Posted: 2010-06-23 / Updated: 2018-02-07
To study this grammar point, please make sure you understand the following:
Essential Concepts and Terms for Grammar Study is to modify of a verb or an adjective in order to fulfil a change in tense or to supplement additional meanings.
All Korean conjugation for verbs and adjectives are under one of the following 3 categories:
- 고-type: Original Stem + Suffix
- 으-type: Alternate Stem + (으) + Suffix
- 어-type: Alternate Stem + 어/아 + Suffix, Vowel Contractions
The basic idea is to Word Stems of Korean Verbs and Adjectives and attach a suffix to the stem.
1. 고-type Conjugation
This is named after the basic 하고 conjugation. Word Stems of Korean Verbs and Adjectives is always used, with the following exceptions:
- For ㄹ-irregular, when the attaching suffix starts with ㄴ, ㅅ or ㅂ (e.g. 는, 네, 습니다), alternate stem is used (i.e. ㄹ is dropped).
- For ㅎ-irregular, use alternate stem when the attaching suffix is 네.
Plain Form | Meaning | Stem 1 | Stem 2 | +고 | +습/ㅂ니다 | +네 | Remarks | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
하다 | do | 하 | 하 | 하고 | 하습니다 | 하네 | ||
먹다 | eat | 먹 | 먹 | 먹고 | 먹습니다 | 먹네 | ||
알다 | know | 알 | 아 | 알고 | 압니다 | 아네 | ㄹ-irregular | |
그렇다 | to be so | 그렇 | 그러 | 그렇고 | 그렇습니다 | 그러네 | ㅎ-irregular |
Note: Original Stem = Stem 1, Alternate Stem = Stem 2.
2. 으-type Conjugation
Use Word Stems of Korean Verbs and Adjectives and if the stem ends with a consonant, insert 으 after the stem.
However, there are 3 exceptions:
- For ㅅ-irregular, 으 is always inserted.
- For ㄹ-irregular, if the suffix starts with 면 or 러, use original stem and do not insert 으.
- For 르-irregular, use original stem instead.
Examples
Plain Form | Meaning | Stem 1 | Stem 2 | + (으)세요 | + (으)면 | + (으)러 | Remarks | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
하다 | do | 하 | 하 | 하세요 | 하면 | 하러 | ||
먹다 | eat | 먹 | 먹 | 먹으세요 | 먹으면 | 먹으러 | ||
알다 | know | 알 | 아 | 아세요 | 알면 | 알러 | ㄹ-irregular | |
짓다 | build | 짓 | 지 | 지으세요 | 지으면 | 지으러 | ㅅ-irregular | |
고르다 | choose | 고르 | 고르세요 | 고르면 | 고르러 | 르-irregular |
3. 어-type Conjugation
You can consider 어-type conjugation as a 2-step process. First you need to determine whether 아 or 어 should be attached, then you need to do a vowel contraction if necessary.
Use Word Stems of Korean Verbs and Adjectives as word stem for all 어-type conjugation, except that for ㄹ-irregular, use Word Stems of Korean Verbs and Adjectives instead.*
The following rules determine whether to attach 어 or 아 before the suffix:
- If the last vowel of the stem is a 오 or 아, attach 아 + suffix.
- If the last vowel is 으 and its previous hangul has a 오/아 vowel, attach 아 + suffix.
- Otherwise, attach 어 + suffix.
Next, if the stem has no ending consonant, contract the last vowel of the stem and the added 아/어 as shown in the table below. Pay special attention to 하다-related verbs and adjectives, and ㅅ-irregular, as they are the exceptions.*
Case | Contraction | Example | Meaning | Stem + 아/어요 | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
* | 하 +아 → 해 | 공부하다 | study | 공부하 + 아요 → 공부해요 | 하다-related |
1 | 아 +아 → 아 | 가다 | go | 가 +아요 → 가요 | |
오 +아 → 와 | 오다 | come | 오 +아요 → 와요 | ||
돕다 | help | 도오 +아요 → 도와요 | ㅂ-irregular | ||
2 | 으 +아 → 아 | 바쁘다 | busy | 바쁘 +아요 → 바빠요 | 으-irregular |
고르다 | choose | 골르 +아요 → 골라요 | 르-irregular | ||
3 | 우 +어 → 워 | 배우다 | learn | 배우 +어요 → 배워요 | |
춥다 | cold | 추우 +어요 → 추워요 | ㅂ-irregular | ||
으 +어 → 어 | 쓰다 | write | 쓰 +어요 → 써요 | 으-irregular | |
부르다 | call | 불르 +어요 → 불러요 | 르-irregular | ||
이 +어 → 여 | 치다 | hit | 치 +어요 → 쳐요 | ||
어 +어 → 어 or 애 | 건너다 | go over | 건너 +어요 → 건너요 | ||
그렇다 | to be so | 그러 +어요 → 그래요 | ㅎ-irregular | ||
외 +어 → 왜 | 되다 | become | 되 +어요 → 돼요 | ||
애 +어 → 애 | 지내다 | spend time | 지내 +어요 → 지내요 | ||
여 +어 → 여 | 펴다 | unfold | 펴 +어요 → 펴요 | ||
All | No Contraction | 먹다 | eat | 먹 +어요 → 먹어요 | |
듣다 | listen | 들 +어요 → 들어요 | ㄷ-irregular | ||
놀다 | play | 놀 +아요 → 놀아요 | ㄹ-irregular* | ||
낫다 | get better | 나 +아요 → 나아요 | ㅅ-irregular* |
Use original stem for ㄹ-irregular, and never do vowel contractions forㅅ-irregular.
Related Grammar Points
- Verb To-Be 이다 in Korean
- Similarities and Differences Between Korean Verbs and Adjectives
- Word Stems of Korean Verbs and Adjectives
- Formal Polite Form of Korean Verbs and Adjectives
- Past Tense of Korean Verbs and Adjectives
- Informal Polite Form of Korean Verbs and Adjectives
- Common Korean Verbs
- Spacing in Written Korean