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Korean Language - Compound Verbs

Compound verbs may be formed by combining more than two verbs. As illustrated below, the regular method of combining uses only the stem of the first verb. The irregular method may use a conjugated verb ending or a changed stem of the first verb.

Example:

오다  + 가다  = 오가다    come + go = come and go
오르다 + 내리다 = 오르내리다   ascend + descend = ascend and descend

Conjugation of verbs

1. The verb conjugation Rule

The verb in Korean consists of “verb stem” and “verb ending”. The stem stays the same, while the ending may conjugate.

Original Form

가다

좋다

이다

있다

Declarative

가-ㄴ다

좋-ㄴ다

이-ㄴ다

있-ㄴ다

Interrogative

가-ㅂ니까

좋-ㅂ니까

이-ㅂ니까

있-ㅂ니까

Connective

가-면

좋-면

이-면

있-면

Adnominal

가-는

좋-는

이-는

있-는

Nominal

가-ㅁ

좋-ㅁ

이-ㅁ

있-ㅁ

Examples:

철수가 학교에 갑니다 ( 가 – ㅂ니다) Chulsoo is going to school
저기 가는 (가 –는 ) 사람이 이 선생 이에요 (이 – 에요) ? The person going there is Mr. Lee?

2. Verb conjugation Types

Conjugation ending not only change the meaning of the verbs, but also the case of the verbs in the sentence. Depending upon their grammatical functions in the sentence, the following types of the conjugation may be delineated : The termination ending, connective endings, the adnominal endings and nominal endings.

3. Verb Conjugation and Suffixes

There are words, called suffixes, which are put in between the stem and the ending of a verb, modifying the meaning and the grammatical function of the verb. By the use of the suffix, a verb may become passive or causative, a verb can be made to an honorific form, the tense or the aspect of the verb may change.

Example

어머니께서 아이에게 밥을 먹이시었습니다.

먹 -------------- 이 ------------- 시 -------------- 었----------------- 읍니다
Verb Causative Honorific Tense Verb
Syem Suffixes Suffixes Suffixes Ending