Lesson 1. Irregular Verbs

Download Class Note : Irregular Verbs (list of irregular verbs & example sentences + answer sheet)

*Irregularity in Verbs or Adjectives can only be seen while conjugating them in Past or Present Tenses. The Future Tense follows regular conjugation rules as can be seen below!

1. ‘ㅡ’ Irregular.

• When the letter before the letter containing ‘ㅡ’ vowel has the vowel ‘ㅏ’ or ‘ㅗ’-

Ex. 배 고프다 (to be hungry) = 배 고파/배 고팠어/배 고플 거야.

Ex. 나쁘다 (to be bad) = 나빠/나빴어/나쁠 거야.

Ex. 바쁘다 (to be busy) = 바빠/바빴어/바쁠 거야.

(Delete the ‘ㅡ’ vowel and add ‘ㅏ’)

• When the letter before the letter containing ‘ㅡ’ vowel has a vowel other than ‘ㅏ’ or ‘ㅗ’-

Ex. 슬프다 (to be sad) = 슬퍼/슬펐어/슬플 거야.

Ex. 예쁘다 (to be pretty) = 예뻐/예뻤어/예쁠 거야.

Ex. 기쁘다 (to be glad; happy) = 기뻐/기뻤어/기쁠 거야.

(Delete the ‘ㅡ’ vowel and add ‘ㅓ’)

2. ‘르’ Irregular.

• When the letter before the letter containing ‘르’ vowel has the vowel ‘ㅏ’ or ‘ㅗ’-

Ex. 다르다 (to be different) = 달라/달랐어/다를 거야.

Ex. 빠르다 (to be quick) = 빨라/빨랐어/빠를 거야.

Ex. 모르다 (to not know) = 몰라/몰랐어/모를 거야.

(Add an extra ‘ㄹ’ underneath the previous letter as a 받침 and change the 르 into ‘라’)

• When the letter before the letter containing ‘르’ vowel has a vowel other than ‘ㅏ’ or ‘ㅗ’-

Ex. 부르다 (to call; sing) = 불러/불렀어/부를 거야.

Ex. 기르다 (to raise; grow) = 길러/길렀어/기를 거야.

Ex. 게으르다 (to be lazy) = 게을러/게을렀어/게으를 거야.

(Add an extra ‘ㄹ’ underneath the previous letter as a 받침and change the 르 into ‘러’)

3. ‘ㄹ’ Irregular.

• When the letter before the letter containing ‘ㄹ’ vowel has the vowel ‘ㅏ’ or ‘ㅗ’-

Ex. 살다 (to live) = 살아/살았어/살 거야.

Ex. 놀다 (to play) = 놀아/놀았어/놀 거야.

Ex. 알다 (to know) = 알아/알았어/알 거야.

• When the letter before the letter containing ‘ㄹ’ vowel has a vowel other than ‘ㅏ’ or ‘ㅗ’-

Ex. 만들다 (to make) = 만들어/만들었어/만들 거야.

Ex. 열다 (to open) = 열어/열었어/열 거야.

Ex. 멀다 (to be far) = 멀어/멀었어/멀 거야.

*Note that for this Irregular group, the Past and Present Tense follow regular rules while the Future Tense follows the Irregular rule!

4. ‘ㅂ’ Irregular.

Ex. 쉽다 (to be easy) = 쉬워/쉬웠어/쉬울 거야.

Ex. 아름답다 (to be beautiful) = 아름다워/아름다웠어/아름다울 거야.

Ex. 어렵다 (to be difficult) = 어려워/어려웠어/어려울 거야.

(Delete ‘ㅂ’ 받침 and add ‘워’ for Past & Present; ‘우’ for Future.)

*Note that for this Irregular group, the Past, Present and Future Tenses, all follow the Irregular rule!

*Also note that not all verbs that end in ‘ㅂ’ 받침 are Irregular Verbs!

Following are some verbs that end in ‘ㅂ’ 받침 but still follow the regular conjugation rules:

       Ex.

1. 잡다 (to catch) = 잡아/잡았어/잡을 거야.
2. 좁다 (to be narrow) = 좁아/좁았어/좁을 거야.
3. *돕다 (to help) = 도와/도왔어/도울 거야. *(돕다 has its own conjugation rule! It does not follow the regular patterns.)
4. 입다 (to wear) = 입어/입었어/입을 거야.
5. 씹다 (to chew) = 씹어/씹었어/씹을 거야.

5. ‘ㄷ’ Irregular.

Ex. 듣다 (to listen; hear) = 들어/들었어/들을 거야.

Ex. 걷다 (to walk) = 걸어/걸었어/걸을 거야.

Ex. 묻다 (to ask) = 물어/물었어/*물을 거야.

(Replace ‘ㄷ’ 받침 with ‘ㄹ’)

*Note that not all verbs that end in ‘ㄷ’ 받침 are Irregular Verbs!

Following are some verbs that end in ‘ㄷ’ 받침 but still follow the regular conjugation rules:

       Ex.

1. 닫다 (to close) = 닫아/닫았어/닫을 거야.
2. 받다 (to receive) = 받아/받았어/받을 거야.

6. ‘ㅎ’ Irregular.

Ex. 까맣다 (to be dark; black) = 까매/까맸어/까말 거야.

Ex. 노랗다 (to be yellow) = 노래/노랬어/노랄 거야.

Ex. 이렇다 (to be like this) = 이래/이랬어/이럴 거야.

(Delete ‘ㅎ’ and replace ‘ㅏ/ㅓ’ vowel with ‘ㅐ’ for Past and Present and simply delete ‘ㅎ’ for Future)

*Note that not all verbs that end in ‘ㅎ’ 받침 are Irregular Verbs!

Following are some verbs that end in ‘ㅎ’ 받침 but still follow the regular conjugation rules:

       Ex.

1. 낳다 (to give birth; produce) = 낳아/낳았어/낳을 거야.
2. 좋다 (to be good) = 좋아/좋았어/좋을 거야.

7. ‘ㅅ’ Irregular.

Ex. 낫다 (to be better) = 나아/나았어/나을 거야.

Ex. 잇다 (to connect) = 이어/이었어/이을 거야.

Ex. 붓다 (to pour; swell) = 부어/부었어/부을 거야.

(Simply delete ‘ㅅ’)

*Note that not all verbs that end in ‘ㅅ’ 받침 are Irregular Verbs!

Following are some verbs that end in ‘ㅅ’ 받침 but still follow the regular conjugation rules:

       Ex.

1. 웃다 (to laugh; smile) = 웃어/웃었어/웃을 거야.
2. 씻다 (to wash; clean) = 씻어/씻었어/씻을 거야.