Unit 1 – 03. Irregular Verb Conjugation (불규칙 활용)

Irregular verbs in Korean change their stem when combined with vowel endings like:

• 아/어요 – Polite present tense
• -(으)면 – if / when
• -(으)니까 – because / since
• -(으)세요 – Please (polite command)
• -(으)ㅂ니다 – Formal polite statement

The key is not memorizing rules — but recognizing patterns.

---

1️⃣ ㅂ Irregular (ㅂ 불규칙)

🔹 Pattern

When a stem ends in ㅂ,
👉 ㅂ → 우 / 오 before a vowel ending.

춥다 → 춥 + 어요 ❌
→ 추워요 ⭕

🔹 High-Frequency Verbs

Verb	Conjugation	Meaning
돕다	돕+아요 → 도와요	to help
춥다	춥+어요 → 추워요	to be cold
덥다	덥+어요 → 더워요	to be hot (weather)
쉽다	쉽+어요 → 쉬워요	to be easy
어렵다	어렵+어요 → 어려워요	to be difficult

🔹 Travel Examples

• 오늘 추워요. (It’s cold today.)
• 좀 도와주세요. (Please help me.)
• 생각보다 어려워요. (It’s harder than I thought.)

⚠️ Not Irregular

• 입다 (to wear) → 입어요
• 잡다 (to catch / grab) → 잡아요

📝 English → Korean Practice

1. It is hot today.
2. Korean is difficult.
3. Please help me.

---

2️⃣ ㄷ Irregular (ㄷ 불규칙)

🔹 Pattern

When a stem ends in ㄷ,
👉 ㄷ → ㄹ before a vowel.

듣다 → 듣 + 어요 ❌
→ 들어요 ⭕

🔹 Common Verbs

Verb	Conjugation	Meaning
듣다	듣+어요 → 들어요	to listen
걷다	걷+어요 → 걸어요	to walk
묻다	묻+어요 → 물어요	to ask

🔹 Travel Examples

• 음악을 들어요. (I listen to music.)
• 역까지 걸어요. (I walk to the station.)
• 직원에게 물어봤어요. (I asked the staff.)

⚠️ Not Irregular

• 닫다 (to close) → 닫아요
• 받다 (to receive) → 받아요

📝 English → Korean Practice

1. I walk every morning.
2. I listened to music.
3. I asked a question.

---

3️⃣ ㄹ Irregular (ㄹ 불규칙)

🔹 Pattern

When a stem ends in ㄹ,
👉 ㄹ disappears before endings starting with:

• ㄴ
• ㅂ
• ㅅ

⚠️ Important:
At the beginner level, you will most clearly see this with
👉 -(으)ㅂ니다 (formal polite form)

살다 → 살 + ㅂ니다 ❌
→ 삽니다 ⭕

🔹 Common Verbs

Verb	Conjugation	Meaning
살다	살+ㅂ니다 → 삽니다	to live
만들다	만들+ㅂ니다 → 만듭니다	to make
열다	열+ㅂ니다 → 엽니다	to open
팔다	팔+ㅂ니다 → 팝니다	to sell
알다	알+ㅂ니다 → 압니다	to know

🔹 Travel Examples

• 서울에 삽니다. (I live in Seoul.)
• 문을 엽니다. (I open the door.)
• 여기에서 팝니다. (They sell it here.)

📝 English → Korean Practice

1. I live in Korea.
2. Please open the door.
3. They sell tickets here.

---

4️⃣ 르 Irregular (르 불규칙)

🔹 Pattern

When a verb ends in 르,
👉 Add ㄹ to the previous syllable
👉 르 → 라 / 러

모르다 → 모르 + 아요 ❌
→ 몰라요 ⭕

🔹 High-Frequency Verbs

Verb	Conjugation	Meaning
모르다	몰+르+아요 → 몰라요	to not know
빠르다	빨+르+아요 → 빨라요	to be fast
다르다	달+르+아요 → 달라요	to be different
부르다	불+르+어요 → 불러요	to call / sing
고르다	골+르+아요 → 골라요	to choose
자르다	잘+르+아요 → 잘라요	to cut

🔹 Travel Examples

• 잘 몰라요. (I don’t really know.)
• 이게 더 빨라요. (This is faster.)
• 직원 불러 주세요. (Please call the staff.)

📝 English → Korean Practice

1. I don’t know that place.
2. This is different.
3. Please choose one.

---

5️⃣ ㅅ Irregular (ㅅ 불규칙)

🔹 Pattern

When a stem ends in ㅅ,
👉 ㅅ disappears before a vowel.

짓다 → 짓 + 어요 ❌
→ 지어요 ⭕

🔹 Common Verbs

Verb	Conjugation	Meaning
짓다	짓+어요 → 지어요	to build
낫다	낫+아요 → 나아요	to recover / get better

📝 English → Korean Practice

1. I built a house.
2. I am getting better.

---

6️⃣ ㅎ Irregular (ㅎ 불규칙)

🔹 Pattern

ㅎ either disappears or combines with a vowel.

🔹 Structure

하얗다 → 하얗 + 어요 ❌
→ 하얘요 ⭕

🔹 Common Adjectives

Verb	Conjugation	Meaning
하얗다	하얗+어요 → 하얘요	to be white
빨갛다	빨갛+아요 → 빨개요	to be red
그렇다	그렇+어요 → 그래요	to be like that / that’s right

🔹 Travel Examples

• 눈이 하얘요. (The snow is white.)
• 맞아요? → 그래요. (That’s right.)

📝 English → Korean Practice

1. The wall is white.
2. That’s right.

---

Mixed Review (English → Korean)

1. It is cold today.
2. I don’t know the answer.
3. Please help me.
4. I walk to the station.
5. This is different.
6. I live in Seoul.