EntrancePast perfect tense in Korean. Basics of Korean Verbs
(at certain moments of my free time) On this site, I decided to focus on modern trends in foreign Korean studies and linguistics. To make it easier for as many people as possible to understand, I use the Russian transcription system for the Korean language, developed in the 1960s by L. R. Kontsevich based on the transcription system of A. A. Kholodovich. I also use materials from the Center for the Study of Korean Language and Culture at Korea University and a number of other materials from foreign authors. Any criticism and comments are welcome!
In the foreign tradition there are:
- verb words.
- action verbs
-descriptive verbs
(descriptive-descriptive or figurative)
Whereas Soviet and their successors, Russian Korean scholars, traditionally distinguish similar subclasses of words within the class of predicates (the nominal part of a compound predicate), and call them adjectives and verbs.
When writing this topic, we used lectures by a teacher-researcher at the Center for the Study of Korean Language and Culture at Koryo University, Park Yongsu, and educational materials created and published in this center for the convenience of learning the Korean language by foreigners.
Verbs in the Korean language are divided into descriptive ones, which denote the quality of an object, that is, in meaning they correspond to a Russian adjective, and action verbs - verbs in the usual sense of the word (go, do, speak). Korean verbs do not change by person (as in Russian: I'm going, you're going, he's going), and numbers, but vary in degrees of politeness. All Korean action verbs or descriptive verbs have the standard ending -다-ta in the dictionary form.
Many verbs are formed by combining a noun with the verb 하다 (to do):
For example:
생각-(sen'gak) -생각하다 (sen'gak) thought - think
시작 (sijak) -시작하다 (sijakhada) beginning - to begin
There are three stems of Korean verbs to form different grammatical forms.
The first stem of the verb.
To form the first stem of a Korean verb, you need to drop the ending 다 from the root of the verb. That is, the 1st stem of the verb 마시다 (masida) will be 마시-(masi),
먹다(mokta) - 먹어(mŏgŏ),
배우다 (peuda) - 배우 (peu),
적다(chokta) - 적(chŏk),
알다(alda) - 알(ar)
가다(kada) -가(ka) to go
주다(miracle)-주(chu) to give
받다(patta) -받(pat) to receive
Third basis
3 verb stem is used quite rarely.
It is formed quite simply: we discard the ending 다 and replace it with 지:
Example:
가다(kada)-가지(kaji)
믿다(mitta)-믿지(micchi)
만들다(mandylda)-만들지(mandilji)
마시다(masida) - 마시지(masiji)
먹다(mŏkta) - 먹지(mŏkchi)
배우다(peuda) - 배우지(paeuji)
적다(chokta) - 적지(chokchi)
알다(alda) - 알지(alji)
2 verb stem
The most difficult thing is to form the second base.
When forming 2 stems of a Korean verb, one must take into account
what consonant or vowel is at the base of the verb and what letter is in the subsyllable of the base of the verb.
take into account the natural philosophical principle of the Korean language, dividing vowels into 음성모음-dark vowels and 양성모음light vowels
simple vowels:
아light
야light
요light
오light
어 dark
여dark
우dark
유dark
으neutral
neutral
Then compound vowels.
Complex vowels are formed from simple vowels according to the following principles:
아+이 = 애 light
야+이 = 얘light
오+이 = 외 light
오+아 = 와 light
오+애 = 왜 light
어+이 = 에 dark
여+이=예dark
우 + 어 = 워 dark
우 + 에 = 웨 dark
우+이= 위 dark
으+이= 의 neutral
1-When the root of the verb has a light vowel 아 and after it there are consonants in the subsyllable, then the ending in the 2nd stem will be 아 (아+아 = 아).
