Korean Verb Conjugation Chart: A Simple Guide

Key takeaways

• Korean verb conjugation expresses tense, mood, and politeness — but verbs never change based on the subject. So no “I go” vs. “she goes” to memorize. Korean sentences follow a subject-object-verb (SOV) structure, with verbs always at the end.
• To conjugate a Korean verb, remove the -다 ending and add the right suffix for tense and formality level.
• Korean has three main politeness levels: informal (banmal), polite (-yo form), and formal (-mnida form). Choosing the right one matters as much as choosing the right tense.
• Korean also features multiple speech levels (formal, informal, casual), and verb endings change to reflect these speech levels, which is essential for proper communication.
• Irregular verbs like 하다, 듣다, and 돕다 follow recognizable patterns. Once you learn the pattern, you can apply it to every verb that belongs to that group.
• Korean verbs can have multiple suffixes attached to indicate tense, mood, and politeness. Mastering all the suffixes is key to mastering Korean conjugation.
• Korean recognizes four categories of verbs: action verbs, descriptive verbs (also called adjectives or stative verbs), existential verbs, and copulative verbs, each serving a different function in sentences. Understanding these categories is crucial for mastering Korean conjugation.
• Consistent daily practice — even just five new verbs a day — is what turns grammar charts into fluent speech.

Learning Korean vocabulary is satisfying. But until you can use those words in real sentences — across different times and contexts — they only get you so far.

That’s where Korean verb conjugation comes in. It’s the system that lets you say not just “eat,” but “I’m eating,” “I ate,” and “I’ll eat tomorrow.” And the good news? It’s more logical than it looks.

This guide breaks down Korean verb conjugation from the ground up: how the system works, what the conjugation chart looks like across all three tenses, how irregular verbs behave, and how to actually practice using conjugated verbs in real conversations. If you’re still building your vocabulary, start with basic Korean words before diving into conjugation.

How does Korean verb conjugation work?

In their base form, all Korean verbs end in -다. This is the dictionary form — what you'd look up if you wanted to find a verb. But this form is never used in actual speech. To use a verb in a sentence, you remove -다 and add the right ending.

Two things determine which ending you use:

1. Tense — when the action happens (present, past, or future).
2. Politeness level — how formal or casual the situation is.

To help our lovely learners, in addition to our online Korean lessons, Promova has put together this handy conjugation chart you can rely on.

Here's a quick look at how it works with two of the most common verbs:

• 하다 (to do) → 하 + verb ending
• 가다 (to go) → 가 + verb ending

And in practice:

The ending changes. The root stays the same.

Korean politeness levels explained

Before diving into the conjugation chart, it helps to understand the three politeness levels you’ll use most as a learner. In Korean, these are part of a broader system called speech levels—a way to convey formality, politeness, and the social relationship between the speaker and listener. Speech levels determine which verb endings and conjugations you use, and are essential for proper Korean communication. Korean is a hierarchical language — who you’re speaking to changes how you speak.

1. Informal / 반말 (banmal) Used with close friends, younger people, and in casual settings. It’s the speech you’ll hear in a lot of K-dramas between friends.

Example: 나 지금 가. (Na jigeum ga.) — I’m going now.

2. Polite / 해요체 (haeyoche) The -yo form. This is the everyday polite speech you’ll use most often — with strangers, coworkers, shop assistants, and anyone you’ve just met. Safe, natural, and universally appropriate.

Example: 지금 가요. (Jigeum gayo.) — I’m going now.

3. Formal / 합쇼체 (hapshyoche) The -mnida or -semnida form. Used in business settings, official announcements, speeches, and situations that call for maximum formality. You’ll also hear it in news broadcasts and presentations.

Example: 지금 갑니다. (Jigeum gamnida.) — I’m going now.

Quick rule: When in doubt, use the polite form (-yo). It works in almost every situation and never comes across as rude.

Korean verbs must be conjugated according to the appropriate speech level—formal, informal polite, or casual—and the choice of verb ending also depends on the verb stem’s final vowel. This variation in Korean verb conjugation reflects the level of politeness and formality required in a conversation, influenced by your relationship to the listener and the context.

