Irregular Korean Verbs || FULL List of 6 Irregular Verbs Types

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HOW TO USE IRREGULAR KOREAN VERBS

Unlike regular verbs, irregular Korean verbs change their stems when conjugated.

This lesson will cover the six common types of irregular verbs in Korean: ㅅ, ㄷ, ㅂ, ㅡ, 르, and ㄹ.

ㅅ IRREGULAR VERBS

Let’s start with the first irregular Korean verbs. You will notice that the pattern for all irregular verbs are very similar.

When a verb stem ends in ㅅ, the ㅅ is dropped before a vowel.

PATTERN

Remove ㅅ before a vowel

Example 1: 짓다, to build

present tense	past tense	future
지어요	지었어요	지을 거예요
I build	I built	I will build
→ 집을 지어요. I build a house	→ 집을 지었어요. I built a house.	→ 집을 지을 거예요. I will build a house.

Example 2: 낫다, to recover

present tense	past tense	future
나아요	나았어요	나을 거예요
I recover	I recovered	I will recover
→ 병이 나아요. I recover from an illness	→ 병이 나았어요. I recovered from an illness.	→ 병이 나을 거예요. I will recover from an illness.

Full List of ㅅ Irregular Verbs:

긋다	to draw
낫다	to get well (verb) / to be better (adj)
붓다	to pour / swell
젓다	to stir
짓다	to build
잇다	to connect

ㄷ IRREGULAR VERBS

When a verb stem ends in ㄷ, it changes to ㄹ before a vowel.

PATTERN

ㄷ changes to ㄹ before a vowel

Example 1: 듣다, to listen

present tense	past tense	future
들어요	들었어요	들을 거예요
I listen	I listened	I will listen
→ 음악을 들어요. I listen to music	→ 음악을 들었어요 I listened to music	→ 음악을 들을 거예요. I will listen to music

Example 2: 걷다, to walk

present tense	past tense	future
걸어요	걸었어요	걸을 거예요
I walk	I walked	I will walk
→ 공원에서 걸어요. I walk in the park	→ 공원에서 걸었어요 I walked in the park	→ 공원에서 걸을 거예요. I will walk in the park

Full List of ㄷ Irregular Verbs:

걷다	to walk
듣다	to listen
묻다	to ask
싣다	to load
깨닫다	to realize
붇다	to swell up (with
긷다	to draw water

ㅂ IRREGULAR VERBS

When a verb stem ends in ㅂ, it changes to 우 before a vowel.

PATTERN

ㅂ changes to 우 before a vowel

Example 1: 쉽다, to be easy

present tense	past tense	future
쉬워요	쉬웠어요	쉬울 거예요
It’s easy	It was easy	It will be easy
→ 이 문제는 쉬워요. The problem is easy	→ 이 문제는 쉬웠어요 The problem was easy	→ 이 문제는 쉬울 거예요. This problem will be easy

Example 2: 덥다, to be hot

present tense	past tense	future
더워요	더웠어요	더울 거예요
It’s hot	It was hot	It will be hot
→ 날씨가 더워요. The weather is hot	→ 날씨가 더웠어요 The weather was hot	→ 날씨가 더울 거예요. This weather will be hot

Full List of ㅂ Irregular Verbs:

덥다	to be hot
맵다	to be spicy
쉽다	to be easy
춥다	to be cold
귀엽다	to be cute
가깝다	to be close
가볍다	to be light (weight)
고맙다	to be thankful
무겁다	to be heavy
무섭다	to be scary
반갑다	to be pleasing
어렵다	to be difficult
시끄럽다	to be noisy
아름답다	to be beautiful
굽다	to roast/bake
깁다	to fix/mend
줍다	to pick up
눕다	to lie (down)
더럽다	to be dirty
부럽다	to be envious
어둡다	to be dark
두렵다	to be fearful
즐겁다	to be enjoyable
새롭다	to be new
외롭다	to be lonely
이롭다	to be benificial
까다롭다	to be picky
흥미롭다	to be interesting
밉다	to be hateful
뜨겁다	to be hot (to touch)
차갑다	to be cold (to touch)
지혜롭다	to be wise
돕다*	to help
곱다*	to be pretty

*The verbs 돕다 (to help) and the verbs 곱다 (to be pretty) are two exceptions and are conjugated differently. When they are conjugated with words ending with 아/어/여, 오 is added instead of 우.

ㅡ IRREGULAR VERBS

When a verb stem ends in ㅡ, the conjugation depends on the vowel preceding ㅡ.

If the vowel before ㅡ is 아 or 오, 아요 is used.
For other vowels, 어요 is used.
The ㅡ is dropped in the conjugation process.

