3 · Irregular verbs
All the irregular stems side by side
a map of the changing stems
Seven kinds of stem change, which endings set them off, and how to tell an irregular verb from a regular one that looks the same.
Every irregular verb in Korean changes in the same place: the last sound of the stem, where it meets the ending. Only seven kinds of stem can change — stems in 비읍, 디귿, 시옷 and 히읗, stems in 르 and in 으, and stems in 리을 — and, apart from a few single words such as 푸르다 (met with the 르 stems) and 하다 itself, every other stem is regular. That is a much shorter list than an English speaker expects after “go, went, gone”.
The endings fall into three groups, and the group decides what happens. Endings that begin with 아 or 어 (-아요, -았-, -아서, -아도) set off every group. Endings with (으) (-(으)면, -(으)세요, -(으)니까 and the modifiers) set off 비읍, 디귿, 시옷, 히읗 and 리을, but leave 르 and 으 alone. Endings that begin with a consonant (-고, -지만, -습니다, -는) change nothing — except that a stem in 리을 still loses its l before n, b and s.
The dictionary form tells you that a stem can change, not that it does. Stems in 비읍, 디귿 and 시옷 come in look-alike pairs: 춥다 and 입다, 듣다 and 받다, 짓다 and 씻다. Stems in 히읗 split by word class: the adjectives change, except 좋다, and the verbs do not. Stems in 르 almost all change, and stems in 으 and 리을 always do.
The practical answer is to learn every verb with two forms: the dictionary form and the polite present. 듣다, 들어요; 받다, 받아요. The polite present shows the group at once, and the rest follows from it: once you know 들어요, you can build 들었어요, 들어서 and 들으면 without stopping to think.
The form
| 비읍 to 우, 디귿 to l | 추워요 · 들어요 |
| 시옷 drops, 히읗 merges into 애 | 나아요 · 빨개요 |
| 르 doubles the l, 으 drops | 몰라요 · 바빠요 |
| 리을 drops before n, b, s | 사는 · 삽니다 · 사세요 |
| look-alike regular stems | 입어요 · 받아요 · 씻어요 · 좋아요 |
| one verb, three kinds of ending | 들어요 · 들으면 · 듣고 |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is about
Endings in 아 or 어 show the group of every irregular stem.
어제 노래를 많이 불러서 목이 아파요.I sang a lot yesterday, so my throat hurts.
Endings with (으) change every group except 르 and 으.
날씨가 추우면 집에서 음악을 들으세요.If it is cold, listen to music at home.
Endings that start with a consonant change nothing, except a stem in 리을 before n, b and s.
여기가 제가 사는 동네예요.This is the neighbourhood where I live.
In the groups with look-alikes, each verb has to be learnt as regular or irregular.
코트를 입어서 안 추워요.I am wearing a coat, so I am not cold.
A closer look
Reading backwards: from a form to the dictionary
When a form does not match anything in the dictionary, work backwards by group. A form in -워요 may be a stem in 비읍 (추워요 → 춥다) or a regular stem in 우 (배워요 → 배우다). An l before 어요 may come from 디귿 as well as from 리을 (걸어요 → 걷다 or 걸다). A doubled l (골라요) points to 르, and a form in -애요 to 히읗 (빨개요 → 빨갛다) or to a regular stem in 애 (보내요 → 보내다).
Modifiers give their own clues. A modifier with no consonant before its n (사는, 아는, 만든) may hide a stem in 리을; one in -운 a stem in 비읍; one in -은 after an l (들은, 걸은) a stem in 디귿.
Exceptions and special cases (1)
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one spelling stands for two different verbs
one of them can be regular and the other not: 묻다 (to ask) gives 물어요, 묻다 (to bury) 묻어요; 걷다 (to walk) gives 걸어요, 걷다 (to roll up) 걷어요
더워서 소매를 걷었어요.It was hot, so I rolled up my sleeves.
Irregularity belongs to a word, not to a spelling. Where two words share a dictionary form, each keeps its own pattern.
How to spot it
- -아요/어요
- -(으)면
- -(으)세요
- -는
- -습니다
Example sentences
오늘은 바빠서 점심을 못 먹었어요.I was so busy today that I could not have lunch.
길을 몰라서 경찰관한테 물어 봤어요.I did not know the way, so I asked a police officer.
추운 날에는 따뜻한 국물이 먹고 싶어요.On cold days I fancy a hot soup.
하얀 셔츠에 커피를 쏟았어요.I spilt coffee on my white shirt.
할머니께서 직접 만드신 떡이에요.These are rice cakes my grandmother made herself.
감기가 나으면 같이 산에 가요.Once your cold is better, let's go up a mountain together.
8 more example sentences
한국 노래를 자주 들어요.I often listen to Korean songs.
요즘 아침저녁으로 좀 추워요.It is a bit cold in the mornings and evenings these days.
제 동생은 저랑 성격이 많이 달라요.My younger sibling has a very different personality from mine.
이 동네에 사신 지 얼마나 됐어요?How long have you lived in this neighbourhood?
김치찌개가 좀 매워요.The kimchi stew is a bit spicy.
이 문제는 너무 쉬워서 금방 풀었어요.This problem was so easy that I solved it straight away.
그런 일은 걱정하지 마세요.Do not worry about that sort of thing.
점심을 늦게 먹어서 아직 배가 불러요.I had a late lunch, so I am still full.
Worth knowing (1)
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Two groups Korean does not call irregular
Korean school grammar counts the drop of 으 and the drop of l in stems in 리을 as regular, because every stem of those shapes behaves the same way and there is nothing to memorise verb by verb. Grammars for learners list them with the irregular verbs anyway, since the forms visibly change. Both describe the same forms.
바빠서 친구가 사는 동네에 못 갔어요.I was busy, so I could not go to the area where my friend lives.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
Once the irregular groups are learnt, the opposite mistake appears: making a regular verb irregular. 받다 looks like 듣다, but it is regular and keeps its d. When in doubt, the polite present you learnt with the verb is the answer.
Seven stem endings can change, three kinds of ending decide when — and the polite present tells you which.
Your turn
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