가다(kada)-가(ka)
사다(sada)-사(sa)
자다(chada)-자(cha)
좁다(chopta)-좁아(choba)
좋다-좋아(choa)
받다(patta)-받아(pada)
알다(alda)-알아ara
놀다(nolda)-놀아(nora)
팔다(phalda)-팔아(phara)
살다(salda)-살아(sara)
2-When the root of a verb has a light vowel오 and there is no consonant in the subsyllable, then in spoken language 오 merges with 아and turns into 와 (오+아 = 와)
but in writing such a merger does not occur.
the verb 오다which in both colloquial speech and writing in the second stem turns into 와.
보다(poda)- 보아 (poa- when writing) 봐(pwa- in colloquial speech)
오다(oda)-와(wa)
3-When the root of the verb has a light vowel 우 and there is no consonant in the subsyllable, then when merging with the dark 어, the light 우 in the colloquial language turns into the dark vowel 워 (우+어=워):
배우다(paeuda)-배워(paewo)
주다(miracle)-줘(whew)
주다(chuda)-주어(chuo-in writing)-줘(choo-in speaking)
4-When the root of a verb has a dark vowel 어, but there is no consonant in the subsyllable, then in this case 어+어=어
서다(sŏda)-서(sŏ)
5-When the root of a verb contains dark어, dark여 dark우, neutral으neutral이, light 애 and they are followed by a subsyllable with consonant letters, then in this case it is necessary to use 2 stems 어 to form.
먹다(mŏkta)-먹어(mŏgŏ)
젊다(chŏmda)-젊어(chŏmŏ)
붉다(pukta)-붉어(bulgŏ)
들다(tylda)-들어(tyrŏ)
있다(itta)-있어(isŏ)
맺다(metta)-맺어(majŏ)
들다(tylda)-들어(tyrŏ)
쓸다(sylda)-쓸어(syrŏ)
만들다(mandylda)-만들어(mandirŏ)
열다 (yelda) - 열어 (yorŏ)
울다(ulda) - 울어(urŏ)
6-When there is no subsyllable in the root of the verb, but there is a neutral이, light애, dark에light외, dark위neutral의, then merging with the dark vowel어 does not occur
기다(kida)-기어(kiŏ)
매다(meda)-매어(meŏ)
베다(peda)-베어(peŏ)
되다(tveda)-되어(tveŏ)
쉬다(svida)-쉬어(sviŏ)
띄다(ttita)-띄어(ttiŏ)
7-When the root of a verb has a neutral vowel 이, then when merging with a dark vowel 어, the non-trail vowel 이 in spoken language turns into a dark vowel 여(이+어= 여):
기다리다(kidarida)-기다려(kidarŏ)
마시다(masida)-마셔(masiŏ)
치다(chhada)-쳐(chhyŏ)
버리다(pŏrida)-버려(poriŏ)
8-When the root of a verb has a neutral vowel 으 and there is no consonant in the subsyllable, then when merging with a dark 어, 으 turns into a dark 어(으+어=어):
크다(khida)-커(khŏ)
쓰다(ssida)-써(ssŏ)
9-When the root of the verb has light vowels 아, 오, 애 and the letter ㅂ in the subsyllable, then when 2 stems are formed in the subsyllable ㅂ disappears and turns into 워:
반갑다 (pangapta) - 반가워 (pangawo) "to be joyful",
고맙다 (komapta) - 고마워 (komawo) "to be grateful",
돕다(topta)-도워(tovo) “to help”,
맵다(mepta)-매워(maewo)
10-When the root of the verb has the letter 오 and the letter ㅂ in the subsyllable, then when the 2nd stem is formed, ㅂ disappears and turns into 와:
곱다 (Kopta) - 고와 (Kova) "to be beautiful
아름답다-아름다와
Exceptions:
잡다 (grab) - 잡아
좁다 (chopta) -좁아 "narrow",
뽑다 (to pull out) - 뽑아
넓다 (nŏpta) -넓어 "wide",
업다 (ŏpta) -업어 “to carry on the back”,
입다 (ipta) - 입어 "to put on",
집다 (chipta) -집어 "take"
씹다 (chew) - 씹어
붙잡다-
11-When the stem of a verb has 프 and 쁘, then 으 is replaced by 아.
