안녕하세요, Korean learners! Buckle up, because today, we’re diving deep into the thrilling world of Korean verb dramas, featuring our superstar of the day: irregular verbs with ‘르’!
You might be thinking, “Oh, another irregular? Just when I thought I had things down!” Well, fear not! While these ‘르’ verbs might sound like they’re about to drop the hottest K-pop track of the year, in reality, they’re just here to add a little zest to your Korean learning journey.
If Korean verbs were a K-drama, then ‘르’ irregulars are the charismatic lead that keeps you guessing episode after episode. So grab your popcorn (or kimchi!) and get ready for a rollercoaster ride through the land of ‘르’. Let’s roll (or should I say… ‘르’oll?)!
Ready, set, let’s 시작!
What are 르 Irregular Verbs
“르” irregular verbs are defined by the presence of a “르” syllable immediately before the verb stem’s ending. This “르” is pivotal; when conjugating these verbs, the “르” undergoes a transformation that affects the verb’s entire conjugation process. This change is not merely a grammatical quirk but a reflection of the Korean language’s phonetic rules and its tendency towards ease of pronunciation.
The transformation that “르” irregular verbs undergo is deeply rooted in Korean phonology, specifically in the principle of vowel harmony and the avoidance of sound clusters that are difficult to pronounce. When “르” is followed by a vowel-starting verb ending, the “르” interacts with the following vowel, leading to a change in the verb’s stem. This adjustment ensures smoother transitions between sounds, facilitating ease of speech and maintaining the rhythmic flow of the language.
Conjugation of 르 irregulars to present tense
- Take a verb i.e. 모르다
- Drop 다 i.e. 다
- Drop “르” i.e. 모
- Add appropriate ending based on the below (in this case it becomes 몰라요)
- If the vowel before “르” is ㅏ or ㅗ, add ㄹ라요
- If the vowel before “르” is not ㅏ or ㅗ, add ㄹ러요
- 빠르다 –> 빠 + ㄹ라요 –> 빨라요
- 서두르다 –> 서두 + ㄹ러요 –> 서둘러요
- 자르다 –> 자 + ㄹ라요 –> 잘라요
- 찌르다 –> 찌 + ㄹ러요 –> 찔러요
Identifying “르” irregular verbs
Spotting a ‘르’ irregular verb amidst the plethora of verbs in the Korean language can feel like finding Waldo in a crowd. But with a keen eye for detail and a grasp of the rules, you’ll soon become a pro at identifying them. Let’s explore the characteristics and tell-tale signs of ‘르’ irregular verbs.
Stem Check: The most straightforward indicator of a ‘르’ irregular verb is its stem. Remember, in its dictionary form, every Korean verb typically ends with “다” (da). The stem is what remains after you’ve removed the “다”.
If the stem of a verb ends with ‘르’, you’re likely looking at a ‘르’ irregular verb.
Examples:
- 빠르다 (to be fast): The stem is “빠르”, which ends in ‘르’.
- 모르다 (to not know): The stem is “모르”, which again ends in ‘르’.
Conjugation Patterns:
One way to confirm if you’re indeed dealing with a ‘르’ irregular is by attempting to conjugate it. If the stem adds an ㄹ when conjugating in certain forms, it’s a ‘르’ irregular.
For example, for the verb “모르다” in the present tense:
- 모르다 becomes 모 + ㄹ라요 → 몰라요 (doesn’t know)
Common Usage and Context:
Sometimes, recognizing the context in which certain verbs are used can also hint at their ‘르’ irregularity. For instance, verbs like 모르다 (to not know) or 길르다 (to pave) are frequently used in everyday contexts, so with enough exposure, you’ll instinctively identify them as ‘르’ irregulars.
Practice and Immersion:
The more you expose yourself to Korean – be it through reading, listening, or speaking – the better you’ll become at spotting these irregulars. They’ll soon stand out just by the nature of their usage and conjugation.
