Verb conjugation: 아 and 어

[jessicanekoneko]

So basically, I don't know how to really conjugate verbs at all, I listen to a lot of Korean, so I can hear what sounds right and wrong.

But I'd like to learn how to actually conjugate verbs, and so far the internet hasn't given me a verb chart or anything to go off of.

One of my biggest questions is how do you know when to use 아 or 어 in present tense?

For example:
(보) + 아요
and
(먹) + 어요

and I am aware that (보) + 아요 combines and become 봐요, and I understand that, but why do we chose 아 and not 어? Whats the rule?
Or is it something that just must be memorized? Also, is there another conjugation besides 아 and 어 for different verbs?

Sorry if this was a confusing question, and thank you!

[SiEd]

So basically, I don't know how to really conjugate verbs at all, I listen to a lot of Korean, so I can hear what sounds right and wrong.

But I'd like to learn how to actually conjugate verbs, and so far the internet hasn't given me a verb chart or anything to go off of.

One of my biggest questions is how do you know when to use 아 or 어 in present tense?

For example:
(보) + 아요
and
(먹) + 어요

and I am aware that (보) + 아요 combines and become 봐요, and I understand that, but why do we chose 아 and not 어? Whats the rule?
Or is it something that just must be memorized? Also, is there another conjugation besides 아 and 어 for different verbs?

Sorry if this was a confusing question, and thank you!

The standard rule is quite simple, actually. First, look at the final (or only) vowel in the verb root. If this vowel is ㅗ or ㅏ, the conjugation is 아. For any other vowel, the conjugation vowel is 어.

There is one major exception to this: multi-syllabic (i.e. multiple jamo) irregular-ㅂ verbs. When you encounter one of these verbs, the conjugation changes the ㅂ into 우, which then tells you that you should use 어, no matter what the final vowel in the root is, e.g. 가깝다 > 가까워(요) 'to be near'; 고맙다 > 고마워(요) 'to be grateful'.

However, single-syllable (single jamo) irregular-ㅂ verbs follow the first rule, with the ㅂ becoming 오, e.g. 돕다 > 도와(요) 'to help'.

Hope this helps.

[jessicanekoneko]

So basically, I don't know how to really conjugate verbs at all, I listen to a lot of Korean, so I can hear what sounds right and wrong.

But I'd like to learn how to actually conjugate verbs, and so far the internet hasn't given me a verb chart or anything to go off of.

One of my biggest questions is how do you know when to use 아 or 어 in present tense?

For example:
(보) + 아요
and
(먹) + 어요

and I am aware that (보) + 아요 combines and become 봐요, and I understand that, but why do we chose 아 and not 어? Whats the rule?
Or is it something that just must be memorized? Also, is there another conjugation besides 아 and 어 for different verbs?

Sorry if this was a confusing question, and thank you!

The standard rule is quite simple, actually. First, look at the final (or only) vowel in the verb root. If this vowel is ㅗ or ㅏ, the conjugation is 아. For any other vowel, the conjugation vowel is 어.

There is one major exception to this: multi-syllabic (i.e. multiple jamo) irregular-ㅂ verbs. When you encounter one of these verbs, the conjugation changes the ㅂ into 우, which then tells you that you should use 어, no matter what the final vowel in the root is, e.g. 가깝다 > 가까워(요) 'to be near'; 고맙다 > 고마워(요) 'to be grateful'.

However, single-syllable (single jamo) irregular-ㅂ verbs follow the first rule, with the ㅂ becoming 오, e.g. 돕다 > 도와(요) 'to help'.

Hope this helps.

Oh okay that helps a lot thank you!

But so then what about consonants?

[SiEd]

Oh okay that helps a lot thank you!

But so then what about consonants?

Consonants (except for the irregular ㅂ and ㅎ verbs, which I'll explain later) don't really determine which vowel (i.e. 아 or 어) comes afterward. However, there are several classes of irregular verbs (and these you'll just have to memorize).

Apart from the irregular ㅂ verbs, there are:

- Irregular ㄷ verbs, which change into ㄹ, e.g. 듣다 > 들어(요) 'to listen'; 걷다 > 걸어(요) 'to walk'

- Irregular ㄹ verbs, where the ㄹ disappears under the -는/ㄴ/는데, -세요, and ㅂ니다 conjugations, e.g. 살다 > 사는/산/사는데; 사세요; 삽니다 'to live'

- Irregular 르 verbs, which changes into ㄹㄹV, where V agrees with the final vowel in the verb root, e.g. 모르다 > 몰라(요) 'to not know', 빠르다 > 빨라(요) 'to be fast'.

- Irregular ㅅ verbs, where the ㅅ drops out, e.g. 짓다 > 지어 'to build'

- Irregular ㅎ verbs, where the ㅎ drops out and the final vowel becomes 애, whether the vowel is 어 or 아, e.g. 그렇다 > 그래요 'to be that way', 노랗다 > 노래요 'to be yellow".

Hope that helps.

[jessicanekoneko]

Oh okay that helps a lot thank you!

But so then what about consonants?

Consonants (except for the irregular ㅂ and ㅎ verbs, which I'll explain later) don't really determine which vowel (i.e. 아 or 어) comes afterward. However, there are several classes of irregular verbs (and these you'll just have to memorize).

Apart from the irregular ㅂ verbs, there are:

- Irregular ㄷ verbs, which change into ㄹ, e.g. 듣다 > 들어(요) 'to listen'; 걷다 > 걸어(요) 'to walk'

- Irregular ㄹ verbs, where the ㄹ disappears under the -는/ㄴ/는데, -세요, and ㅂ니다 conjugations, e.g. 살다 > 사는/산/사는데; 사세요; 삽니다 'to live'

- Irregular 르 verbs, which changes into ㄹㄹV, where V agrees with the final vowel in the verb root, e.g. 모르다 > 몰라(요) 'to not know', 빠르다 > 빨라(요) 'to be fast'.

- Irregular ㅅ verbs, where the ㅅ drops out, e.g. 짓다 > 지어 'to build'

- Irregular ㅎ verbs, where the ㅎ drops out and the final vowel becomes 애, whether the vowel is 어 or 아, e.g. 그렇다 > 그래요 'to be that way', 노랗다 > 노래요 'to be yellow".

Hope that helps.

Alright... I think im starting to get those...
But wait, what about regular consonants?
Sorry for the massive amount of questions! But thanks these explanations really helped

[SiEd]

Alright... I think im starting to get those...
But wait, what about regular consonants?
Sorry for the massive amount of questions! But thanks these explanations really helped

They just remain unchanged, e.g. 짧다 > 짧아(요) 'to be short (in duration)", 좋다 > 좋아(요) 'to be good', 먹다 > 먹어(요) 'to eat'. They're unaffected by the vowel selection.

[rooraa]

I just have to say this topic is really helpful! Thanks to jessicanekoneko for asking these questions and thank you SiEd for giving amazing and understandable explainations!

[jplato]

I was also getting a bit confused on conjugation. This web page has an excellent explanation: http://www.learnkoreanlanguage.com/Korean-Verbs.html

[Keith]

Thank you for your explanation Ed! It's very appreciated ^^