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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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