2 · Irregular verbs
Stems in 비읍 (b): 춥다 → 추워요, 돕다 → 도와요
the b that turns into u
In most adjectives and some verbs, a final b becomes 우 before a vowel: 춥다, 추워요.
Most adjectives whose stem ends in 비읍, the letter for b, change it before a vowel. 춥다 (to be cold) has the stem 춥-, but the polite present is 추워요: the b has turned into 우, and 우 and the ending 어요 have merged into 워요. The same happens in 덥다 → 더워요, 쉽다 → 쉬워요, 어렵다 → 어려워요, 맵다 → 매워요, 가깝다 → 가까워요, and in a few verbs: 눕다 → 누워요 (to lie down), 굽다 → 구워요 (to grill).
Before an ending with (으), the b also becomes 우, and that 우 takes the place of the 으: 추우면 (if it is cold), 쉬운 문제 (an easy question), 매운 음식 (spicy food). Before an ending that begins with a consonant, the b stays where it is: 춥고, 맵지만, 덥습니다.
Two verbs keep the old vowel harmony and take 와 instead of 워: 돕다 → 도와요 (to help) and 곱다 → 고와요 (to be fine, lovely). Every other stem of this group takes 워, even after a: 가깝다 → 가까워요, 아름답다 → 아름다워요.
The difficulty is that not every stem in 비읍 changes. 입다 (to wear) is 입어요, 좁다 (to be narrow) 좁아요, 잡다 (to catch) 잡아요, and nothing in the dictionary form shows the difference. A rough guide helps: almost all adjectives in 비읍 are irregular, 좁다 being the common exception, while verbs are mixed and have to be learnt one by one with their polite form.
The form
| before 아/어: 워 | 춥다 → 추워요, 어렵다 → 어려워요 |
| 돕다 and 곱다: 와 | 도와요, 고와요 |
| before (으): 우 replaces 으 | 추우면, 쉬운 문제 |
| before a consonant: no change | 춥고, 맵지만, 덥습니다 |
| past | 추웠어요, 도왔어요 |
| regular stems | 입다 → 입어요, 좁다 → 좁아요 |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is about
Before 아 or 어, the b becomes 우 and merges with the ending into 워.
오늘 정말 추워요.It is really cold today.
돕다 and 곱다 take 와.
제가 도와 드릴게요.I will help you.
Before an ending with (으), the b becomes 우 in place of the 으.
저는 매운 음식을 좋아해요.I like spicy food.
Before an ending that starts with a consonant, nothing changes.
이 문제는 쉽지만 시간이 걸려요.This question is easy, but it takes time.
Some stems are regular and keep the b: 입다, 좁다, 잡다, 씹다.
오늘은 코트를 입어요.I am going to wear a coat today.
A closer look
Spotting the group in a text
A modifier in -운 almost always hides a stem in 비읍: 무서운 comes from 무섭다 (to be frightening), 귀여운 from 귀엽다, 가까운 from 가깝다. Put the b back on the syllable before 운 and you have the dictionary form.
A polite form in -워요 needs a second look, because regular stems in 우 end the same way: 배우다 → 배워요, 싸우다 → 싸워요. When looking up -워요, try both: 배워요 is 배우다, but 추워요 is 춥다, because there is no 추우다.
Exceptions and special cases (2)
-
the verb is 돕다 or 곱다
the ending is 와: 도와요, 고와요, 도왔어요
언니가 숙제를 도와 줬어요.My older sister helped me with my homework.
Their stem vowel is o, and vowel harmony asks for 아 after it. Other stems of this group once followed vowel harmony too, but the standard spelling now writes 워 for all of them except these two.
-
the stem is a regular one: 입다, 잡다, 씹다, 좁다, 접다, 뽑다
the b stays: 입어요, 잡아요, 좁은 길
이 길은 좁아서 차가 못 들어가요.This road is too narrow for cars to get in.
Nothing in the form predicts it, so these are learnt as a short list.
How to spot it
- 추워요
- 더워요
- 도와요
- -워요
- -운
Example sentences
여름에는 너무 더워요.It is far too hot in summer.
한국어 문법이 좀 어려워요.Korean grammar is a bit difficult.
가방이 무거워요? 제가 도와 드릴게요.Is your bag heavy? Let me help you.
강아지가 정말 귀여워요.The puppy is really cute.
집이 회사에서 가까워요.My home is close to the office.
어제는 날씨가 정말 추웠어요.The weather was really cold yesterday.
8 more example sentences
주말에 고기를 구워 먹었어요.At the weekend we grilled some meat.
피곤하면 잠깐 누워 있으세요.If you are tired, lie down for a bit.
이 길은 밤에 좀 무서워요.This road is a bit frightening at night.
더우면 창문을 여세요.If you are hot, open the window.
어려운 단어가 많아요.There are a lot of difficult words.
만나서 반가워요.Nice to meet you.
친구가 이사할 때 제가 도왔어요.I helped my friend when they moved house.
이 방은 좀 좁아요.This room is a bit cramped.
Worth knowing (1)
-
Words you already know
Two of the first phrases anybody learns are stems in 비읍: 고맙다 gives 고마워요 (thank you) and 반갑다 gives 반가워요 (nice to meet you). If you can say those, you already have the pattern.
도와 주셔서 고마워요.Thank you for helping me.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
맵다 is irregular, like almost every adjective in 비읍: before 어요 the b becomes 우, and 우 with 어 is written 워. 맵어요 is what a learner writes who has so far met only 입어요.
Before a vowel the b turns into u — chupda, chuwoyo — except in the regular few such as ipda.
Your turn
10 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.