안녕하세요
Today, we’re diving deep into the world of the “ㅅ” irregular verbs. These are like the sneaky ninjas of Korean grammar—quietly hiding in plain sight until they decide to jump out and surprise you. But fear not! By the end of this lesson, you’ll have tamed these ninjas, turning them into your trusty sidekicks. 🥋🐱👤
Imagine “ㅅ” is that silent letter in your favorite K-pop band. It’s just there, chilling, not drawing attention to itself. But when it comes to the main stage (a.k.a. grammar time), it rocks out in unexpected ways, stealing the show! 🎸🎤
So, let’s embark on this thrilling adventure, and by the end, you’ll be singing “I’ve got the ‘ㅅ’ moves” to the tune of your favourite K-pop hit. Let’s rock this lesson! 🎶🤘
Conjugation
If you’re diving into the world of Korean grammar, the irregular verbs can seem a bit like a puzzle. Among these, the “ㅅ” irregular verbs hold a unique position. So let’s get a grip on these tricky little characters and set you on the path to understanding them better!
A “ㅅ” irregular verb is a verb stem that ends with the consonant “ㅅ”. When you’re trying to conjugate these verbs into certain forms, the “ㅅ” can sometimes disappear and sometimes remain, depending on the following vowel or consonant.
NOT ALL “ㅅ” verbs are irregular. These are similar to the “ㄷ” irregulars and so only few are irregulars.
I will introduce the most common ones but first, let’s have a look at the conjugation rules.
- Take a verb
- Drop
- Follow the below rules
- If the verb stem is followed by an ending starting with a vowel, drop “ㅅ”
- Vowels do not combine
For example:
낫다 –> 낫 –> 나 + 아요 –> 나아요
Remember how under the normal conjugation rules combine?
- 가다 –> 가 + 아요 –> 가요 instead of 가아요
- 가르치다 –> 가르치 + 어요 –> 가르쳐요
In the above examples 가 + ㅏ just becomes 가 and ㅣ plus ㅓ becomes ㅕ.
In the case of the “ㅅ” irregular verbs, the vowels do not combine so 낫다 becomes 나아요.
“ㅅ” irregular verbs
- 낫다 – To be better/to get better
- 짓다 – To write/to build
- 잇다 – To connect
- 긋다 – To draw a line
- 붓다 – To swell
- 젓다 – To stir/whip
| Korean | English | 아/어/여요 | 고 싶어요 | (으)면 | 네요 |
| 낫다 | To get better | 나아요 | 낫고 싶어요 | 나으면 | 낫네요 |
| 짓다 | To write/to build | 지어요 | 짓고 싶어요 | 지으면 | 짓네요 |
| 잇다 | To connect | 이어요 | 잇고 싶어요 | 이으면 | 잇네요 |
| 굿다 | To draw a line | 구어요 | 굿고 싶어요 | 구으면 | 굿네요 |
| 붓다 | To swell | 부어요 | 붓고 싶어요 | 부으면 | 붓네요 |
| 젓다 | To stir/whip | 지어요 | 짓고 싶어요 | 지으면 | 짓네요 |
Remember, not all “ㅅ”verbs are following these patterns, in fact, most of them follow the normal conjugation rules.
Regular “ㅅ” verbs
| Korean | English | 아/어/여요 | 고 싶어요 | (으)면 | 네요 |
| 웃다 | To laugh | 웃어요 | 웃고 싶어요 | 웃으면 | 웃네요 |
| 씻다 | To wash (up) | 씻어요 | 씻고 싶어요 | 씻으면 | 씻네요 |
| 벗다 | To take off | 벗어요 | 벗고 싶어요 | 벗으면 | 벗네요 |
| 뺏다 | To take away | 뺏어요 | 뺏고 싶어요 | 뺏으면 | 뺏네요 |
Negative sentences
VERB STEM + 지 않다
- Take a verb i.e. 낫다
- Drop 다 i.e. 다
- Add -지 않다 i.e. 낫지 않다
- 짓다 –> 짓 +지 않다 –> 짓지 않다
- 잇다 –> 잇 +지 않다 –> 잇지 않다
- 긋다 –> 긋 + 지 않다 –> 긋지 않다
- 붓다 –> 붓 + 지 않다 –> 붓지 않다
안 + CONJUGATED VERB
- Take a verb i.e. 낫다
- Conjugate it i.e. 나아요
- Add 안 before the verb i.e. 안 나아요
- 짓다 –> 지어요 –> 안 지어요
- 잇다 –> 이어요 –> 안 이어요
- 긋다 –> 그어요 –> 안 그어요
- 붓다 –> 부어요 –> 안 부어요
Activity 1
Conjugate the below into present tense.
- 웃다
- 벗다
- 잇다
- 낫다
- 젓다
Activity 2
Fill in the blanks.
- 저는 물을 _________. – I poured water.
- 우리는 작년에 집은 _________. – We built a house last year.
- 다시 _________. – I want to smile again.
- 빨리 _________. – I will get better quickly.
- _________ 가요. – Let’s wash up and go.
Activity 1 Answers
- 웃다 – 웃어요
- 벗다 – 벗어요
- 잇다 – 이어요
- 낫다 – 나아요
- 젓다 – 저어요
Activity 2
- 저는 물을 부었어요. – I poured water.
- 우리는 작년에 집은 지었어요. – We built a house last year.
- 다시 웃고 싶어요. – I want to smile again.
- 빨리 나을 거예요. – I will get better quickly.
- 씻고 가요. – Let’s wash up and go.
Wrap up
Well, folks, we’ve made it to the end of our thrilling adventure with the ever-so-mischievous “ㅅ” irregular verbs! 🎉 Who knew such a small character could stir up such a linguistic ruckus?
Think of “ㅅ” as that friend who can’t quite decide if they’re attending the party or not. Sometimes they show up (usually fashionably late), and sometimes they just disappear, leaving you to wonder if they’ve been abducted by aliens. Just remember: they have their reasons, even if they’re keeping it a secret. 🛸🤫
But hey, now you’ve cracked the code! With every lesson, you’re becoming more and more of a Korean language detective. Before you know it, you’ll be outwitting even the trickiest of verb irregularities and impressing everyone with your linguistic prowess.
So, give yourself a hearty pat on the back, maybe even treat yourself to some kimchi pancakes, and prepare for your next linguistic journey. After all, with every twist and turn in the language, there’s always a delicious discovery waiting to be made. 🍲🇰🇷
Keep it up, superstar, and remember: The world of Korean irregulars may be unpredictable, but so is a K-drama plot twist, and we wouldn’t have it any other way! 😂📺💙
Catch you on the next lesson, and keep those “ㅅ” verbs on their toes! 화이팅! ✌️🎈🎉