아프다-아파
고프다-고파
12-When the root of a verb contains the letters 어, 우, 으, 애 and the subsyllable contains the letter ㄷ, then it is replaced when forming the 2nd stem with ㄹ, and 어 is placed after it:
걷다 (kŏta) - 걸어 (kŏrŏ) "to walk",
묻다 (mutta) - 물어 (murŏ) "to ask",
듣다 (tytta) - 들어 (tyrŏ) “to hear, listen”
싣다 (sitta) - 실어 (sirŏ) “to load”.
걷다-걸어
깨닫다-깨달아
Exceptions:
받다 (patta) "to receive",
얻다 (ŏta) "to receive",
묻다 (mutta) "to bury",
닫다 (tatta) "to close",
쏟다 (ssotta) "to pour",
믿다 (mitta) "to believe."
13-When the root of a verb ends in 르, then when forming the second stem, if there is a light vowel in the root of the verb, ㄹ (р) is doubled and 으 (ы) is replaced by 아
고르다-골라
모르다-몰라
달으다-달라
모르다 (maryda) - 몰라 (molla) “not to know”
고르다 (koryda) - 골라 (kolla) “to choose”
나르다 날라요
다르다 달아요
빠르다 빨라요
고르다 골라요
오르다 올라요
14-When the root of a verb ends in 르, then when forming the second stem, if the root of the verb has a dark or neutral vowel, then ㄹ (р) is doubled and 으 (ы) is replaced by 어
서두르다 (sŏduryda) - 서둘러 (sŏdullŏ) “to hurry”
부르다 (puryda) - 불러 (pullŏ) “to call.”
흐르다-흘러
기르다-길러요
There are no exceptions to this rule.
15-When the root of a verb ends in the syllable 르, and the next syllable begins with a consonant or vowel other than 아, 어, there is no change.
For example:
가르자. Let's share.
Verbs with 내 in the root form the second stem in the same way as the first - by dropping the ending -다.
Example:
내다-내
보내다-보내
Special rules.
The verb 하다 in written language takes the form 하여, and in spoken language the form 해 is used.
But in descriptive verbs (adjectives), ㅎ in the subsyllable disappears, and any vowel changes to neutral 애.
그렇다-그래
빨갛다-빨개
이렇다-이래
어떻다- 어때
까맣다-까매
빨갛다-빨개
In cases where the root of the verb in the subsyllable is ㅎ. and the next syllable begins with the consonants ㄴ, ㄹ, ㅁ, ㅅ, ㅇ, ㅎ, then ㅎ is omitted.
For example:
빨간옷이 노란 옷보다 더예뻐요.Red clothes are more beautiful than yellow ones.
그러면 우리 어디로 갈까요? So where do we go?
어떤 색을 좋아하세요? What color do you like?
그러시면, 언제 만날까요? If your circumstances are like this, then when will we meet?
이러면 어떨까요? What if you do it this way?
ㅎ disappears (written but not pronounced).
좋다-조아
놓다-노아
The following verbs are exceptions to the rule:
많다,
낳다,
놓다,
싫다,
괜찮다
,넣다
,좋다,
옳다,
점잖다
언짢다.
For example:
많은 사람이 초대를 받았습니다. Many people received an invitation.
그 부인이 어제 아들을 낳았어요. This woman gave birth to a son yesterday.
싫어도 싫은 척을 하지 않는군요. Even if he doesn't like it, he doesn't show it.
그 사람은 괜찮은 사람이에요. He's not a bad person.
좀 더 좋은 생각은 없나요? Don't you have a better idea?
When the root of the verb has a light letter 아, and the subsyllable has a letter ㅅ, then when the 2nd stem is formed, ㅅ disappears, and a light 아 is added to the root of the verb.
Example:
낫다 (natta) - 나아 (naa) "get well",
When the root of the verb has a neutral or dark vowel, and the subsyllable contains the letter ㅅ, then ㅅ disappears and the dark 어 is added to the stem.
