기억하다 vs 기억나다: Two Ways to Remember
Written and reviewed by Jun and Jin, native Korean speakers
Published · How we write & review
After this page, you can say "I remember" two ways — 기억하다 (gieokhada) and 기억나다 (gieoknada) — with the right particle for each.
10-second answer
The short answer
기억하다 (gieokhada) means to actively remember or keep something in mind — YOU do the remembering, so the thing remembered takes the object marker 을/를 (eul/reul). 기억나다 (gieoknada) means a memory COMES BACK to you on its own — the memory is the subject, so it takes 이/가 (i/ga). Same root word 기억 (gieok, memory), completely different direction.
Quick check — did that land?
1. Which verb describes a memory suddenly popping into your head?
English says remember for both, but Korean doesn't.
Side by Side
| Verb | Literally | Who acts? | Particle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 기억하다 | memory + 하다 (do) | You actively remember | 을/를 (object) |
| 기억나다 | memory + 나다 (arise) | The memory pops up by itself | 이/가 (subject) |
See also: 이/가 — the subject marker
Quick Examples
그 사람 이름을 기억해요.
geu saram ireumeul gieokhaeyo.
I remember that person's name.
Active: you hold the name in memory — object marker 을.
그 사람 이름이 기억나요.
geu saram ireumi gieoknayo.
That person's name comes to mind.
Spontaneous: the name surfaces on its own — subject marker 이.
갑자기 기억났어요!
gapjagi gieoknasseoyo!
It suddenly came back to me!
The "aha!" moment is almost always 기억나다, not 기억하다.
The Feeling Difference
기억하다 is deliberate: memorizing a password, keeping a promise in mind ("이거 꼭 기억해" — remember this!). 기억나다 is involuntary: a song triggers a memory, a face suddenly clicks. English "remember" covers both, which is exactly why this pair trips up English speakers — Korean splits the experience into who's doing the work.
The negative follows the same split: 기억이 안 나요 ("it's not coming to me") is what you say when you've forgotten something in the moment — much more common than 기억 안 해요, which sounds like you're refusing to remember.
Common Mistakes
Mistake #1 — Using 을/를 with 기억나다
기억나다's memory is the SUBJECT: 이름이 기억나요, never 이름을 기억나요.
Mistake #2 — Saying 기억 안 해요 for "I can't remember"
That sounds like willful refusal. "It's not coming to me" is 기억이 안 나요.
Mini Quiz
2. Which particle goes with 기억나다?
3. What's the natural way to say "I can't remember (right now)"?
Related Knowledge
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From verb pairs to question words — a three-way split English flattens into 'what' and 'which.'
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