PATTERN

Remove ㅡ + add 아요 / 어요

Example 1: 끄다, to turn off

present tense	past tense	future
꺼요	껐어요	끌 거예요
I turn off	I turned off	I will turn off
→ 불을 꺼요. I turn off the light	→ 불을 껐어요 I turn off the light	→ 불을 끌 거예요. I will turn off the light

Example 2: 아프다, to be sick

present tense	past tense	future
아파요	아팠어요	아플 거예요
I am sick	I was sick	I will be sick
→ 배가 아파요. My stomach hurts	→ 배가 아팠어요 My stomach hurt	→ 배가 아플 거예요. My stomach will hurt

Full List of ㅡ Irregular Verbs:

고프다	to be hungry
쓰다	to write
아프다	to be sick
끄다	to turn off
크다	to be big
기쁘다	to be happy
나쁘다	to be bad
바쁘다	to be busy
슬프다	to be sad
잠그다	to lock
예쁘다	to be pretty
모으다	to collect
트다	to open
뜨다	to float
담그다	to soak

르 IRREGULAR VERBS

When a verb stem ends in 르, it changes to ㄹㄹ before a vowel.

PATTERN

르 changes to ㄹㄹ before a vowel

Example 1: 다르다, to be different

present tense	past tense	future
달라요	달랐어요	다를 거예요
It is different	It was different	It will be different
→ 그건 달라요. That’s different	→ 그건 달랐어요 That was different	→ 그건 다를 거예요. That will be different

Example 2: 빠르다, to be fast

present tense	past tense	future
빨라요	빨랐어요	빠를 거예요
It is fast	It was fast	It will be fast
→ 차가 빨라요. The car is fast	→ 차가 빨랐어요 The car was fast	→ 차가 빠를 거예요 The car will be fast

Full List of 르 Irregular Verbs:

빠르다	to be fast
부르다	to call/sing
고르다	to choose
기르다	to raise/grow
나르다	to carry
누르다	to press
다르다	to be different
바르다	to apply
오르다	to go up/climb
이르다	to be early
자르다	to cut
흐르다	to flow
서두르다	to hurry
서투르다	to be clumsy
배부르다	to be full
가르다	to divide
구르다	to roll
모르다	to not know

ㄹ IRREGULAR VERBS

When dealing with ㄹ irregular verbs, the ㄹ is dropped or changes depending on the following suffix.

ㄹ is dropped before ㄴ, ㅂ, and ㅅ:

PATTERN

Remove ㄹ if followed by ㄴ, ㅂ, and ㅅ

Example 1: 알다, to know

Before ㄴ	Before ㅂ	Before ㅅ
저는 그것을 압니다. I know that.	그는 모든 것을 압니다. He knows everything.	진실을 압시다. Let’s know the truth.

Example 2: 만들다, to make

Before ㄴ	Before ㅂ	Before ㅅ
저는 케이크를 만듭니다. I make a cake.	그녀는 음식을 만듭니다. She makes food.	함께 만듭시다. Let’s make it together.

Example 3: 길다, to be long

Before ㄴ	Before ㅂ	Before ㅅ
이 길이 깁니다 The road is long	이 줄이 깁니다 This line is long	이야기를 깁시다 Let’s make the story long.

Full List of ㄹ Irregular Verbs:

길다	to be long
놀다	to play
멀다	to be far
알다	to know
열다	to open
울다	to cry
팔다	to sell
만들다	to make
힘들다	to be hard/difficult
달다	to be sweet
불다	to blow
걸다	to hang
밀다	to push
들다	to hold
풀다	to untie/undo
늘다	to grow
갈다	to replace
물다	to bite
이끌다	to lead/guide
거칠다	to be rough
기울다	to tilt

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FAQs

What are irregular verbs in Korean?

Irregular verbs in Korean are verbs that do not follow regular conjugation patterns and undergo changes in their stems when conjugated.

How do ㅅ irregular verbs change?

For ㅅ irregular verbs, the ㅅ is dropped before a vowel. For example, 짓다 becomes 지어요.

How do ㅂ irregular verbs change?

For ㅂ irregular verbs, the ㅂ changes to 우 before a vowel. For example, 쉽다 becomes 쉬워요.

How do 르 irregular verbs change?

For 르 irregular verbs, the 르 changes to ㄹㄹ before a vowel. For example, 다르다 becomes 달라요.

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Can I learn Korean with LTL Language School?

Yes!

Learn Korean with a professional live teacher online on Flexi Classes, or in person in Seoul (group and individual classes available).

Feel free to contact us if you need to speak directly with a LTL Student Advisor.

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ㅅ IRREGULAR VERBS

PATTERN

Example 1: 짓다, to build

Example 2: 낫다, to recover

ㄷ IRREGULAR VERBS

PATTERN

Example 1: 듣다, to listen

Example 2: 걷다, to walk

ㅂ IRREGULAR VERBS

PATTERN

Example 1: 쉽다, to be easy

Example 2: 덥다, to be hot

ㅡ IRREGULAR VERBS

PATTERN

Example 1: 끄다, to turn off

Example 2: 아프다, to be sick

르 IRREGULAR VERBS

PATTERN

Example 1: 다르다, to be different

Example 2: 빠르다, to be fast

ㄹ IRREGULAR VERBS

PATTERN

Example 1: 알다, to know

Example 2: 만들다, to make

Example 3: 길다, to be long

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