Learn Korean Grammar 80: ㅅ irregular conjugation

Hello~Welcome to Basic Korean.

In this lesson, we're going to learn Korean grammar 'ㅅ irregular conjugation.'

If you want to listen to this lesson in Korean (with English subtitles), please watch the below video. 

🎬 Korean Grammar Video 80: https://youtu.be/_OxEeABKYG4 

🌲Korean Grammar 80: ㅅ irregular conjugation

(You can have this post in Korean.)

Let's look at examples first and see how today's grammar is used.

1. A short conversation

- The [sky blue] is pronunciation.

ㅅ irregular conjugation example

[Translation]

- 나나: 미소 씨, 감기는 다 나았어요?

            (Miso, have you got over your cold?)

        

- 미소: 아니요. 약을 먹었는데도 잘 낫지 않네요.

            (No. I took some medicine, but it does not get better well.)

Here, today's grammar is '나았어요?, 낫지 않네요.' They are conjugated from the verb '낫다 (to recover).' Let's find out today's grammar.

2. ㅅ irregular conjugation rules

2.1 ㅅ irregular conjugation comparison

example of ㅅ irregular conjugation

Let's compare '낫지 않네요' to '나았어요.'

Firstly, let's look at '낫지 않네요.

• 낫지 않네요: 낫다 + 지 않네요

• It is a combination of the verb '낫다' and '지 않다' which begins with the consonant.
• In this case, you can say '낫지 않네요.'
• The final consonant 'ㅅ'  from '낫' remains the same. There is no change.

On the other hand,

• 나았어요: 낫다 + 았어요
• '나았어요' is the combination of the verb '낫다' and '았어요' which begins with the vowel.
• In this case, you cannot say  '낫았어요' which is wrong.
• When the final consonant 'ㅅ' is followed by a vowel, you should delete the final consonant 'ㅅ.'
• So you can say '나았어요.' 
• And this is called ㅅ irregular conjugation.

Let’s find out more about today's grammar.

2.2. ㅅ + vowel 

ㅅ irregular conjugation rules

• 'ㅅ' irregular conjugation occurs when an adjective/verb stem ends with the final consonant 'ㅅ' and a vowel is followed, 'ㅅ' is dropped.

Let's look at some examples.

✎ 낫다 (to recover) + 아요

ㅅ irregular conjugation example

• '낫다' is a 'ㅅ' irregular verb and let's attach '아요.'
• Remove '다', then there is the final consonant 'ㅅ.'
• And '아요' which begins with a vowel is added.
• Then, delete the final consonant 'ㅅ', and add '아요' after that.
• So you can say  '나아요'.
  
  
• One thing you need to remember is that when 'ㅅ' irregular conjugation occurs, vowel contraction does not occur. 
• For example, the vowel 'ㅏ' from '나' and the following vowel 'ㅏ' does not contract.
• So you cannot say '나요' as the contraction form.
• You should say '나아요'.

✎ 짓다 (to build) + 었어요

ㅅ irregular conjugation example

• '짓다' is a 'ㅅ' irregular verb and let's attach '었어요.'
• Remove '다', then there is the final consonant 'ㅅ.'
• And '었어요' which begins with a vowel is added.
• Then, delete the final consonant 'ㅅ', and add '었어요' after that.
• So you can say  '지었어요'.
  
  
• Here, again, when 'ㅅ' irregular conjugation occurs, vowel contraction does not occur. 
• So, the vowel 'ㅣ' from '지' and the following vowel 'ㅓ' does not contract.
• So you cannot say '졌어요' as the contraction form.
• You should say '지었어요'.

✎ 낫다 (to recover) + 아요, 었어요, 아서

ㅅ irregular conjugation example

• When you attach final endings which begins with a vowel such as '아요, 았어요, 아서' after '낫다', delete the final consonant 'ㅅ.' from '낫.'
• So they becomes '나아요, 나았어요, 나아서.'

2.3. ㅅ irregular conjugation rules: ㅅ + vowel 

Now, let's find out when the final consonant 'ㅅ' is followed by a final ending which begins with a consonant. 

ㅅ + consonant

• When the final consonant 'ㅅ' is followed by a consonant, the final consonant 'ㅅ' remains the same.

✎ 낫다 (to recover) + 지 않다

ㅅ irregular verb + consonant

• '낫다' is a 'ㅅ' irregular verb and let's attach '지 않다.'
• Remove '다', then there is the final consonant 'ㅅ.'
• Then the final consonant 'ㅅ' is followed by the ending which begins with a consonant.
• In this case, 'ㅅ' remains the same, and attach '지 않다' after that.
• So it becomes '낫지 않다.'

Let's look at another example.

✎ 짓다 (to build) + 고

ㅅ irrgular verb + consonant

• '짓다' is a 'ㅅ' irregular verb and let's attach '고'
• Remove '다', then there is the final consonant 'ㅅ.'
• Then the final consonant 'ㅅ' is followed by the ending which begins with a consonant.
• In this case, 'ㅅ' remains the same, and attach '고' after that.
• So it becomes '짓고.'

✎ 낫다 (to recover) + 지 않다, 고, 지만

ㅅ irrgular verb + consonant

• When you attach final endings which begins with a consonant such as '지 않다, 고, 지만' after '낫다', the final consonant 'ㅅ' remains the same.
• So they becomes '낫지 않다, 낫고, 낫지만.'

2.4. ㅅ + vowel & ㅅ+ consonant

Let's summerise 'ㅅ' irregular conjugation.'

