Korean Verb Conjugation: A Guide

Learn how you can add different endings to make verbs and adjectives into past, present and future forms.

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By Keehwan Kim Β· December 7, 2023 Β· 8 minute read

Verb conjugation is one of the most important, and at times one of the trickiest things to learn. Every language has its own unique rules in how verbs are conjugated, and Korean is no different.

In this article, we will take you through an in-depth look at Korean verb conjugation, and we will show you how to make verbs and adjectives into past tense, present tense, and future tense. Let’s first take a look at what Korean verbs and adjectives look like.

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Korean verbs and adjectives

One of the unique aspects of Korean language is that adjectives function like verbs. This means that they take up the same position as verbs in the sentence, and we can conjugate adjectives into past, present, and future tense.

The other important aspect of Korean verbs and adjectives is the infinitive form. The infinitive form (often called the dictionary form) of Korean verbs and adjectives are made up of the stem and λ‹€.

Structure of Korean verbs and adjectives

Meaning Verbs Stem λ‹€
to go κ°€λ‹€ κ°€ λ‹€
to meet λ§Œλ‚˜λ‹€ λ§Œλ‚˜ λ‹€
to be delicious λ§›μžˆλ‹€ λ§›μžˆ λ‹€

And the way we conjugate verbs and adjectives into different tenses is by adding different endings to the stems. However, how we add different endings depends on whether the stem ends in a final consonant (λ°›μΉ¨) and what kind of verbs are used in the final syllable of the stem.

Korean present tense - ~μ•„μš”/μ–΄μš”/μ—¬μš”

We can make verbs and adjectives into present tense by adding ~μ•„μš”/μ–΄μš”/μ—¬μš”. The speech level of ~μ•„μš”/μ–΄μš”/μ—¬μš” is informal polite, so the conjugated verbs and adjectives are polite forms and they can be used in everyday situations, such as when we speak to people in shops and when you’re speaking to strangers on the street.

How we add ~μ•„μš”/μ–΄μš”/μ—¬μš” to verbs and adjectives depends on what kind of vowel the stem ends in. If the stem ends in the vowels γ…— or ㅏ, we add ~μ•„μš”, but if the stem doesn’t end in the vowels γ…— or ㅏ, we add ~μ–΄μš”. We only add μ—¬μš” to verbs and adjectives that end in ν•˜λ‹€

Adding ~μ•„μš”/μ–΄μš”

Stem structure Ending
Stem ends in γ…— or ㅏ ~μ•„μš”
Stem doesn’t end in γ…— or ㅏ ~μ–΄μš”
Verb or adjective ends in ν•˜λ‹€ ~μ—¬μš”

How to add ~μ•„μš”

There are three patterns of adding ~μ•„μš” to verbs and adjectives.

  • ~μ•„μš” Pattern 1

If the stem ends in the vowels γ…— or ㅏ with a final consonant, we add ~μ•„μš” to the stem.

~μ•„μš” Pattern 1

Meaning Verb Stem + ~μ•„μš”
to grab μž‘λ‹€ μž‘μ•„μš”
to be good μ’‹λ‹€ μ’‹μ•„μš”
to be small μž‘λ‹€ μž‘μ•„μš”
  • ~μ–΄μš” Pattern 2

If the stem ends in the vowel γ…œ without a final consonant, we add ~μ–΄μš” to the stem. However, in everyday speech, we use the contracted forms.

~μ–΄μš” Pattern 2

Meaning Verb Stem + ~μ–΄μš” Contraction
to give μ£Όλ‹€ μ£Όμ–΄μš” μ€˜μš”
to give μ£Όλ‹€ μ£Όμ–΄μš” μ€˜μš”
to fight μ‹Έμš°λ‹€ μ‹Έμš°μ–΄μš” μ‹Έμ›Œμš”
to dream κΏˆκΎΈλ‹€ κΏˆκΎΈμ–΄μš” κΏˆκΏ”μš”
  • ~μ–΄μš” Pattern 3

If the stem ends in the vowel l without a final consonant, we add ~μ–΄μš” to the stem. However, in everyday speech, we use the contracted forms.

~μ–΄μš” Pattern 3

Meaning Verb Stem + ~μ•„μš” Contraction
to give μ‹œλ‹€ μ‹œμ–΄μš” μ…”μš”
to fight λ‹€λ‹ˆλ‹€ λ‹€λ‹ˆμ–΄μš” λ‹€λ…€μš”
to dream λ§ˆμ‹œλ‹€ λ§ˆμ‹œμ–΄μš” λ§ˆμ…”μš”

How to add ~μ—¬μš”

We add μ—¬μš” to verbs and adjectives that end in ν•˜λ‹€, and in everyday speech, we use the contracted forms.

