Korean Verb Conjugation (The ㄹ Case)

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Let’s learn how to conjugate irregular Korean verbs in present tense. They are irregular because significant changes are applied that include removal and replacement, normally in polite/casual speech. This section focuses on verb stems that end the consonant ㄹ.

날다 to fly

살다 to live

팔다 to sell

걸다 to hang

울다 to cry

길다 to be long

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. 

날다– 날 

살다– 살

팔다– 팔

걸다– 걸

울다– 울 

길다– 길 

The first group has vowels ㅏ (or ㅗ) before ㄹ, while the second group has vowels other than ㅏ or ㅗ before ㄹ.

For the first type, we add 아(요).

날– 날아(요)

살– 살아(요)

팔– 팔아(요)

For the second type, we add 어(요).

걸– 걸어(요)

울– 울어(요)

길– 길어(요)

So where exactly is the irregularity here? The answer is none. Verb stems that end in ㄹ are regular in casual and polite speech conjugation. Irregularity happens they are followed by the consonants ㄴ, ㅂ, and ㅅ. One example is conjugating verbs in their formal form (ㅂ니다).

날– 나+ㅂ니다= 납니다

살– 사+ㅂ니다= 삽니다

팔– 파+ㅂ니다= 팝니다

걸– 거+ㅂ니다= 겁니다

울– 우+ㅂ니다= 웁니다

길– 기+ㅂ니다= 깁니다

When ㅂ and ㄴ are next to each other, they produce the ㅁ sound. 

납니다– 남/니/다

삽니다– 삼/니/다

팝니다– 팜/니/다

겁니다– 검/니/다

웁니다– 움/니/다

깁니다– 김/니/다