How to Conjugate Irregular Verbs in Korean

This lesson will teach you how to conjugate irregular verbs in Korean. Irregulars are annoying but a part of life. Luckily, Korean irregulars follow a pattern.

All Korean verbs end in 다. Verbs usually are not used in this form and need to be conjugated. The 다 ending is dropped before conjugation.

You need to conjugate verbs based on Korean honorifics. Korean honorifics is a system in which speech changes based on the relationships between people speaking and who they are speaking about. People older than you or in a more senior position get the more honorific forms.

The 7 Irregular Verbs in Korean
Table of Contents

Click a link below to learn.
ㅂ     ㅅ     ㄷ     ㅡ    르     ㄹ     ㅎ

ㅂ Irregular in Korean

If
1. The last letter in a verb stem is ㅂ
2. You are adding a verb ending, suffix, that starts with a vowel.
Ex. (~어요, ~아요)

Then
1. Remove ㅂ
2. Add 우 or 오, almost always 우
3. Add your verb ending

Example verb 춥다 = cold
1. 춥 – ㅂ = 추
2. 추 + 우 = 추우
3. 추우 + 어요 = 추워요(present tense polite)

When adding a suffix that starts with a consonant, such as ~습니다,  conjugate as normal.
Example:
춥다 = cold
춥 + 습니다 = 춥습니다

ㅂ Irregular Verbs in Korean

These two verb get 오 added instead of 우.

Here is a list of verbs that do not follow the ㅂ irregular rule.

ㅅ Irregular in Korean

If
1. The last letter in a verb stem is ㅅ
2. You are adding a verb ending, suffix, that starts with a vowel.
Ex. (~어요, ~아요)

Then
1. Remove ㅅ
2. Add your verb ending, but do not combine it with the verb stem.

Example verb 붓다 = swell
1. 붓 – ㅅ = 부
2. 부 + 어요 = 부어요(present tense polite)

When adding a suffix that starts with a consonant, such as ~습니다,  conjugate as normal.
Example:
붓다 = swell
붓 + 습니다 = 붓습니다

ㅅ Irregular Verbs in Korean

Here is a list of verbs that do not follow the ㅅ irregular rule.

ㄷ Irregular in Korean

If
1. The last letter in a verb stem is ㄷ
2. You are adding a verb ending, suffix, that starts with a vowel.
Ex. (~어요, ~아요)

Then
1. Remove ㄷ
2. Add ㄹ to the verb stem
3. Add your verb ending

Example verb 걷다 = walk
1. 걷 – ㄷ = 거
2. 거 + ㄹ = 걸
3. 걸 + 어요 = 걸어요(present tense polite)

When adding a suffix that starts with a consonant, such as ~습니다,  conjugate as normal.
Example:
걷다 = cold
걷 + 습니다 = 걷습니다

ㄷ Irregular Verbs in Korean

Here is a list of verbs that do not follow the ㄷ irregular rule.

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ㅡ Irregular in Korean

If
1. The last letter in a verb stem is ㅡ
2. You are adding a verb ending, suffix, that starts with a vowel.
Ex. (~어요, ~아요)

Then
1. Remove ㅡ
2. Add your verb ending

Here are three examples. Pay special attention to how they are conjugated differently.

♦   아프다 = sick, hurts

1. 아프  –  ㅡ  =  아ㅍ
2. 아ㅍ + 아요 = 아파요(present tense polite)
The last vowel in 아ㅍ is ㅏ so the ~아요 ending is added.

♦   예쁘다 = pretty

1. 예쁘  –  ㅡ  = 예ㅃ
2. 예ㅃ + 어요 = 예뻐요(present tense polite)
The last vowel in 예ㅃ is ㅖ so the ~어요 ending is added.

♦   크다 = big

1. 크  –  ㅡ  = ㅋ
2. ㅋ + 어요 = 커요(present tense polite)
There is no last vowel in ㅋ so the ~어요 ending is added.

When adding a suffix that starts with a consonant, such as ~ㅂ니다,  conjugate as normal.

Example:
아프다 = sick, hurts
아프 + ㅂ니다 = 아픕니다

ㅡ Irregular Verbs in Korean

르 Irregular in Korean

If
1. The last syllable in a verb stem is 르
2. You are adding a verb ending, suffix, that starts with ~어 or ~아

Then
1. Add a ㄹ to the syllable before 르
2. Remove ㅡ
3. Add your verb ending

Example verb 다르다 = different
1. 다르 + ㄹ = 달르
2. 달르  –  ㅡ  =  달ㄹ
3. 달ㄹ + 아요 = 달라요(present tense polite)

The honorific level of the 르 irregular is  conjugated as normal.
Example:
다르다 = different
다르 + ㅂ니다 = 다릅니다

르 Irregular Verbs in Korean

The following verbs follow the ㅡ irregular rule, not the 르 irregular rule.

ㄹ Irregular in Korean

If
1. The last letter in a verb stem is ㄹ
2. You are adding a verb ending, suffix, that starts with ㅂ, ㄴ, or ㅅ

Then
1. Remove ㄹ
2. Add your verb ending

Example verb 열다 = open

1. 열 – ㄹ = 여
2. 여 + ㅂ니다  =  엽니다(present tense honorific)

1. 여 – ㄹ = 여
2. 여 + 는 = 여는(present tense adjective)

1. 여 – ㄹ = 여
2. 여 + ㄴ = 연(past tense adjective)

1. 여 – ㄹ = 여
2. 여 + 세요 = 여세요(imperative)

ㄹ Irregular Action Verbs in Korean

ㄹ Irregular Descriptive Verbs in Korean

Learn Korean Language Tips

Descriptive verbs do not use the 는 ending.
The 는 ending changes action verbs to present tense adjectives.
This is why descriptive verbs do not use 는.

The imperative ~세요 ending usually isn’t added to descriptive verbs because it is added to words like 만들다 “Make” or 하다 “Do.”
For example:
“Please make it sweet.” O
Not, “Please sweet it.”   X

ㅎ Irregular in Korean

If
1. The last letter in a verb stem is ㅎ
2. You are adding a verb ending, suffix, that starts with a vowel.
Ex. (~어요, ~아요)

Then
1. Remove ㅎ
2. Remove the final vowel
3. Add ㅐ
*The verb 하얗다 gets ㅒ added in step 3.

Example verb 파랗다 = blue
1. 파랗 – ㅎ = 파라
2. 파라 – ㅏ = 파ㄹ
3. 파ㄹ + ㅐ = 파래(present tense informal)

When adding a suffix that starts with a consonant, such as ~습니다,  conjugate as normal.
Example:
파랗다 = blue
파랗 + 습니다 = 파랗습니다

The ㅎ irregular rule applies to a few colors and demonstratives. The tables below show the most common ones.

ㅎ Irregular Verbs in Korean

Colors

Demonstratives

Here is a list of verbs that do not follow the ㅎ irregular rule.

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