Adding ~μ—¬μš”

Meaning Verb Stem + ~μ—¬μš” Contraction
to do ν•˜λ‹€ ν•˜μ—¬μš” ν•΄μš”
to work μΌν•˜λ‹€ μΌν•˜μ—¬μš” μΌν•΄μš”
to like μ’‹μ•„ν•˜λ‹€ μ’‹μ•„ν•˜μ—¬μš” μ’‹μ•„ν•΄μš”
to be happy ν–‰λ³΅ν•˜λ‹€ ν–‰λ³΅ν•˜μ—¬μš” ν–‰λ³΅ν•΄μš”

Here are some example sentences that use some of the verbs that combine with μ–΄μš” & μ—¬μš”.

For example:

  • μ €λŠ” 점심을 λ¨Ήμ–΄μš”. (Jeo-neun jeom-shim-eul meo-geo-yo.) - I eat lunch.
  • μ•„λΉ κ°€ λˆμ„ μ€˜μš”. (A-ppa-ga don-eul -jwo-yo.) - Dad gives money.
  • μ €λŠ” 컀피λ₯Ό λ§ˆμ…”μš” (Jeo-neun keo-pi-reul ma-shyeo-yo.) - I drink coffee.
  • λ―Όμˆ˜λŠ” μΌν•΄μš”. (Minsu-neun il-hae-yo.) - Minsu works.

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Korean past tense - μ•˜μ–΄μš”/μ—ˆμ–΄μš”/μ˜€μ–΄μš”

We can conjugate verbs and adjectives into past tense by adding μ•˜μ–΄μš”/μ—ˆμ–΄μš”/μ˜€μ–΄μš”, and the way we add these endings is the same as μ•„μš”/μ–΄μš”/μ—¬μš”.

Adding ~μ•˜μ–΄μš”/μ—ˆμ–΄μš”/μ˜€μ–΄μš”

Stem structure Ending
Stem ends in γ…— or ㅏ ~μ•˜μ–΄μš”
Stem doesn’t end in γ…— or ㅏ ~μ—ˆμ–΄μš”
Verb or adjective ends in ν•˜λ‹€ ~μ˜€μ–΄μš”

How to add ~μ•˜μ–΄μš”

We d ~μ•˜μ–΄μš” in the same way as ~μ•„μš”, and for certain verbs, we use the contracted form in everyday speech.

Adding ~μ•˜μ–΄μš”

Meaning Verb Stem + ~μ•˜μ–΄μš” Contraction
to grab μž‘λ‹€ μž‘μ•˜μ–΄μš” -
to be good μ’‹λ‹€ μ’‹μ•˜μ–΄μš” -
to see 보닀 λ³΄μ•˜μ–΄μš” λ΄€μ–΄μš”
to come μ˜€λ‹€ μ˜€μ•˜μ–΄μš” μ™”μ–΄μš”
to go κ°€λ‹€ κ°€μ•˜μ–΄μš” κ°”μ–΄μš”
to sleep μžλ‹€ μžμ•˜μ–΄μš” μž€μ–΄μš”

How to add ~μ˜€μ–΄μš”

We add ~μ˜€μ–΄μš” to verbs and adjectives that end in ν•˜λ‹€, and we use the contracted form in everyday speech.

Adding ~μ˜€μ–΄μš”

Meaning Verb Stem + ~μ—¬μš” Contraction
to do ν•˜λ‹€ ν•˜μ˜€μ–΄μš” ν–ˆμ–΄μš”
to work μΌν•˜λ‹€ μΌν•˜μ˜€μ–΄μš” μΌν–ˆμ–΄μš”
to like μ’‹μ•„ν•˜λ‹€ μ’‹μ•„ν•˜μ˜€μ–΄μš” μ’‹μ•„ν–ˆμ–΄μš”
to be happy ν–‰λ³΅ν•˜λ‹€ ν–‰λ³΅ν•˜μ˜€μ–΄μš” ν–‰λ³΅ν–ˆμ–΄μš”

Here are some example sentences that use the verbs in the past tense.

