Irregular Verbs

Category
Basic Grammar
Premium
Keyword #
불규칙
Lesson
43

TL;DR

  • Korean has irregular verbs (불규칙 동사) that change their stem in unexpected ways when conjugated 🔄
  • The main irregular patterns are ㄹ, ㅂ, ㄷ, ㅅ, 르, and ㅎ irregulars — each follows its own special rule 🎯
  • You need to memorize which verbs are irregular because they don't follow the normal conjugation patterns 📚

What Are Irregular Verbs? 🤔

Most Korean verbs follow predictable conjugation rules ✅ But some verbs are rebels 😎 They change their stems in unexpected ways when you add certain endings!
These are called 불규칙 동사 (irregular verbs) 🌟

The Main Irregular Patterns 🎨

There are 6 major irregular patterns you need to know! Don't panic — you'll get used to them with practice 💪

1. ㄹ Irregular ㄹ 불규칙 🎭

When the verb stem ends in ㄹ, it drops the ㄹ before endings that start with ㄴ, ㅂ, or ㅅ 🚫
→ 살다 (to live) → 살 + ㅂ니다 = 삽니다 (not 살ㅂ니다)
→ 만들다 (to make) → 만들 + ㄴ다 = 만든다 (not 만들ㄴ다)
→ 팔다 (to sell) → 팔 + ㅂ시다 = 팝시다 (not 팔ㅂ시다)

2. ㅂ Irregular ㅂ 불규칙 💫

When the verb stem ends in ㅂ, it changes to 우 or 워 before vowel endings 🔄
→ 춥다 (to be cold) → 춥 + 어요 = 추워요 (not 춥어요)
→ 돕다 (to help) → 돕 + 아요 = 도와요 (not 돕아요)
→ 아름답다 (to be beautiful) → 아름답 + 어요 = 아름다워요

3. ㄷ Irregular ㄷ 불규칙 🎪

When the verb stem ends in ㄷ, it changes to ㄹ before vowel endings ✨
→ 듣다 (to listen) → 듣 + 어요 = 들어요 (not 듣어요)
→ 걷다 (to walk) → 걷 + 어요 = 걸어요
→ 묻다 (to ask) → 묻 + 어요 = 물어요

4. ㅅ Irregular ㅅ 불규칙 🌸

When the verb stem ends in ㅅ, it drops the ㅅ before vowel endings 🎈
→ 낫다 (to get better) → 낫 + 아요 = 나아요 (not 낫아요)
→ 짓다 (to build) → 짓 + 어요 = 지어요
→ 잇다 (to connect) → 잇 + 어요 = 이어요

5. 르 Irregular 르 불규칙 🎯

When the verb stem ends in 르, it changes in a special way! The 르 becomes ㄹ + ㄹ before vowel endings 🌟
→ 모르다 (to not know) → 모르 + 아요 = 몰라요
→ 부르다 (to call) → 부르 + 어요 = 불러요
→ 빠르다 (to be fast) → 빠르 + 아요 = 빨라요

6. ㅎ Irregular ㅎ 불규칙 🎨

When the verb stem ends in ㅎ, it drops the ㅎ and combines with vowel endings in special ways 💝
→ 빨갛다 (to be red) → 빨갛 + 아요 = 빨개요 (not 빨갛아요)
→ 노랗다 (to be yellow) → 노랗 + 아요 = 노래요
→ 하얗다 (to be white) → 하얗 + 아요 = 하얘요

How to Know Which Verbs Are Irregular? 🔍

Unfortunately, there's no magic trick 😅 You need to memorize them as you learn new verbs!
The good news? Most verbs are regular! And the most common irregular verbs you'll see over and over, so you'll naturally remember them 🎉

Exceptions ⚠️

Not All Verbs Ending in ㅂ Are ㅂ Irregular! 🚨

Some verbs that end in ㅂ are actually regular! 😱
→ 좁다 (to be narrow) → 좁아요 (regular, NOT 조와요)
→ 잡다 (to catch) → 잡아요 (regular, NOT 자와요)
→ 입다 (to wear) → 입어요 (regular, NOT 이워요)

Not All Verbs Ending in ㄷ Are ㄷ Irregular! 🎪

Some ㄷ verbs are regular too!
→ 받다 (to receive) → 받아요 (regular, NOT 발아요)
→ 믿다 (to believe) → 믿어요 (regular, NOT 미러요)

Not All Verbs Ending in ㅅ Are ㅅ Irregular! 🌺

Most ㅅ verbs are actually regular!
→ 씻다 (to wash) → 씻어요 (regular)
→ 벗다 (to take off) → 벗어요 (regular)

Final Tips 💡

Don't stress about memorizing all of these at once! 🤗 Just be aware that irregular verbs exist, and when you encounter them, note which pattern they follow 📝
The more you practice, the more natural they'll become! 화이팅! 🔥✨
 
Try the following exercise.
Fill in the blanks using the correct irregular verb form. 📝
 
 
  • 날씨가 _ (덥다 - hot, present tense).
Answer
더워요
 
 
  • 오늘은 바람이 많이 _ (불다 - to blow, present tense).
Answer
불어요
 
 
  • 이 음식은 너무 _ (맵다 - spicy, present tense).
Answer
매워요
 
 
  • 길이 _ (멀다 - far, past tense).
Answer
멀었어요
 
 
  • 친구가 선물을 _ (만들다 - to make, past tense).
Answer
만들었어요
 
 
  • 어제 빵을 _ (굽다 - to bake, past tense).
Answer
구웠어요
 
 
  • 겨울이 되니까 날씨가 _ (춥다 - cold, present tense).
Answer
추워요
 
 
  • 이 가방은 색깔이 _ (노랗다 - yellow, present tense).
Answer
노래요
 
 
  • 동생이 방을 _ (돕다 - to help, past tense).
Answer
도왔어요
 
 
  • 이 문제는 정말 _ (어렵다 - difficult, present tense).
Answer
어려워요
 
 
Vocabulary
날씨 - weather
덥다 - to be hot
바람 - wind
불다 - to blow
음식 - food
맵다 - to be spicy
길 - road
멀다 - to be far
선물 - gift
만들다 - to make
빵 - bread
굽다 - to bake
겨울 - winter
춥다 - to be cold
가방 - bag
색깔 - color
노랗다 - to be yellow
방 - room
돕다 - to help
문제 - problem
어렵다 - to be difficult
Common mistakes
  • ⚠️ Don't forget that ㅂ irregular verbs change ㅂ to 우 or 워 before vowel endings (덥다 → 더워요, NOT 더버요)
  • 🚫 ㄹ irregular verbs drop the ㄹ before ㄴ, ㅂ, ㅅ endings (멀다 + ㄴ → 먼, NOT 멀른)
  • 💡 Not all verbs ending in ㅂ or ㄹ are irregular - regular verbs exist too (입다 → 입어요, 팔다 → 팔아요)
  • 🎯 ㄷ irregular verbs change ㄷ to ㄹ before vowel endings (듣다 → 들어요, NOT 듣어요)