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Korean verb conjugation chart: present tense

The present tense in Korean covers both "I do" and "I am doing" — there's no separate progressive form like in English.

Example sentences:

• 나 숙제해. (Na sukjehae.) — I'm doing my homework. (informal)
• 학교에 가요. (Hakgyo-e gayo.) — I'm going to school. (polite)
• 저는 일합니다. (Jeoneun ilhamnida.) — I work. (formal)
• 뭐 먹어요? (Mwo meogeoyo?) — What are you eating? (polite)

Korean verb conjugation chart: past tense

The past tense is formed by adding -았어 / -었어 (informal) or -았어요 / -었어요 (polite) to the verb stem. Which vowel you use depends on the last vowel in the stem — this is called vowel harmony.

• Stems with 아 or 오 → add 았어요
• All other stems → add 었어요
• 하다 verbs → always become 했어요

Example sentences:

• 나 어제 갔어. (Na eoje gatsseo.) — I went yesterday. (informal)
• 친구 집에 갔어요. (Chingu jip-e gatsseoyo.) — I went to a friend's house. (polite)
• 저는 회의했습니다. (Jeoneun hoeui-haetsseubnida.) — I had a meeting. (formal)
• 커피 마셨어요? (Keopi masyeosseoyo?) — Did you drink coffee? (polite)

Korean verb conjugation chart: future tense

The most common way to express future tense in Korean is with -(으)ㄹ 거예요 (polite), -(으)ㄹ 거야 (informal/casual form), or -(으)ㄹ 것입니다 (formal). The ending changes depending on the level of politeness: for casual form used in informal speech, the ending is -(으)ㄹ 거야, while in polite speech it is -(으)ㄹ 거예요 (note the change from 예요 to 야 for casual). Think of it as “going to” in English — it describes a plan or intention.

Example sentences:

• 나 내일 갈 거야. (Na naeil gal geoya.) — I’m going to go tomorrow. (informal/casual)
• 여행 갈 거예요. (Yeohaeng gal geoyeyo.) — I’m going on a trip. (polite)
• 저는 발표할 것입니다. (Jeoneun balpyohal geosimnida.) — I will give a presentation. (formal)
• 한국어 배울 거예요! (Hangugeo baeul geoyeyo!) — I’m going to learn Korean! (polite)

Complete conjugation reference: 5 essential verbs

Here’s a full side-by-side chart for five of the most common Korean verbs, demonstrating different conjugations for each verb across tenses and politeness levels. Use this as a quick reference as you practice.

What are irregular Korean verbs — and how do they work?

Some Korean verbs don't follow the standard conjugation rules. These are called irregular verbs, and while they can feel intimidating at first, the key thing to know is: they're not random. Each type follows its own consistent pattern. Learn the pattern once, and it applies to every verb in that group.

Here are the five most important irregular patterns for beginners:

ㅅ irregular — the ㅅ drops before a vowel

짓다 (to build) → 지어요 (present polite) / 지었어요 (past polite)

Other verbs in this group: 낫다 (to heal), 붓다 (to pour).

ㄷ irregular — the ㄷ changes to ㄹ before a vowel

듣다 (to listen) → 들어요 / 들었어요 걷다 (to walk) → 걸어요 / 걸었어요

ㅂ irregular — the ㅂ changes to 오 or 우 before a vowel

돕다 (to help) → 도와요 / 도왔어요 춥다 (to be cold) → 추워요 / 추웠어요

르 irregular — the ㄹ doubles and 어요 is added

빠르다 (to be fast) → 빨라요 / 빨랐어요 모르다 (to not know) → 몰라요 / 몰랐어요

ㅎ irregular — the ㅎ drops in certain conjugations

그렇다 (to be so) → 그래요 / 그랬어요 어떻다 (to be how/what) → 어때요 / 어땠어요

Irregular verb quick reference chart

Korean verb conjugation in real dialogues

Charts are useful. Seeing conjugated verbs in real conversations is even better. Here are four short dialogues that show how present, past, and future tense conjugations work in natural speech. In Korean sentences, the main verb always comes at the end, and the sentence structure follows a subject-object-verb (SOV) order. Understanding this sentence structure is key to forming grammatically correct Korean sentences and seeing how verb conjugation affects meaning.

