Korean Extras

Categories: Off-topic

Introduction

Here is some useful info for learning Korean which didn’t fit in the “intro” article.

Contents

Verb Conjugation Rules for the “Basic Form” (aka fully conjugated stem)

As with most languages, verbs need to be conjugated before use, ie their ending gets modified to suit the context they are used in. Some conjugations are almost trivial, eg the “high formal” (“-imnida”) conjugation. And fortunately most of the other conjugations are related: first make the “basic form” and then add a simple ending.

Sadly converting verbs into their “basic form” is somewhat complicated - but it opens the door to all sorts of useful tenses and modes. For example, the present-informal-polite-declarative is just a matter of adding “-yo” to the basic form. And in fact, the basic form alone is used for casual conversation between good friends, ie no extra changes at all.

Note that “ends in a vowel” and “does not have a batchim” are equivalent statements..

Basic Form Standard Case 1: last syllable contains ㅏ or ㅗ (ah/o)

When the last syllable of the root of a verb contains vowel ㅏ or ㅗ: append 아. Then:

  • if the root ended in 아 then replace the 아아 with just one 아.
  • if the root ended in 오 then replace the 오아 with 와

Examples:

  • 알다 to know (“alda”) -> 알아요 (“arahyo”)
  • 좋다 (adjective) to be good (“tshohda”) -> 좋아요 (“tshoahyo”)
  • 가다 to go (“kahda”) -> 가요 (“kahyo”) – note the eliminated double ah
  • 보다 to watch (“poda”) -> 봐요 (“poahyo”) – note the combined oh+ah

Basic Form Standard Case 2: last syllable contains any other vowel

When the last syllable of the root of a verb contains any vowel other than ㅏ or ㅗ, and the syllable does not end in ㅡ: append 어. Then:

  • if the root ended in any of 애어여 then just drop the new 어 - ie the conjugation is just the plain verb-stem
  • if the root ended in 우 then combine the 우 and 어 into 워
  • if the root ended in 이 then combine 이 and 어 into 여

Examples:

  • 먹다 to eat (“mawkda”) -> 먹어요 (“mawkawyo”)
  • 저다 to stand (“tshawda”) -> 저요 (“tshawyo”) - ie dropped second 어
  • 주다 to give (“tshooda”) -> 줘요 (“tshwarwyo”)

Basic Form Special Case 3: last syllable ends in ㅡ (“ur”)

When the last syllable of the root of a verb directly ends in ㅡ (ie there is no batchim) then remove that vowel and follow the other rules using the vowel from the preceding syllable. When there is no preceding syllable then just add 아.

Examples:

  • 고프다 to be hungry -> 고파요 (because the relevant vowel is 오)
  • 크다 to be large / to grow -> 카요

Basic Form Special Case 4: last syllable starts with ㄹ

When the last syllable of the root of a verb starts with ㄹ and the previous syllable has no batchim, then a secondㄹ gets appended to the second to last syllable.

Example:

  • 빠르다 to be fast (“bahrurda”) -> 빨라 (“ballah”)
  • 모르다 to not know (“morurda”) -> 몰라 (“mollah”)

Note: both examples above also depend on the rule that a trailing ㅡ gets dropped.

Basic Form Special Case 5: last syllable ends in ㅂ

When the last syllable of the root of a verb directly ends in ㅂ then remove that letter and append 워.

Note: this applies most of the time, but not always (ie such verbs could be considered “irregular”). When not, then follow the “standard case” rules instead.

Basic Form Case 6: 하다 (“hada”) verbs

The verb 하다 (“hada”) means to-do. There are also many other verbs which end in “hada”. They all follow the same rule:

  • 하다 to do (“hada”) -> 해요 (“hey-yo”)

That’s it, for all verbs ending in 하다 (“hada”).

Basic Form Case 7: 이다 (“ida”)

As in many languages, the verb “to be” follows its own rules.

In all of the cases above, the “casual” form is simply the “polite” form without the “-yo” ending. However “ida” has different conjugations. In addition, it changes depending on whether the previous noun ends in a consonant (batchim) or vowel (no batchim).

  • casual after consonant: 이야 (“ee-ya”)
  • casual after vowel: 야 (“ya”)
  • polite after consonant: 이에요 (“ee-eh-yo”)
  • polite after vowel: 예요 (pronounced “eh-yo” as expected and not “yey-yo” as written)
  • formal: 입니다 (“imnida”)

Basic Form Case 8: Irregular Verbs

As always, there are a few verbs that just don’t follow the rules. Examples

  • 듣다 to listen (“durdda”) -> 들어요 (“durlawyo”) - the ㄷ changes to an ㄹ for no reason

Verb Conjugation Rules for Present Polite Imperative/Interrogative

The 세요 (“sehyo”) form is commonly used to make a polite command. This involves taking the verb root, then:

  • if it ends in a vowel, append 세요 (“sehyo”)
  • if it ends in a consonant, add 으세요 (“ursehyo”)
  • and special case: if it ends in ㄹ (“l”), remove that letter and add 세요 (“sehyo”)

Note that this is much simpler than regular verb conjucation!

However this “polite command” form is still a command. When asking someone to do you a favour, use the “chuseyo” form (ie use verb chuda).

Exactly the same conjugation should be used when asking a question to someone that you need to show extra respect to - eg someone older or in a position of authority.

Verb Vocabulary

Here are some useful verbs..

