Learn Hangul Grammer 06

-

🟩 Regular vs Irregular Korean Verb & Adjective Conjugation

1. Overview

In Korean, both verbs and adjectives are conjugated (changed) by attaching endings to the stem. These endings express tense, mood, politeness, and more.

Most verbs and adjectives follow regular patterns, but some change in unexpected ways — these are called irregular verbs/adjectives.

2. Basic Structure

Stem + Ending = Conjugated Form

  • Examples:
    • κ°€λ‹€ → κ°€ + -μš” → κ°€μš” (to go)
    • μ˜ˆμ˜λ‹€ → 예쁘 + -μ–΄μš” → μ˜ˆλ»μš” (to be pretty)

3. Regular Conjugation

With regular verbs, the stem doesn’t change. Endings attach according to standard rules.

Dictionary Form

Present Tense

Past Tense

Meaning

κ°€λ‹€

κ°€μš”

κ°”μ–΄μš”

to go

λ¨Ήλ‹€

λ¨Ήμ–΄μš”

λ¨Ήμ—ˆμ–΄μš”

to eat

μžλ‹€

μžμš”

μž€μ–΄μš”

to sleep

μ˜ˆμ˜λ‹€

μ˜ˆλ»μš”

μ˜ˆλ»€μ–΄μš”

to be pretty

4. Irregular Conjugation

Some verbs/adjectives are irregular, which means the stem changes in unexpected ways when endings are added.

5. Major Types of Irregular Conjugation

✅ γ„· Irregular

  • If a verb stem ends in γ„· and is followed by a vowel, γ„· changes to γ„Ή.
  • Examples:
    • κ±·λ‹€ → κ±Έμ–΄μš”
    • 묻닀 → λ¬Όμ–΄μš”

❗ Note: Not all γ„· verbs are irregular (e.g., λ‹«λ‹€ is regular).

✅ γ…‚ Irregular

  • If the stem ends in γ…‚, it changes to 우 or 였 before a vowel.
  • Examples:
    • λ₯λ‹€ → λ”μ›Œμš”
    • 돕닀 → λ„μ™€μš”

❗ Some γ…‚-verbs like μž‘λ‹€ are regular (no change).

✅ λ₯΄ Irregular

  • λ₯΄ becomes γ„Ή + ending.
  • Examples:
    • 자λ₯΄λ‹€ → μž˜λΌμš”
    • κ³ λ₯΄λ‹€ → κ³¨λΌμš”

✅ γ…Ž Irregular

  • γ…Ž often disappears, and the following vowel changes.
  • Examples:
    • ν•˜μ–—λ‹€ → ν•˜μ–˜μš”
    • κ·Έλ ‡λ‹€ → κ·Έλž˜μš”

✅ 으 Irregular

  • The vowel 으 is dropped before a vowel.
  • Examples:
    • μ•„ν”„λ‹€ → μ•„νŒŒμš”
    • κΈ°μ˜λ‹€ → κΈ°λ»μš”

✅ μ—¬ (ν•˜λ‹€) Irregular

  • ν•˜λ‹€ becomes ν•΄μš”.
  • Examples:
    • κ³΅λΆ€ν•˜λ‹€ → κ³΅λΆ€ν•΄μš”
    • μΌν•˜λ‹€ → μΌν•΄μš”