Elementary - Grade 5

Lesson 1: Common Irregular Verbs

(불규칙 동사)

When the Rules Break!

You've worked hard to learn the rules for past, present, and future tenses (like `아요/어요`).

But... some verbs don't follow the rules! These are irregular verbs (불규칙 동사).

The most important thing to remember is: irregulars only change when they are followed by a VOWEL (like with `아요/어요` or `았어요/었어요`). If followed by a consonant (like `-고` or `-지만`), they are regular!

Two Common Irregular Patterns

The 'ㅂ' (bieup) Irregular

Verbs whose stems end in ㅂ (like 춥다 - cold, 덥다 - hot) follow this rule:

  1. Drop the ㅂ.
  2. Add 우 (u).
  3. Now, conjugate as normal (it ends in `우` so you add `+ 어요`).
춥 (from 춥다) 춥 우 추우 어요 추워요

"It's cold." (NOT 춥어요)

The 'ㄷ' (digeut) Irregular

Verbs whose stems end in ㄷ (like 듣다 - to listen, 걷다 - to walk) follow this rule:

  1. The ㄷ changes to a ㄹ (L).
  2. Now, conjugate as normal.
듣 (from 듣다) 들 어요 들어요

"I listen." (NOT 듣어요)

When are they REGULAR?

Remember, they are REGULAR when followed by a consonant.

  • 춥다 (cold): 춥고... (cold and...) | 춥지만... (cold, but...)
  • 듣다 (listen): 듣고... (listen and...) | 듣지만... (listen, but...)

Irregular Sentences

  • 오늘 날씨가 더워요.

    "Today's weather is hot." (from 덥다)

  • 음악을 들었어요.

    "I listened to music." (from 듣다)

  • 저는 공원에서 걸었어요.

    "I walked in the park." (from 걷다)

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