Beginner 2 > Lesson 1
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!
- ‘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’)
- ‘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’)
- ‘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!
- ‘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.
- 잡다 (to catch) = 잡아/잡았어/잡을 거야.
- 좁다 (to be narrow) = 좁아/좁았어/좁을 거야.
- *돕다 (to help) = 도와/도왔어/도울 거야. *(돕다 has its own conjugation rule! It does not follow the regular patterns.)
- 입다 (to wear) = 입어/입었어/입을 거야.
- 씹다 (to chew) = 씹어/씹었어/씹을 거야.
- ‘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.
- 닫다 (to close) = 닫아/닫았어/닫을 거야.
- 받다 (to receive) = 받아/받았어/받을 거야.
- ‘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.
- 낳다 (to give birth; produce) = 낳아/낳았어/낳을 거야.
- 좋다 (to be good) = 좋아/좋았어/좋을 거야.
- ‘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.
- 웃다 (to laugh; smile) = 웃어/웃었어/웃을 거야.
- 씻다 (to wash; clean) = 씻어/씻었어/씻을 거야.