Irregular:

  • 이다 - to be (“eeda”)
  • 아니다 - to not be (“ahneeda”)
  • 듣다 - to listen (“durdda”)
  • 모르다 - to not know (“moreuda”)
  • 하다 - to do (“hada”)

Hada-based:

  • 좋하다 - to like (“choahada”)
  • 말하다 - to speak (“malhada”)

Regular:

  • 있다 - to exist (“itda”)
  • 없다 - to not exist (“awpda”)
  • 가다 - to go (“kada”)
  • 먹다 - to eat (“mawkda”)
  • 보다 - to see/watch (“poda”)
  • 알다 - to know (alda)
  • 쓰다 - to write/use (“ssurda”)

Helper verbs:

  • 싶다 - to want to do some other action (“shipda”)
  • 주다 - used to form requests (“chuda”)
  • 있다 - (1) to be able to / can, (2) to be currently doing (some other verb)
  • 없다 - to be unable to / cannot

Adverb Vocabulary

  • 잘 (“chal”) - well
  • 더 (“daw”) - more
  • 빨리 (“bballi”) - quickly
  • 천천히 (“chawnchawnhee”) - slowly
  • 아주 (“ahchu”) - very
  • 조금 (“chogurm”) - a little
  • 정말 (“chawngmal”) - really (similar to “very”)

Descriptive Verb Vocabulary (adjectives)

These are presented as “infinitive”, “polite present declarative conjugation”, and “adjective”

  • 좋다 / 좋아요 / 좋은 - to be good (“chohda/chohahyo/chohurn”)
  • 나쁘다 / 나빠 / 나쁜 - to be bad (“nahbburda/nahbbah/nahbburn”)
  • 같다 / 같아요 / 같은 - to be the same
  • 다르다 / 달라요 / 다른 - to be different
  • 괜찮다 - to be fine/ok (“kwaynChahnhda”)
  • 덥다 / 더워요 - to be inclement (hot weather) (“durwaryo”)
  • 춥다 / 추워요 - to be frigid (cold weather) (“chuwaryo”)
  • 떠겁다 / 떠거워요 - to be hot to touch (“Dawgawwaryo”)
  • 차갑다 / 차가워요 - to be cold to touch (“Chahgahwaryo”)
  • warm
  • cool
  • 짜다 / 짜요 - to be cheap (“ssahyo”)
  • 비짜다 / 비짜요 - to be expensive (“bissahyo”)
  • 느리다 / 느려요 / 느린 - to be slow/low-velocity
  • 빠르다 / 빨라요 - to be fast/quick/high-velocity (“bballayo”)
  • 바쁘다 / 바빠요 - to be busy (“bahppurda”)
  • unbusy (“hahnkahhada”)
  • 고프다 / 고파요 / 고픈 - to be hungry (“koppurda / koppahyo / koppurn”)
  • satisfied (not hungry)
  • empty
  • full
  • 작다 / 작아요/ 작은 - to be (physically) small (“tschahkdah / tshahkahyo / tshahkurn”)
  • 크다 / 커요/ 큰 - to be (physically) big (“kkurda / kkawyo / kkurn”)
  • 적다 / 적어요 - to be sparse / a small amount (“tshawkawyo”)
  • 많다 / 많아요/ 많이 - to be plentiful / a large amount (“mahnahyo”)
  • 좋다 / 좋와요 - to be good/nice (“tshoahyo”)
  • 맛있다 / 맛있어요 - to be tasty/delicious (“masissawyo”)
  • 맛없다 - to not be tasty (“masawbsawyo”)
  • 짜다 / 짜요 / 짠 / 소금이 든 - to be salty (“Chahyo”)
  • 소금이 든 - (also) to be salty
  • 달다 / 달아요 / 단 - to be sweet
  • sour
  • 쓰다/써요 - to be bitter (“ssawyo”) - and note that this verb also means “to write/to use”
  • 맵다 / 매워요/ 매은 - to be spicy
  • loud (“chikkursawbda”)
  • quiet (“choyonghada”)
  • 쉽다 - to be simple/easy (“sweebda”)
  • 어렵다 - to be complex/hard (“awryawbda”)
  • easy-physically
  • difficult-physically (“himdurlda”)
  • young (age)
  • old (age)
  • 새롭다 / 새롭아요 / 새로운 - new/fresh
  • 늙다 / 늙어요 / 늙은 - old (used)
  • clean/free-from-dirt (“kkAkkurshada”)
  • dirty (“dawrawbda”)
  • clean/tidy (“kkahlkkurmhada”)
  • 멀더 / 머러요 - to be far away (“mawlda”/mawlawyo)
  • to be near (“kakkabda”)
  • 예쁘다 / 예뻐요 - to be pretty (“yehbburda/ yehbawyo”)
  • beautiful (“ahrurmdahbda”)
  • 귀엽다 / 귀여워요 / 귀여운 - cute (“gwiyawbda”)
  • long (“kilda”)
  • short (chchahrbda”)
  • high (“noppda”)
  • low (“nahchda”)
  • heavy (“mukawpda”)
  • light (“kahbyawpda”)
  • 재미있다 / 재미있어요 - fun/enjoyable (“chaemi-ittda / chaemi-issawyo”)
  • 정완하다 / 정완해요 - accurate/correct (“chawngwahn-haeyo”) - see also 맞다
  • 행복하다 - happy (“haengbok-hada”)
  • 술프다 - sad
  • 이르다 / 이르러요/ 이른 - early
  • 늦다 / 늦어요 / 늦은 - late
  • 긴 - long
  • 짧은 - short
  • 좁은 - narrow
  • 넓은 - wide

Colour Vocabulary

Colours in Korean are not “descriptive verbs”. Useful words:

  • 흰색 - white
  • 검정색 - black
  • 빨간색 - red
  • 초록색 green
  • 파란색 - blue
  • 노란색 - yellow
  • 갈색 - brown
  • 주황색 - Orange
  • 분홍색 - Pink
  • 보라색 - Purple

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