Tools & Guides
Irregular Verbs Cheat Sheet
The 7 major rules you need to know to conquer Korean verb conjugation.
The ㅂ (B) Transformation
Rule: Remove ㅂ, add 우 (or 오)
춥다 (chupda)→ 추워요 (chuwoyo)
Cold덥다 (deopda)→ 더워요 (deowoyo)
Hot귀엽다 (gwiyeopda)→ 귀여워요 (gwiyeowoyo)
Cute"When ㅂ is at the bottom of the stem, it usually disappears and becomes 우 (or 오 for 돕다/곱다)."
The ㄷ (D) Walker
Rule: Change ㄷ to ㄹ
걷다 (geotda)→ 걸어요 (georeoyo)
Walk듣다 (deutda)→ 들어요 (deureoyo)
Listen/Hear묻다 (mutda)→ 물어요 (mureoyo)
Ask"When followed by a vowel, the bottom ㄷ changes to a ㄹ. Note: 'To close' (닫다) is regular!"
The 르 (Reu) Doubler
Rule: Add extra ㄹ
부르다 (bureuda)→ 불러요 (bulleoyo)
Call/Sing빠르다 (ppareuda)→ 빨라요 (ppallayo)
Fast모르다 (moreuda)→ 몰라요 (mollayo)
Don't Know"When adding 어/아, an extra ㄹ is added to the bottom of the previous block."
The ㅎ (H) Ghost
Rule: Drop ㅎ completely
빨갛다 (ppalgata)→ 빨개요 (ppalgaeyo)
Red그렇다 (geureota)→ 그래요 (geuraeyo)
To be so어떻다 (eotteota)→ 어때요 (eottaeyo)
How is it?"The ㅎ often disappears entirely, and usually changes the vowel to 애 or 에."
The 으 (Eu) Dropout
Rule: Drop 으 vowel
쓰다 (sseuda)→ 써요 (sseoyo)
Write/Use/Bitter예쁘다 (yeppeuda)→ 예뻐요 (yeppeoyo)
Pretty바쁘다 (bappeuda)→ 바빠요 (bappayo)
Busy"If the stem ends in 으, the vowel drops when meeting 어/아."
The ㅅ (S) Builder
Rule: Drop ㅅ before vowel
짓다 (jitda)→ 지어요 (jieoyo)
Build/Make낫다 (natda)→ 나아요 (naayo)
Better/Heal잇다 (itda)→ 이어요 (ieoyo)
Connect"The bottom ㅅ disappears when following by a vowel. Note: 'To laugh' (웃다) is regular!"
The 러 (Reo) Arrival
Rule: Change 어 to 러
이르다 (ireuda)→ 이르러요 (ireureoyo)
Arrive/Reach푸르다 (pureuda)→ 푸르러요 (pureureoyo)
Blue/Green"Rare! Instead of adding 어, you add 러."