Common 르 Irregular Verbs
| Korean | English | Highest honorific | Present tense | Past tense | Future tense |
| 가르다 | To divide | 가릅니다 | 갈라요 | 갈랐어요 | 가를 거예요 |
| 거르다 | To filter out | 거릅니다 | 걸러요 | 걸어요 | 거를 거예요 |
| 고르다 | To choose | 고릅니다 | 골라요 | 골랐어요 | 고를 거예요 |
| 기르다 | To raise | 기립니다 | 길러요 | 길렀어요 | 기를 거예요 |
| 나르다 | To carry | 나릅니다 | 날라요 | 날랐어요 | 나를 거예요 |
| 날아오르다 | To fly up | 날아오릅니다 | 날아올라요 | 날아올랐어요 | 날아오를 거예요 |
| 누르다 | To press | 누릅니다 | 눌러요 | 눌렀어요 | 누를 거예요 |
| 다르다 | To be different | 다릅니다 | 달라요 | 달랐어요 | 다를 거예요 |
| 두르다 | To wrap up | 두릅니다 | 둘러요 | 둘렀어요 | 두를 거예요 |
| 떠오르다 | To come up | 떠오릅니다 | 떠올라요 | 떠올랐어요 | 또오를 거예요 |
| 뛰어오르다 | To jump up | 뛰어오릅니다 | 뛰어올라요 | 뛰어올랐어요 | 뛰어오를 거예요 |
| 마르다 | To dry up | 마릅니다 | 말라요 | 말랐어요 | 마를 거예요 |
| 모르다 | To not know | 모릅니다 | 몰라요 | 몰랐어요 | 모를 거예요 |
| 목마르다 | To be thirsty | 목마릅니다 | 목말라요 | 목말랐어요 | 목마를 거예요 |
| 배부르다 | To be full | 배부릅니다 | 배불러요 | 배불렀어요 | 배부를 거예요 |
| 바르다 | To put on | 바릅니다 | 발라요 | 발랐어요 | 바를 거예요 |
| 부르다 | To call | 부릅니다 | 불러요 | 불렀어요 | 부를 거예요 |
| 빠르다 | To be fast | 빠릅니다 | 빨라요 | 빨랐어요 | 빠를 거예요 |
| 서두르다 | To hurry up | 서두릅니다 | 서둘러요 | 서둘렀어요 | 서드를 거예요 |
| 서투르다 | To be clumsy | 서투릅니다 | 서툴러요 | 서툴렀어요 | 서투를 거예요 |
| 앞지르다 | To get ahead of | 앞지릅니다 | 앞질러요 | 앞질렀어요 | 앞지를 거예요 |
| 오르다 | To ascend | 오릅니다 | 올라요 | 올랐어요 | 오를 거예요 |
| 자르다 | To cut off | 자릅니다 | 잘라요 | 잘랐어요 | 자를 거예요 |
| 저지르다 | To commit crime | 저지릅니다 | 저질러요 | 저즐렀어요 | 저지를 거예요 |
| 지르다 | To shout out | 지릅니다 | 질러요 | 질렀어요 | 지를 거예요 |
| 차오르다 | To come up | 차오릅니다 | 차올라요 | 차올랐어요 | 차오를 거예요 |
| 흐르다 | To flow | 흐릅니다 | 흘러요 | 흘렀어요 | 흐를 거예요 |
Negative sentences
안
안 + Conjugated verb in a present tense
- Take a verb i.e. 자르다
- Conjugate it i.e. 잘라요
- Add 안 before the verb i.e. 안 잘라요
- 고르다 –> 골라요 –> 안 골라요
- 부르다 –> 불러요 –> 안 불러요
- 빠르다 –> 빨라요 –> 안 빨라요
- 흐르다 –> 흘러요 –> 안 흘러요
지 않다
Now, this one is a little bit different because it doesn’t require the conjugation using the 아/어/여 structure. Therefore, the conjugation becomes the usual conjugation without the irregularities.
VERB STEM + 지 않다
- Take a verb i.e. 자르다
- Drop 다 i.e. 다
- Add -지 않다 i.e. 자르지 않다
- 고르다 –> 고르 + 지 않다 –> 고르지 않다
- 부르다 –> 부르 + 지 않다 –> 부르지 않다
- 흐르다 –> 흐르 + 지 않다 –> 흐르지 않다
- 빠르다 –> 빠르 + 지 않다 –> 빠르지 않다
Examples
- 저는 노래를 불러요. – I sing a song.
- 그 차가 빨라요. – That car is fast.
- 하나 골랐어요. – I chose one.
- 이 버튼 누를 거예요. – I will press this button.
Activity 1
Conjugate the below into future tense.
- 두르다
- 나르다
- 다르다
- 오르다
- 지르다
Activity 2
Make the following sentences negative using “-지 않다”
- 갑자기 떠올랐어요.
- 배가 배불러요.
- 그녀는 노래 불렀어요.
- 옷이 다 말랐어요.
- 머리를 자를 거예요.
Activity 1 Answers
- 두르다 – 두를 거예요
- 나르다 – 나를 거예요
- 다르다 – 다를 거예요
- 오르다 – 오를 거예요
- 지르다 – 지를 거예요
Activity 2 Answers
- 갑자기 떠오르지 않았어요.
- 배가 배부르지 않아요.
- 그녀는 노래 부르지 않았어요.
- 옷이 다 마르지 않았어요.
- 머리를 자르지 않을 거예요.
Wrap up
Alright, superstar Korean learners!
Remember when we started this journey and the ‘르’ irregular verbs seemed like pesky little gremlins trying to mess up our Korean flow? Well, look at us now! Not only did we tame those gremlins, but we also threw them a dance party!
Let’s be real – we’ve tackled a tricky part of the Korean language, and while we might have had a few stumbles along the way (maybe even threw our notebooks in despair… just me?), we’re emerging stronger, smarter, and definitely funnier.
Why? Because now we can proudly tell our friends, “Guess who knows their ‘르’ irregulars and can be super negative in Korean, but in a grammatically correct way? THIS GUY/GAL!”
Jokes aside, you’ve done an amazing job. Pat yourself on the back, reward yourself with some kimchi pancakes or a K-drama binge-watching session, and always remember: Learning is a journey, not a destination. But it does help when there are some good laughs along the way!
Please share your experiences, challenges, or tips related to learning “르” irregular verbs in the comments section below. Your insights could be the guiding light for someone else struggling with these tricky conjugations. Let’s continue to support and inspire each other, building a community of learners who grow together in their pursuit of Korean language mastery.
See you next lesson, where we tackle another delightful chunk of the Korean language. Keep those spirits high and those verbs conjugating!