Example:
붓다 (putta) - 부어 (puŏ) "to pour",
짓다 (citta) - 지어 (chiŏ) “to build.”
긋다-그어
잇다-이어
짓다-지어
낫다-나아
붓다-부어
Exceptions:
빼앗다 (ppeatta) "to deprive",
벗다 (pŏta) "to remove",
웃다 (utta) "to laugh")
씻다 (sitta) "to wash".
솟다 - to soar
If in colloquial speech the root of the verb contains ㅅ as a post-syllable and is followed by a consonant, no change occurs.
짓자- Let's build it.
짓겠습니다- I will build it.
Korean verbs always have an ending in the dictionary 다. Just like in Russian, we have such endings in verbs as t: spa yeah, summer yeah, pi yeah, dream t. When we build a sentence, these endings will change. The same is true in Korean. Only the ending of the verb will also change depending on who you are talking to.
The Korean verb consists of basics and particles 다. Everything that is written before 다, is basis. For example: 가 다, 보 다, 기다리 다. I highlight the basics in green. We will always work with the basics.
Korean verbs are divided into simple and complex:
1. Simple verbs: 마시 다 drink masida, 쉬 다 relax bye, 먹 다 there is mokta
2.Complex verbs consist of words+ simple verb하다 -khada (to do):
하다 - do
사랑 하다 to love saran (love) + hada, saranhada
결혼 하다 marry kerkhon (marriage) + hada, kerkhonkhada
식사 하다 eat, eat sixa (food) + hada, sixahada
운동 하다 play sports, undon (movements) + hada, undonhada
공부 하다 study, konbu (study) + hada, konbuhada
Compound verbs are historically derived from Chinese characters, and there are many of them in the Korean language. If you remove 하다, then you get a separate independent word - 사랑 love.
Moreover, these words have an internal meaning, since they are created from hieroglyphs, for example: 공부하 다 , 공부 is “work” + “husband”, since studying was work for the husband))); the word 결혼하다 to marry consists of “to get involved” + “marriage”, so it makes no difference whether 결혼하다 is a man or a woman.
Now many new verbs have appeared, created from the English base, for example:
check 하다 to check
event 하다 to host an event
Of course, they are written in Korean letters, and sometimes everyone writes as they hear.
There are also indivisible verbs in 하다, but you just need to remember them: 좋아 하다 like / choahada,
싫어 하다 don't like / shirohada.
3. There is another type of verb in Korean: linking verb 이 다 (to be, to be someone or something), for example, when we say “I am a doctor” or “this is a pen.” Its peculiarity is that it is not translated, just like the English verb to be. We write “I am a doctor” or “this is a pen”, and translate without the verb “I am a doctor” or “this is a pen”.
Adjectives in Korean:
Adjectives in dictionary form also always have an ending 다. But you need to learn to clearly distinguish an adjective from a verb.
나쁘 다 bad nappyda
좋 다 good chotha
예쁘 다 handsome mossitta
작 다 little chakta
크 다 big khida
In addition, there are adjectives 하다 :
착 하다 kind/chhakhada
깨끗 하다 - pure/kkekythada
따뜻 하다 - warm/tattythada
지긋지긋 하다 - unbearable/chigytchigythada
섭섭하다 - sad/sopsophada
심심하다 - boring/simsimhada
But adjectives indivisible! There are no such words as 착 or 깨끗.
There are also new adjectives formed from English words, such as:
sweet 하다 wonderful / sweetheart
smart 하다 smart, quick-witted / smatkhada
simple 하다 simple/simplehada
In this lesson we will learn how to conjugate Korean verbs.
When you look up verbs in Korean dictionaries, they will all be in this form:
가다 = to go
먹다 = to eat
자다 = to sleep
때리다 = to hit
웃다 = to laugh
When you change the form of these verbs to express present, future or past tense, etc., the first thing you need to do is drop the last syllable 다, and then you get the stem of the verb.