For example:

  • μ–΄μ œ 날씨가 μ’‹μ•˜μ–΄μš”. (Eo-je nal-ssi-ga jo-a-sseo-yo.) - The weather was good yesterday.
  • μ €λŠ” 주말에 μ˜ν™”λ₯Ό λ΄€μ–΄μš”. (Jeo-neun ju-mal-e yeong-hwa-reul bwa-sseo-yo.) - I watched a movie at the weekend.
  • λ―Όμˆ˜λŠ” ν† μš”μΌμ— 뢀산에 κ°”μ–΄μš”. (Minsu-neun to-yo-il-e Busan-e ga-sseo-yo.) - Minsu went to Busan on Saturday.
  • μ €λŠ” λΉ„λΉ”λ°₯을 λ¨Ήμ—ˆμ–΄μš”. (Jeo-neun bi-bim-bap-eul meo-geo-sseo-yo.) - I ate bibimbap.
  • 아이듀이 μ‹Έμ› μ–΄μš”. (A-i-deul-i ssa-wo-sseo-yo.) - The children fought.
  • μ§„μˆ˜λŠ” 야ꡬλ₯Ό μ’‹μ•„ν–ˆμ–΄μš”. (Jinsu-neun ya-gu-reul jo-a-hae-sseo-yo.) - Jinsu liked baseball.

Korean future tense - ~(으)γ„Ή κ±°μ˜ˆμš”

There are many different verb endings to talk about future events, but the most common form is (으)γ„Ή κ±°μ˜ˆμš”. This is similar to β€˜will’ or β€˜be going to’, and we use (으)γ„Ή κ±°μ˜ˆμš” to talk about our future intentions.

Adding (으)γ„Ή κ±°μ˜ˆμš” is much simpler than the past and present tense, and in general, there are two ways of adding (으)γ„Ή κ±°μ˜ˆμš”. If the stem ends in a final consonant, we add 을 κ±°μ˜ˆμš” to the stem, but if the stem doesn’t end in a final consonant, we add γ„Ή κ±°μ˜ˆμš” to the stem.

How to add ~(으)γ„Ή κ±°μ˜ˆμš”

Stem structure Ending
Stem ends in a final consonant ~을 κ±°μ˜ˆμš”
Stem doesn’t end in a final consonant ~γ„Ή κ±°μ˜ˆμš”

How to add ~을 κ±°μ˜ˆμš”

Meaning Verb Stem + ~을 κ±°μ˜ˆμš”
to eat λ¨Ήλ‹€ 먹을 κ±°μ˜ˆμš”
to be late λŠ¦λ‹€ λŠ¦μ„ κ±°μ˜ˆμš”
to read 읽닀 읽을 κ±°μ˜ˆμš”
to be good μ’‹λ‹€ 쒋을 κ±°μ˜ˆμš”

When we add γ„Ή κ±°μ˜ˆμš” to the stem, γ„Ή combines with the final syllable of the stem and becomes its final consonant.

How to add ~γ„Ή κ±°μ˜ˆμš”

Meaning Verb Stem + ~γ„Ή κ±°μ˜ˆμš”
to go κ°€λ‹€ 갈 κ±°μ˜ˆμš”
to give μ£Όλ‹€ 쀄 κ±°μ˜ˆμš”
to drink λ§ˆμ‹œλ‹€ λ§ˆμ‹€ κ±°μ˜ˆμš”
to meet λ§Œλ‚˜λ‹€ λ§Œλ‚  κ±°μ˜ˆμš”

Here are some example sentences that use the verbs in the future tense.

For example:

  • μ €λŠ” 였늘 μ’€ λŠ¦μ„ κ±°μ˜ˆμš”. (Jeo-neun o-neul jom neu-jeul-geo-ye-yo.) - I will be a little late today.
  • μ €λŠ” 이 책을 읽을 κ±°μ˜ˆμš”. (Jeo-neun i-chae-geul il-geul-geo-ye-yo.) - I’m going to read this book.
  • μˆ˜μ§€λŠ” 내일 미ꡭ에 갈 κ±°μ˜ˆμš”. (Suji-neun nae-il mi-gu-ge gal-geo-ye-yo.) - Suji will go to the USA tomorrow.
  • μ €λŠ” 민수λ₯Ό λ§Œλ‚  κ±°μ˜ˆμš”. (Jeo-neun Minsu-reul man-nal-geo-ye-yo.) - I’m going to meet Minsu.

Korean verb conjugation: Recap

At first, Korean verb conjugation rules seem a little complicated, but once you’ve mastered one or two patterns, you will notice that many endings can be added to verbs and adjectives in a similar way. So the first step is always the most difficult, but now that you’ve taken that first step, things will get a little easier.

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