ㅅ irregular conjugation comparison

(1) ㅅ + vowel

• When an adjective/verb stem ends with the final consonant 'ㅅ' is followed by a final ending which begins with a vowel, delete the final consonant 'ㅅ.' 
• So, when the verb '낫다' is followed by '아요,' delete the final consonant 'ㅅ' and say '나아요.'
• You should delete the final consonant 'ㅅ.'

(2) ㅅ + consonant

• On the other hand, when the final consonant 'ㅅ' is followed by a consonant, 'ㅅ' remains the same.
• So, when the verb '낫다' is followed by '고' which begins with a consonant, the final consonant 'ㅅ' remains the same.
• So you should say '낫고.'
• The final consonant 'ㅅ' remains the same.

3. ㅅ irregular and regular verbs

ㅅ irregular & ㅅ regular adjectives/verbs

• ㅅ irregular adjectives/verbs: 
  '긋다 (to draw), 붓다 (to pour), 잇다 (to link), 젓다 (to stir), 짓다 (to build), (병이)낫다 (to recover), (누구보다 실력이)낫다 (to be better).'
• ㅅ regular adjectives/verbs:
  '웃다 (to smile), 씻다 (to wash), 벗다 (to take off), 빼앗다 (to extort), 솟다 (to rise)' 

4. ㅅ regular conjugation

Now let's find out how 'ㅅ' regular adjectives/verbs are conjugated.

ㅅ regular conjugation rule

• When the final consonant 'ㅅ' is followed by a final ending which begins with either a vowel or a consonant, the final consonant 'ㅅ' remains the same.

Let's look at some examples.

✎ 1. ㅅ + vowel: 웃다 (to smile) + 어요

ㅅ regular conjugation example

• '웃다' is a 'ㅅ' regular verb. Let's attach '어요.'
• Remove '다', then there is the final consonant 'ㅅ.'
• Attach '어요', which begins with a vowel. 
• In this case, 'ㅅ' remains the same.
• So it becomes '웃어요.'
• The final consonant 'ㅅ' remains the same.

Now, let's find out when the final consonant 'ㅅ' is followed by a consonant.

✎ 2. ㅅ + consonant: 웃다 (to smile) + 지만

ㅅ regular conjugation example

• '웃다' is a 'ㅅ' regular verb. Let's attach '지만.'
• Remove '다', then there is the final consonant 'ㅅ.'
• Attach '지만', which begins with a consonant. 
• In this case, 'ㅅ' remains the same.
• So it becomes '웃지만.'
• The final consonant 'ㅅ' remains the same.

5. Compare ㅅ irregular conjugation to ㅅ regular conjugation

Let's compare 'ㅅ'  irregular conjugation and 'ㅅ' regular conjugation.

ㅅ irregular and ㅅ regular conjugation

(1) ㅅ irregular conjugation

• When the final consonant 'ㅅ' is followed by a final ending which begins with a vowel, delete the final consonant 'ㅅ.' 
• So '아요' attaches after the verb  '낫다,' it becomes '나아요.'
• You should delete the final consonant 'ㅅ.'
• ㅅ irregular conjugation adjectives/verbs: 긋다, 붓다, 잇다, 젓다, 짓다, 낫다

(2) ㅅ regular conjugation

• When the final consonant 'ㅅ' is followed by either a vowel or a consonant, 'ㅅ' remains the same.
• So, when you attach '어요' after the verb '웃다,' you can say '웃어요.'
• The final consonant 'ㅅ' remains the same.
• ㅅ regular conjugation adjectives/verbs: 웃다, 씻다, 벗다, 빼앗다, 솟다

Now, let's look at some more examples.

6. Exmaples

ㅅ irregular conjugation example

• 아기 이름을 누가 지었어요? (짓다 + 었어요?)
  (Who named the baby?)
• '었어요', which begins with a vowel, is used after '짓다.'
  
• You should delete the final consonant 'ㅅ.'
• So, it becomes '지었어요?'
  
  
• 저보다 나나씨 한국어 실력이 더 나아요. (낫다 + 아요)
  (Nana's Korean is better than mine.)

  • '아요', which begins with a vowel, is used after '낫다.'
  • You should delete the final consonant 'ㅅ.'
  • So, it becomes '나아요'

  
  
• 중요한 부분에는 밑줄을 그으세요. (긋다 + 으세요)
  (Please underline the important parts.)

  • '으세요', which begins with a vowel, is used after '긋다 (to draw).'
  • You should delete the final consonant 'ㅅ.'
  • So, it becomes '그으세요'

  
  
• 컵에 물을 붓고 저으세요. (붓다 + 고, 젓다 + 으세요)
  (Please pour water in the cup and stir.)
  • '고' attaches after the verb '붓다'. So the final consonant 'ㅅ' remains. So it becomes '붓고.'
  • So '으세요' attaches after the verb  '젓다,' so  'ㅅ' is deleted. So, it becomes '그으세요'

Let's look at another short conversation. 

The [sky blue] is pronunciation.

ㅅ irregular conjugation example

[Translation]

- 나나: 미소 씨, 어제 뭐 했어요? 얼굴이 탱탱 부었어요.
            (Miso, what did you do yesterday? Your face is swollen a lot.)

      

- 미소: 어젯밤에 라면을 먹고 잤더니 얼굴도 붓고 속도 안 좋아요.

            (I had ramen last night and slept. So my face was swollen
            and my stomach is upset.)

• '부었어요' is the combination of the verb '붓다' and '었어요' which begins with the vowel.
• '붓고' is a combination of the verb '붓다' and '고' which begins with the consonant.

Today we've learned 'ㅅ' irregular conjugation. That's all for today.

It might be difficult, so you can try the quiz and check out today's lesson.

Quiz PDF link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Vp-v1L2YlT1mH2lrAeKPm8N90xUc6v0a/view?usp=sharing

Thank you.