Korean Verb Conjugation (The ㅣ Case)

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Let’s learn how to conjugate regular Korean verbs in present tense. They are regular because no significant changes are applied apart from contraction. This section focuses on verb stems that end in the vowel ㅣ.

마시다 to drink
뿌리다 to sprinkle
맡기다 to entrust

믿다 to believe
밀다 to push
씻다 to wash

The syllable 다 is a dictionary form and it is not used in an actual sentence. We get rid of it so what remains is the verb stem. 

마시다– 마시
맡기다– 맡기
뿌리다– 뿌리

믿다– 믿
밀다– 밀
씻다– 씻

The first group literally ends in ㅣ, while the second group has an extra consonant at the bottom. When a verb stem ends in ㅣ, we attach 어(요). The 요 form is used in polite speech.

마시– 마시어(요)
맡기– 맡기어(요)
뿌리– 뿌리어(요)

믿– 믿어(요)
밀– 밀어(요)
씻– 씻어(요)

We can simplify the first group by fusing ㅣ and ㅓ into ㅕfor easy/smooth pronunciation.

마시어(요)– 마셔(요)

맡기어(요)– 맡겨(요)

뿌리어(요)– 뿌려(요)

There is no contraction for the second group, but there is a sort of blending. The consonant before 아(요) is pronounced as if it is the initial sound of the second syllable.

믿어(요)– 미/더/(요)

밀어(요)– 미/러/(요)

씻어(요)– 씨/서/(요)