Korean Verb Conjugation
Korean verb conjugation follows predictable patterns once you understand two key concepts: verb stems and vowel harmony. Unlike European languages, Korean verbs do not change based on the subject (I, you, he, she) — they change based on tense, politeness level, and the final vowel of the stem. This guide covers the essential patterns for present, past, and future tense.
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Step 1: Find the Verb Stem
Every Korean verb in its dictionary form ends in -다 (da). Remove -다, and you have the stem. All conjugation builds from this stem.
Step 2: Understand Vowel Harmony
Korean conjugation follows a rule called vowel harmony. Look at the last vowel in the stem:
- If the last vowel is 아 (a) or 오 (o) → use -아 endings
- If the last vowel is anything else → use -어 endings
- Special case: 하다 verbs → 하 + 여 contracts to 해
Vowel harmony is the single most important rule in Korean conjugation. If you can quickly identify whether the stem's last vowel is 아/오 or something else, you can conjugate any regular verb correctly.
Present Tense: -아/어요
To form the polite present tense, add -아요 or -어요 to the stem following vowel harmony rules.
Notice the contractions: 가 + 아요 = 가요 (the 아 merges), 보 + 아요 = 봐요 (오 + 아 = 와), 하 + 여요 = 해요 (special contraction).
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Past Tense: -았/었어요
Past tense inserts -았- or -었- before the ending, following the same vowel harmony.
The pattern is: stem + 았/었 + 어요. The double 싸웁 (ss) batchim is the hallmark of past tense in Korean.
Future Tense: -을/를 거예요
The most common future form uses -(으)다 거예요:
- After a consonant stem: -을 거예요
- After a vowel stem: -다 거예요
Korean verbs never change based on the subject. Whether "I eat," "you eat," or "they eat," the verb form is always 먹어요. This makes Korean conjugation simpler than European languages in one important way — you only need to worry about tense and politeness, not person or number.
Irregular Verbs to Watch
Some verb stems undergo changes when conjugated. The most common irregular patterns:
- ุ마 irregular: 듣다 (deutda, to listen) → 들어요 (deureoyo), not 듣어요
- ุ마 irregular: 걷다 (geotda, to walk) → 걸어요 (georeoyo)
- ã irregular: 달다 (dalda, to be sweet) → 달아요 (darayo), ã → ã
- 하다 contraction: 공부하다 (gongbuhada, to study) → 공부해요 (gongbuhaeyo)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the dictionary form of Korean verbs?
All Korean verbs in the dictionary end in -다 (da). To conjugate, you remove -다 to get the verb stem, then add the appropriate ending. For example, 먹다 (meokda, to eat) has the stem 먹- (meok-), and 하다 (hada, to do) has the stem 하- (ha-).
What is vowel harmony in Korean conjugation?
Korean verb endings change based on the last vowel in the stem. If the stem's last vowel is 아 (a) or 오 (o), you use -아요 endings. For all other vowels, you use -어요. For example: 가다 (gada) → 가요 (gayo), but 먹다 (meokda) → 먹어요 (meogeoyo).
How do you make past tense in Korean?
Past tense adds -았/었어요 following the same vowel harmony rules. 가다 (gada, to go) → 갔어요 (gasseoyo, went). 먹다 (meokda, to eat) → 먹었어요 (meogeosseoyo, ate). The key is: stem + 았/었 + 어요.
How do you express future tense in Korean?
The most common future form uses -을/를 거예요 (eul/reul geoyeyo). Use -을 after consonant stems and -를 after vowel stems. 먹다 → 먹을 거예요 (meogeul geoyeyo, will eat). 가다 → 갈 거예요 (gal geoyeyo, will go).
Are Korean adjectives conjugated like verbs?
Yes. Korean adjectives (also called descriptive verbs) conjugate using the same patterns as action verbs. 작다 (jakda, to be small) conjugates to 작아요 (jagayo, is small) in present tense. This is one of the most distinctive features of Korean grammar.