Dialogue 1: Making plans (future tense)

A: 이번 주말에 뭐 할 거예요? (Ibeon jumal-e mwo hal geoyeyo?) What are you going to do this weekend?

B: 친구들이랑 영화 볼 거예요. 같이 갈 거예요? (Chingudeullang yeonghwa bol geoyeyo. Gachi gal geoyeyo?) I’m going to watch a movie with friends. Are you going to come with us?

A: 좋아요! 몇 시에 만날 거예요? (Johayo! Myeot si-e mannal geoyeyo?) Sounds good! What time are we going to meet?

B: 오후 세 시에 만날 거예요. (Ohu se si-e mannal geoyeyo.) We’re going to meet at 3 PM.

Conjugations used: 할 거예요 (will do), 볼 거예요 (will watch), 갈 거예요 (will go), 만날 거예요 (will meet)

Dialogue 2: Talking about yesterday (past tense)

A: 어제 뭐 했어요? (Eoje mwo haesseoyo?) What did you do yesterday?

B: 한국어 공부했어요. 그다음에 밥 먹었어요. (Hangugeo gongbu-haesseoyo. Geudaeume bap meogeosseoyo.) I studied Korean. Then I ate dinner.

A: 어디서 먹었어요? (Eodiseo meogeosseoyo?) Where did you eat?

B: 집 근처 식당에 갔어요. 비빔밥 먹었어요. 맛있었어요! (Jip geuncheo sikdang-e gasseoyo. Bibimbap meogeosseoyo. Massisseosseoyo!) I went to a restaurant near my house. I ate bibimbap. It was delicious!

Note: The past tense endings (like -었어요/-았어요) are used here to indicate a past event, showing actions that have already been completed.

Conjugations used: 했어요 (did), 공부했어요 (studied), 먹었어요 (ate), 갔어요 (went), 맛있었어요 (was delicious)

Dialogue 3: Current activities (present tense)

A: 지금 뭐 해요? (Jigeum mwo haeyo?) What are you doing now?

B: 한국 드라마 봐요. 정말 재미있어요. (Hanguk deurama bwayo. Jeongmal jaemiisseoyo.) I’m watching a Korean drama. It’s really interesting.

A: 한국어 많이 들어요? (Hangugeo manhi deureoyo?) Do you listen to a lot of Korean?

B: 네, 매일 들어요. 많이 배워요! (Ne, maeil deureoyo. Manhi baewoyo!) Yes, I listen every day. I’m learning a lot!

Note: To express ongoing action in Korean, you can use the construction -고 있어요 (e.g., 보고 있어요 for "am watching"). This form uses two verbs: the main verb stem plus the auxiliary verb 있다, conjugated appropriately. For example, "보고 있어요" means "I am watching" (ongoing action).

Conjugations used: 해요 (do/doing), 봐요 (watch/watching), 들어요 (listen — irregular ㄷ verb!), 배워요 (learn/learning)

Dialogue 4: Mixing tenses — talking about a trip

A: 한국에 가봤어요? (Hanguk-e gabwasseoyo?) Have you been to Korea?

B: 네, 작년에 갔어요. 서울에서 일 주일 있었어요. (Ne, jangnyeon-e gasseoyo. Seoul-eseo il juil isseosseoyo.) Yes, I went last year. I was in Seoul for a week.

A: 어땠어요? (Eottaesseoyo?) How was it?

B: 너무 좋았어요! 음식도 먹었고, 많이 걸었어요. 또 갈 거예요. (Neomu joasseoyo! Eumsikdo meogeotgo, manhi georeosseoyo. Ddo gal geoyeyo.) It was so good! I ate so much food, I walked a lot. I’m going to go again.

