Korean verbs are central to the language and are used in almost every sentence, making their conjugation an essential aspect of learning Korean. Unlike English, where tense and form are often indicated by auxiliary verbs and word order, Korean verbs change their forms directly depending on tense, politeness level, mood, and even the honorifics of the person being spoken to. This post will delve into the various aspects of Korean verb conjugation, explaining the rules, exceptions, and different forms that learners need to master to achieve fluency.

The Basics of Korean Verb Conjugation

1. Verb Stems and Suffixes

Korean verbs are composed of a verb stem and an ending, or suffix. The stem remains constant, while the ending changes to convey different meanings, such as tense, mood, or politeness. For example, in the verb 하다 (to do):

• Verb stem: 하
• Ending: 다

To conjugate the verb, you remove the 다 and add the appropriate suffix.

2. Regular and Irregular Verbs

Korean verbs can be classified into regular and irregular verbs based on how they are conjugated. Regular verbs follow consistent rules when changing endings, whereas irregular verbs have unique changes that must be memorized. Understanding the distinction is crucial for proper verb conjugation.

Tense Conjugation in Korean

1. Present Tense

The present tense in Korean is used to describe actions that are happening now or general truths. To form the present tense, you typically add -아/어/여요 to the verb stem:

• 하다 → 해요 (does, do)
• 가다 (to go) → 가요 (goes)
• 먹다 (to eat) → 먹어요 (eats)

The choice between -아요, -어요, and -여요 depends on the vowel in the verb stem:

• If the last vowel is ㅏ or ㅗ, use -아요 (e.g., 가다 → 가요).
• If the last vowel is anything else, use -어요 (e.g., 먹다 → 먹어요).
• Verbs with 하다 typically change to 해요.

2. Past Tense

To express actions that have already occurred, you use the past tense, formed by adding -았/었/였어요 to the verb stem:

• 하다 → 했어요 (did)
• 가다 → 갔어요 (went)
• 먹다 → 먹었어요 (ate)

The same vowel rules apply as in the present tense. If the verb stem ends in ㅏ or ㅗ, use -았어요; otherwise, use -었어요. For 하다 verbs, it becomes -였어요, but is usually contracted to -했어요.

3. Future Tense

The future tense indicates an action that will occur. It is formed by adding -을/를 거예요 to the verb stem:

• 하다 → 할 거예요 (will do)
• 가다 → 갈 거예요 (will go)
• 먹다 → 먹을 거예요 (will eat)

If the verb stem ends in a consonant, use -을 거예요; if it ends in a vowel, use -ㄹ 거예요.

Politeness Levels and Formality

1. Informal Polite Form

The most commonly used verb form in everyday conversation is the informal polite form, which ends in -아요/어요. This form is used among peers, with strangers, or in situations where formality is not required:

• 보다 (to see) → 봐요 (sees)
• 살다 (to live) → 살아요 (lives)

2. Formal Polite Form

The formal polite form, ending in -습니다/ㅂ니다, is used in formal settings, such as in business or when speaking to someone of higher status:

• 하다 → 합니다 (does)
• 가다 → 갑니다 (goes)
• 먹다 → 먹습니다 (eats)

3. Informal Casual Form

The informal casual form, ending in -아/어/여, is used among close friends or with people of the same age or younger. It drops the polite -요:

• 하다 → 해 (does)
• 가다 → 가 (goes)
• 먹다 → 먹어 (eats)

This form is not suitable for use in formal situations or with superiors.

Irregular Verb Conjugation

1. ㅂ Irregular Verbs

Verbs whose stems end in ㅂ often drop the ㅂ and replace it with 우 or 오 when conjugated:

• 돕다 (to help) → 도와요 (helps)
• 춥다 (to be cold) → 추워요 (is cold)

2. ㄷ Irregular Verbs

Verbs ending in ㄷ change ㄷ to ㄹ before a vowel:

• 걷다 (to walk) → 걸어요 (walks)
• 듣다 (to listen) → 들어요 (listens)

3. 르 Irregular Verbs

Verbs ending in 르 often change 르 to ㄹㄹ when followed by a vowel:

• 부르다 (to call) → 불러요 (calls)
• 모르다 (to not know) → 몰라요 (doesn’t know)

4. ㅅ Irregular Verbs

Some verbs with a ㅅ at the end of the stem drop the ㅅ when followed by a vowel:

• 잇다 (to connect) → 이어요 (connects)
• 짓다 (to build) → 지어요 (builds)

Negative Conjugation

To make a verb negative in Korean, you can use 안 before the verb or the negative suffix -지 않다:

• 먹다 → 안 먹어요 (does not eat) / 먹지 않아요 (does not eat)
• 가다 → 안 가요 (does not go) / 가지 않아요 (does not go)

Both forms are common, but -지 않다 is slightly more formal.

Honorific Forms

Honorifics are used to show respect to the person you are speaking about or to. To make a verb honorific, you typically insert 시 after the verb stem:

• 하다 → 하시다 (does, honorific)
• 먹다 → 드시다 (eats, honorific)
• 말하다 → 말씀하시다 (speaks, honorific)

Honorifics are crucial in formal settings and when referring to someone of higher social status.

Common Verb Forms

1. Progressive Form

The progressive form is used to indicate an ongoing action, similar to the English present continuous tense ("-ing"). It is formed by adding -고 있다 to the verb stem:

• 하다 → 하고 있다 (is doing)
• 가다 → 가고 있다 (is going)
• 먹다 → 먹고 있다 (is eating)

2. Desiderative Form

To express a desire to do something, you can use the -고 싶다 construction:

• 하다 → 하고 싶다 (wants to do)
• 가다 → 가고 싶다 (wants to go)
• 먹다 → 먹고 싶다 (wants to eat)

This form is very common in expressing wishes or intentions.

3. Potential Form

To indicate ability or possibility, you can use -ㄹ 수 있다:

• 하다 → 할 수 있다 (can do)
• 가다 → 갈 수 있다 (can go)
• 먹다 → 먹을 수 있다 (can eat)

The negative form, -ㄹ 수 없다, indicates inability:

• 할 수 없다 (cannot do)
• 갈 수 없다 (cannot go)

Conclusion

Mastering Korean verb conjugation is essential for effective communication in Korean. The various tenses, politeness levels, irregular forms, and honorifics may seem daunting at first, but with practice and exposure, they become more intuitive. Understanding these elements allows learners to convey different nuances, express respect, and interact appropriately in various social contexts.