Basic verb conjugation
Korean verbs change their endings to fit into sentences. This process is called conjugation.
How It Works
In Korean, almost every sentence ends with a conjugated verb or adjective. The dictionary form, which always ends in -다 (e.g., 가다, 보다, 하다), is just the starting point.
To use it, you must transform it. The process is always the same:
1. Start with the dictionary form (e.g., 먹다 - to eat).
2. Remove the -다 to get the verb stem (먹-).
3. Attach a grammatical ending to the stem.
The ending you choose depends on what you want to say. For example, the single stem 먹- can become many different words:
- 먹 + 어요 → 먹어요 (I eat / informal polite)
- 먹 + 습니다 → 먹습니다 (I eat / formal polite)
- 먹 + 었어요 → 먹었어요 (I ate / past tense)
- 먹 + 을 거예요 → 먹을 거예요 (I will eat / future tense)
This page explains the concept of conjugation. To learn the specific rules for choosing and applying these endings, you need to study each ending pattern individually.
Note: Some verbs are irregular and their stems change during conjugation. You can learn about these in the irregular verb patterns section.
Examples (3)
- 가다 (dictionary form) → 가요 (conjugated form)
The verb 'to go' (가다) is conjugated to 'goes' (가요) for use in an informal polite sentence.
Word by Word: to go → goes
- 먹다 (dictionary form) → 먹습니다 (conjugated form)
The verb 'to eat' (먹다) is conjugated to 'eats' (먹습니다) for use in a formal polite sentence.
Word by Word: to eat → eats (formal)
- 공부하다 (dictionary form) → 공부했어요 (conjugated form)
The verb 'to study' (공부하다) is conjugated to 'studied' (공부했어요) to express the past tense.
Word by Word: to study → studied
Common Mistakes
Using the dictionary form (-다) in a sentence.
Not Quite저는 밥을 먹다.Better저는 밥을 먹어요.You cannot use the dictionary form of a verb (ending in -다) directly in a sentence. You must always conjugate it by removing -다 and adding an appropriate ending like -아요/어요 or -습니다.
Learn This First
To understand how Korean verbs change form, you first need to know what verb stems are.
Related Patterns
- Adjective conjugation
Korean adjectives (descriptive verbs) conjugate using the exact same principles as action verbs. Understanding verb conjugation is the key to understanding adjective conjugation.
- Tense concepts
Verb endings are the primary way to express tense (past, present, future) in Korean. This pattern is the mechanism for applying tense concepts to verbs.
- -았/었/였-Past Tense
This is the core past tense marker. It's attached to the verb stem to show that an action has already happened, a key function of conjugation.
- -(으)ㄹ 거(예요/야)Will, Probably
This is a common future tense ending. It's attached to the verb stem to show an intention or prediction, another key function of conjugation.
- -아/어Informal Ending
This is the most common informal polite ending you will add to a verb stem. It's one of the first specific conjugation rules you'll learn.
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
- -ㄴ다/는다Plain Declarative Ending
- -ㅂ/습니다Formal Polite Ending
- -고And, And Then
- -는/ㄹVerb Noun Modifier
- -(으)세요Please
- -아/어 보세요Please Try
- -아/어라Informal Command
- -지Sentence Ending
And 80 more in the full list.