Conjugations in Korean

Understanding Korean conjugation is a fundamental part of learning Korean, and it’s one of the basic skills you need to gain in the process.  Korean verbs change depending on the time being referred to. Every verbs and adjectives and adverbs, so technically almost words in Korean grammar, has a conjugation. Even the basic form is a conjugation form that Koreans use to write a book or report. Korean conjugations are not only about tenses. It decides the tone, honorific, modal verbs such as can, may; or if you ask or order or anything. 배우다, 하다, 가다, 오다,먹다, 만나다etc These words are called as base form/dictionary form. Korean verb stem Next one is the verb stem. The verb stem is easy. Just simply erase  -다 at the end of the dictionary form. For example, just 보 from 보다 and 먹 from 먹다. Remember that these verb stems are never used by itself. korean verb stem list 사다: to buy  = 사 하다: to do  =  하 치다: to hit  = 치 먹다: to eat  = 먹 가다 to go  = 가 하다 to do  = 하 먹다 to eat  = 먹 사다 to buy  = 사 Korean verb conjugation rules 1. If the last vowel in a verb stem is ㅏ or ㅗ,ㅑ, ㅗ, or ㅛ,  then you add 아요. examples : 보다 (to see) -> 보+ 아요 -> 보아요/봐요 살다  (to live)  -> 살 + 아요 -> 살아요 만나다 (to meet) -> 만나+아요 -> 만나요 많다 to be a lot -> 많+ 아요 -> 많아요 2. If the last vowel in a verb stem is  ㅓ, ㅕ, ㅜ, ㅠ, ㅡ then you add 어요. Examples : 먹다 (to eat) -> 먹+어요 ->먹어요 읽다 (to read) -> 읽+어요 -> 읽어요 서다 (to stand) -> 서+어요 -> 서 (is already ended with 어-> 서요 쓰다 (to use) -> 쓰-어요 +> 써요 맛있다 (to be delicious) -> 맛있+ 어요 -> 맛있어요 3. If a verb ends in 하다 add 여요. Originally 하+여요 became 하여요 but over time this became 해요. So, 하다 verbs in the present tense are 해요. Examples : 하다 (to do) -> 해요 공부하다 (to study) -> 공부해요  청소하다 (to clean) -> 청소해요 준비하다 (to prepare) -> 준비해요  4. If the last syllable of the stem is in the CV form, and if it contains the vowel ㅜ, ㅜ changes to ㅝ and the honorific ending marker요 follows. Examples : *주다 (to give) : 주+어요 ->줘요 *춤추다 (to dance) : 춤추+어요 -> 춤춰요 5) If the last syllable of the stem is in the CV form, and if it contains the vowel ㅟ, 어요 is added after the stem Examples:  *바뀌다 (to change itself) : 바뀌+어요 -> 바뀌어요 *쉬다 (to take a rest) : 쉬+어요 -> 쉬어요 6) If the last syllable of the stem is in the CV form, and if it contains the vowel ㅚ, ㅚ changes to ㅙ, and the stem gets followed by the honorific ending marker 요. Example : 되다 (to become) : 되+어요 -> 되어요/돼요 7) If the last syllable of the stem is in the CV form, and if it contains the vowel ㅣ,ㅣchanges to ㅕ and the honorific ending marker요 follows. Examples: *가지다 (to have) : 가지+어요 -> 가져요 *그리다 (to draw) : 그리+어요 -> 그려요 *마시다 (to drink) : 마시+어요 ->마셔요 8)If the last syllable of the stem is in the CV form, and if it contains the vowel ㅡ , ㅡ changes to ㅓ and the stem gets followed by the honorific ending marker 요. Examples: *끄다 to turn off (lights) : 끄+어요->꺼요 *크다 to be big : 크+어요 -> 커요 9) If the last syllable of the stem is in the CV form, and if it contains the vowel ㅡ, ㅡ changes to either ㅏ or ㅓ depending on the vowel of the antecedent syllable.   For example, If the vowel of the antecedent syllable is one of the following vowels ㅏ,ㅑ, ㅗ or ㅛ, then ㅡ changes to ㅏ. Likewise, if the vowel of the antecedent syllable is one of the vowelsㅓ, ㅕ, ㅖ ㅜ, ㅠ, ㅡ, or l, then ㅡchanges to ㅓ. In each of these two examples, the honorific ending marker요 follows at the end. Examples : *바쁘다 to be busy  바(antecedent)+쁘 -> + 아요 ->바빠요 *아프다 to be sick 아(antecedent) +프 -> +아요 -> 아파요 *슬프다 to be sad 슬(antecedent) +프 -> +어요 -> 슬퍼요 10)If the last syllable of the stem is 르, another ㄹ is added under the CV form of the preceding syllable of 르. The ㅡ vowel of the syllable르 also changes to eitherㅏ or ㅓ, depending on the vowel of the preceding syllable. For example, if the preceding syllable of the syllable르 contains one of the vowelsㅏ,ㅑ ㅗ, or ㅛ, the vowel ㅡ belonging to 르 changes to ㅏ. Likewise, if the preceding syllable of 르 has one of the vowelsㅓ, ㅕ, ㅜ, ㅠ, ㅡ, or ㅣ, the vowel ㅡ belonging to the syllable 르 changes to ㅓ. In each case, the honorific ending marker요 follows at Examples: *빠르다 to be fast ->빨라요 *소리지르다 to scream -> 소리질러요 *모르다 to not know -> 몰라요 *고르다 to choose -> 골라요 Exception) 따르다 “to follow” is conjugated into 따라요 11) For some stems, whose last syllable contains the consonantㅂ underneath the CV form, ㅂ is dropped and is conjugated with 워요. Since there is no rule for the case when the bottom consonant ㅂ is dropped, you have to learn each word by heart. Examples: *덥다 to be hot -> 더+우+어요 ->더워요 *어렵다 to be difficult -> 어려우+어요->어려워요 *고맙다 to thank -> 고마+우+어요 ->고마워요 연습합시다~ LET'S PRACTICE!