Basics of the previously mentioned verbs:
때리
And to these basics you add the appropriate verb endings to make the verbs complete. In this lesson we will learn how to change the dictionary forms of verbs to form the present tense.
Present tense
To put a verb in the present tense, you take the stem of the verb and add one of these endings to it:
아요
어요
여요
- Please note that we are showing you the polite style endings. Don't worry if you don't yet know the rules for using different levels of politeness. Once you learn to say everything in a polite style, changing what you say to a different style of politeness is not difficult.
Yet, which of these three endings should be used for which verb stem? Everything is very simple.
If the verb stem ends with a vowel ㅏ[a] or ㅗ [o], then the ending 아요 is added to it.
If the last vowel is NOT ㅏ[a] or ㅗ [o], then the ending 어요 is added to it. And only for one verb stem, which is 하, the ending 여요 is used.
Let's look at a few examples.
가다 = to go
The verb stem is 가, and its final vowel is ㅏ [a], so you add 아요. This makes 가 + 아요, but to make it sound more natural, we get 가요 for easier pronunciation.
가다 = to go (dictionary form)
--> 가요 = I'm coming. You are walking. He's coming. She goes. They are coming. (present time)
먹다 = to eat, to eat
The verb stem is 먹, and its final vowel is ㅓ. Since it is NOT ㅏ or ㅗ, you add 어요.
Therefore it turns out 먹 + 어요
먹다 = to eat, to eat (dictionary form)
- Notice the connection in the pronunciation of the final consonant with the ending vowel 먹 + 어, which now sounds 머거.
보다 = to see, look, look
Verb stem? 보
Which ending will be added? 아요
보 + 아요 ---> Over time, this word began to be pronounced and written as 봐요. (Say 보 + 아 + 요 three times in a row very quickly.)
보다 = to see, to watch. take a look
봐요 = I see. I look. You look and so on. (present time)
보이다 = to be seen, to be visible
Verb stem? 보이
Which ending will be added? 어요
보이 + 어요 ---> 보여요
보이다 = to be seen, to be visible
보여요 = This is visible. I see it.
하다 = to do
Verb stem? 하
What ending should I add? 여요
하 + 여요 ---> 하여요
Over time, 하여요 became 해요.
- Please just remember the rule for this verb, 하다 is very commonly used. You can just add a noun in front of it, and thus form a new verb. We'll show you how to do this in Lesson #23. For now, just remember that 하다 becomes 해요 in the present tense, and means “I do.”, “You do.”, “He does,” or “They do.”
Are there any exceptions or irregular changes to this rule?
Unfortunately, yes, there is. But don't worry. Even these exceptions do NOT deviate much from the basic rules!! And of course, we will talk about them as simply and clearly as possible in our future lessons. Thanks again for learning the language with our lessons!
Now we have to look at one of the most difficult topics in the Korean language, without which you will not be able to communicate in Korean even at a basic level. We are talking about the basics of verbs.
It should be said at the beginning that there are no adjectives in the Korean language. There are two types of verbs - actions and states. Action verbs represent what we mean by the term "verb" in Russian. Stative verbs are used instead of adjectives, but grammatically they behave in the same way as action verbs, that is, they vary in politeness styles, tenses, etc.
The only significant difference between them and action verbs is that descriptive verbs do not form participles. Instead, the so-called attributive form is used, which coincides with the past participle of action verbs.
For example:
날씨가 좋습니다 . Nalsiga chossimnida. Good weather.
좋은 날씨 . Choeun nalssi. Good weather.
그 사람은 나쁩니다 . Ky saramyn nappymnida. This man is bad.
나쁜 사람 . Nappeung saram. Bad person
Now let's move on to the actual verb basics. There are three of them in the Korean language. Different stems are used to form different grammatical structures.
