Introduction to Korean Verbs and Their Conjugations for English Speakers

Understanding Korean Verbs

Korean verbs are an essential part of the language, providing the action or description in a sentence. Unlike English, Korean verbs conjugate in relation to the formality and tense, rather than the subject.

The Basics of Korean Verb Conjugation

Korean verbs end in '다' (da) in their dictionary form. To use them in sentences, you need to conjugate the base form according to the context, such as the level of politeness and tense.

Different Types of Verb Endings

In Korean, verb endings change to convey different meanings. Some of the common endings are for expressing respect, making requests, or indicating the tense.

Politeness Levels

Korean emphasizes different politeness levels, and verbs play a crucial role in this. The three most common levels are informal, polite, and formal. Choose the appropriate verb ending based on your relationship with the listener.

Verb Conjugation for Tenses

Korean verbs conjugate for past, present, and future tenses. Let's explore how each tense is formed.

Present Tense Conjugation

In the present tense, polite verbs usually end in '아요' or '어요'. The choice between them depends on the vowel harmony rules in Korean.

Past Tense Conjugation

To talk about past actions, verbs generally end with '았어요', '었어요', or 'ㅆ어요'. The correct ending also depends on the verb's base form.

Future Tense Conjugation

The future tense is often formed by adding '겠어요' to the verb stem. However, other constructions like '~(으)ㄹ 거예요' are also common.

Common Mistakes to Avoid