-기 Korean Grammar: Turn Verbs into Nouns

-기 is Korean’s plain way to turn a verb into a noun: 먹기, 주문하기, 기다리기.

You need that noun when the next word wants a thing, not a finished sentence — ordering is hard, I like speaking, we decided on going.

Forms

한국어로 말하기가 어려워요.     Speaking Korean is hard.
여기서 기다리기를 싫어해요.     I don’t like waiting here.
주문하기 전에 메뉴를 봐요.     I look at the menu before ordering.

Ending, not every word ending in 기

Korean also has fixed nouns that happen to end in 기, such as 보기 when it means an example or answer choice. Focus here on productive -기: attach it to a predicate stem when you need to talk about the action itself.

Vs -는 것

Both can translate as English -ing. Korean still picks one. If you need fuller clause material, lean -는 것; if you need the bare action-as-noun, -기 is often enough.

Vs -(으)ㅁ

-음 -(으)ㅁ also nominalizes a predicate, but it is common in written notices, records, headings, and statements of fact. -기 is especially common for activities, preferences, difficulty, plans, and rules.

한국어로 말하기가 어려워요.   Speaking Korean is difficult.
신청이 마감되었음을 알려드립니다.   We inform you that applications have closed.

Particles still matter

• 기가 — subject (이/가): 먹기가 힘들어요
• 기를 — object (을/를): 한국어 배우기를 시작했어요
• Desire talk still often prefers -고 싶다 (-고 싶다) over calqued 기를 원하다 in beginner speech

Common patterns built with -기

• -기 전에 -기 전에 — before doing
• -기로 하다 -기로 하다 — decide to do
• -기가 어렵다/쉽다 — be difficult/easy to do
• -기를 좋아하다/싫어하다 — like/dislike doing