First base is formed by dropping the ending –다 (ta/da). For example, the first stem of the verb 먹다 (mokta) is 먹 (mok), while the first stem of the verb 가다 (kada) is 가 (ka).
Third basis is also formed very simply by replacing the ending –다 (ta/da) with –지 (chi/ji). For example, 먹다 (mokta) – 먹지 (mokchi), 가다 (kada) – 가지 (kaji).
The main difficulty is education second base. Its formation depends on which vowel is at the root of the word. If it is 아 (a) or 오 (o), then 아 (a) should be added to the root of the verb, for example: 받다 (patta) “to receive” – 받아 (pada), 좁다 “to be narrow” – 좁아 (choba). In other cases, the vowel 어 (o) is added to the root: 믿다 (mitta) “to believe” – 믿어 (mido), 읽다 (ikta) “to read” – 읽어 (ilgo), 울다 (ulda) “to cry” – 울어 (uro) . Finally, the verb 하다 (khada) “to do” changes in a special way in the second stem. In written language it takes the form 하여 (hayo), while in spoken language it usually takes the form 해 (he). Verbs ending in 내다 form the 2nd stem in the same way as the first, that is, by simply dropping the ending –다 (ta/da): 보내다 (poneda) “to send” – 보내 (pone)
All this is not so difficult to remember. However, there are a number of exceptions to the above rules. Firstly, if the root of a verb ends in a vowel, then usually (but not always!) it merges with the following vowel, that is, 아 (a) or 어 (o).
- If the root ends in 아 (a), then it merges with the next 아 (a). That is, 아 + 아 = 아, for example: 가다 (kada) “to go” – 가 (ka), 자다 (chada) “to sleep” – 자 (cha).
- If the root ends in 오 (o), then this sound in colloquial speech merges with the subsequent 아 (a) into the diphthong 와 (wa): 오다 (oda) “to come” – 와 (wa), 보다 (poda) “to look” – 봐 (pwa). But in written language such a merger does not occur. An exception is the verb 오다 (oda), which has the same form 와 (wa) in the second stem in both written and spoken language.
- 우 (у) + 어 (о) gives when merging 워 (vo): 주다 (miracle) “to give” – 줘 (chvo). This is also more typical for spoken language; in written language it is better to use the full form 주어 (chuo).
- 이 (i) + 어 (ŏ) merges into 여 (yo): 기다리다 (kidarida) “to wait” – 기다려 (kidaryo), 마시다 (masida) “to drink” – 마셔 (masyo). This is typical primarily for polysyllabic words, but sometimes, especially in colloquial speech, this rule also applies to two-syllables: 치다 (chhida) “to beat” – 쳐 (chyo).
- 으 (ы) + 어 (о) merges into the sound 어 (о): 크다 (khida) “to be big” – 커 (kho), 쓰다 (ssyda) “to write” – 써 (sso).
There are also a number of verbs that form the second base according to special rules.
1 group
These are verbs whose root ends in ㅂ (p). In modern language, they form 2 stems in the same way: ㅂ (p) merges with the subsequent vowel to form the sound 워 (vo) or 와 (wa):
반갑다 (pangapta) – 반가워 (pangawo) “to be joyful”
고맙다 (komapta) – 고마워 (komawo) “to be grateful”
돕다 (topta) – 도와 (tova) “to help”,
곱다 (Kopta) – 고와 (kova) “to be beautiful.”
Exceptions are the following verbs:
넓다 "wide",
좁다 "narrow",
입다 "to put on"
집다 "to take"
업다 "to carry on the back",
씹다 "to chew",
뽑다 "to pull out",
잡다 "to grab".
2nd group
Verbs whose root ends in ㄷ (t). When forming 2 stems, the final ㄷ changes to ㄹ:
걷다 (cotta) – 걸어 (koro) “to walk”
묻다 (mutta) – 물어 (muro) “to ask”
듣다 (tytta) – 들어 (tyro) “to hear, listen”
싣다 (sitta) – 실어 (shiro) “to load.”