureul jalhaeyo.
My younger sibling is good at basketball.
잘해요 means to be good at something, so the sentence praises a younger sibling. Notice that 농구를 attaches to it exactly as with plain 해요.
Reading the Examples Together
The examples show the full life cycle of a sport word: liking or doing it, going to the court, and judging someone's skill. Each one is built on the same noun with a different particle, 를 for the thing done and 에 for the place travelled to. If you can say these three, you can say most things a learner needs about the game. Pair this with the pronunciation point above: the ng sound is part of the word's identity, and it carries into 농구장 and 농구공, where it is also heard in the middle.
Collocations
| Korean | English |
|---|---|
| 농구를 하다 | play basketball |
| 농구공 | basketball (ball) |
| 농구 선수 | basketball player |
The three collocations are 농구를 하다 (play), 농구공 (the ball) and 농구 선수 (player). Only the ball is written as one word; the player is two words with a space.
Common Mistake
The error here is about sound, not grammar. Learners close the first syllable with an n instead of ng.
Wrong: non-gu, with an n at the end of the first syllable
Correct: [nong-gu]: 농 ends in ㅇ, the ng sound. Keep that ending when you say 농구공 too.
농구 vs 배구
| Word | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 농구 | basketball | Neutral. |
| 배구 | volleyball | volleyball |
| 야구 | baseball | baseball |
배구 (volleyball) and 야구 (baseball) are the neighbouring sports. Volleyball and basketball are both team ball games, which is why they are paired in the related list, but the words are unrelated in sound, so they are easy to keep apart once you hear them.
Checking What to Bring to the Basketball Court
Two classmates plan a game after class. They use polite endings and check the equipment before deciding where to meet.
Yuna
수업 끝나고 농구 할까요?
Sueop kkeunnago nonggu halkkayo?
Shall we play basketball after class?
Hana
좋아요. 농구공 있어요?
Joayo. Nonggugong isseoyo?
Sounds good. Do you have a basketball?
Yuna
네, 제가 가져갈게요.
Ne, jega gajyeogalgeyo.
Yes, I will bring it.
Hana
그럼 농구장에서 만나요.
Geureom nonggujangeseo mannayo.
Then let us meet at the basketball court.
농구 할까요 leaves out the object particle 를, which is natural in conversation. 농구공 is the physical ball they need to bring. 제가 identifies the person taking responsibility for it. In the final line, 에서 marks the court as the place where the meeting will happen.
A Game, a Ball, or a Court?
농구를 하다 names the activity, while 농구공을 던지다 means to throw a basketball. English can use “basketball” for both the sport and the object. Korean makes that difference visible with 공, “ball”. Use 농구공 when discussing bringing, buying, or picking up the equipment.
농구 경기 means a basketball game or match. 농구장 names the court or venue instead. In an invitation, 농구 보러 가다 means to go watch basketball, so the invitation is for spectators. 농구 하러 가다 means to go play, which calls for a different plan and equipment.
슛을 하다 means to take a shot. 슛이 들어가다 means that the shot goes in. 들어가다 literally describes going inside; in this context the destination is the basket. You may hear the second phrase during a game even when nobody repeats the word 농구.
Where Will You Hear or See 농구?
농구 appears in school-club descriptions, recreation programmes, sports broadcasts, and plans between friends. 농구부 is a basketball club or team in a school setting. That ending describes the group people belong to, rather than the court where they practise.
A sports shop uses 농구공 for the ball and 농구화 for basketball shoes. A learner looking only for 농구 may recognise the topic but miss which item is for sale. Read the last part of the compound: 공 identifies a ball, 화 identifies footwear, and 장 identifies a place in these words.
농구를 잘해요 praises basketball ability. It is broader than saying that someone made one good shot. The example about a younger sibling is an assessment of skill; a brief comment about a single shot can instead focus on 슛. The surrounding conversation tells you whether the speaker is describing a player generally or reacting to one moment.
Useful Words around the Court
| Korean | Meaning | Useful distinction |
|---|---|---|
| 농구화 | basketball shoes | Footwear, rather than a ball or the sport itself. |
| 골대 | goal structure, basketball hoop | In a basketball scene, the hoop or basket structure. |
| 패스 | pass | Moving the ball to another player. |
| 자유투 | free throw | A particular type of shot, not ordinary open play. |
| 체육관 | gymnasium | A building that may contain a basketball court. |
Use the sports vocabulary lesson for the wider set. 체육관 and 농구장 can describe the same destination from different angles: the building and the basketball facility inside it. An outdoor court can be a 농구장 without being a 체육관.
Quick Self-Test
- Which word names the ball you carry: 농구 or 농구공?
- What is the difference between 농구 보러 가다 and 농구 하러 가다?
- Does 농구를 잘해요 describe general skill or only one successful shot?
Show answers
- 농구공 is the physical ball. 농구 names the sport.
- 보러 가다 means to go watch; 하러 가다 means to go play.
- It describes basketball ability generally. A comment about a single shot can name 슛 instead.
FAQ
How Do I Pronounce 농구?
As nong-gu, with an ng sound at the end of the first syllable, not non-gu.
What Is the Verb for Playing Basketball?
Use 하다, as in 농구를 하다.
What Does 농구공 Mean?
It means the basketball, the ball itself.
How Do I Say I Am Good at Basketball?
Use 잘해요, "be good at": 농구를 잘해요, as in the third example.
Keep Learning
- Theme list: Sports, where 농구 sits alongside related words.
- Index: Korean words A to Z
- Practice: vocabulary flashcard decks include 농구.