Conjugations used: 갔어요 (went), 있었어요 (was/stayed — irregular), 어땠어요 (how was it — irregular ㅎ verb), 좋았어요 (was good), 먹었고 (ate and…), 걸었어요 (walked — irregular ㄷ verb), 갈 거예요 (will go)

Common mistakes Korean beginners make with verb conjugation

Knowing what to avoid saves you a lot of confusion. Many mistakes happen because learners don’t fully understand how verbs change through different conjugation patterns and how suffixes are used to mark grammatical contrasts such as tense, mood, or politeness. Here are the four mistakes that trip up beginners most often:

Using the dictionary form in conversation. The form ending in -다 is for dictionaries, not speech. Saying 가다 instead of 가요 sounds unnatural — like reading words off a page. Always conjugate before you speak, following the correct conjugation pattern for the situation.

Mixing politeness levels. Starting a sentence in polite form (-yo) and finishing it in informal form (banmal) is jarring in Korean. Pick a level and stay consistent throughout the conversation.

Forgetting vowel harmony in the past tense. Whether you add -았어요 or -었어요 depends on the last vowel in the verb stem. 가다 → 갔어요 (아 vowel), 먹다 → 먹었어요 (other vowel). Getting this wrong doesn’t make you incomprehensible, but it’s worth paying attention to. The conjugation pattern here is essential for correct grammar and pronunciation.

Treating irregular verbs like regular ones. Saying 듣어요 instead of 들어요 is a common early mistake. The fix is simple: learn the five irregular patterns, and spot which group a verb belongs to before conjugating.

How to practice Korean verb conjugation effectively

Reading this guide is step one. To master Korean conjugation, you need to consistently practice Korean and conjugate Korean verbs in various forms. Making conjugation automatic takes a different kind of practice. Here’s what actually works:

Conjugate five new verbs every day. Pick five verbs, write them out in all three tenses and three politeness levels. That’s 45 forms per day — which sounds like a lot, but once you’ve done it a few times, the endings become automatic. This is a practical way to conjugate Korean verbs and reinforce your understanding of tense and politeness patterns.

Test yourself before checking. Cover the answer column, conjugate the verb from memory, then compare. This active recall is what actually builds retention, not passive reading. 

Keep a conjugation notebook. Group verbs by their irregular type. Every time you learn a new ㄷ irregular verb, add it to the ㄷ page. Your notebook becomes a personal reference that grows with you.

Use conjugated verbs in full sentences. Don’t just write 먹었어요. Write 어제 비빔밥 먹었어요 — “I ate bibimbap yesterday.” Meaning and context make words stick faster than drilling them in isolation. If you’re preparing for a trip, learning Korean for travel is a great way to practice real-life verb use from day one.

Practice with a conversation partner or AI. Knowing how to conjugate on paper and doing it in real time in a conversation are very different skills. The gap closes with speaking practice. Self-study Korean with Promova and you’ll find structured lessons that build exactly this kind of active fluency — see the section below.

Start learning Korean verb conjugation with Promova

Grammar charts are a great foundation. But real fluency comes from using conjugated verbs in actual conversations — where you have to produce the right form under pressure, without checking a table.

That’s exactly what Promova’s Korean course is built for.

What you get:

• Bite-sized lessons that walk you through verb tenses and endings step by step — no overwhelming grammar dumps, plus detailed coverage of Korean grammar and Korean conjugations.
• Interactive quizzes that test your conjugation knowledge and show you exactly where to improve. Try Korean exercises and quizzes to see how quickly you can level up.
• AI role-play practice with real-life scenarios — ordering food, making plans, talking about your day — so you conjugate verbs in context, not just on paper.
• Instant feedback on what you got right and where to adjust, so you’re building correct habits from the start.
• Mobile-friendly design so you can practice on the go, any time — commute, lunch break, or ten minutes before bed.

You don’t need to master every irregular verb before you start speaking. You need to start speaking so that mastering those verbs becomes natural. Learn Korean with Promova and build that habit one lesson at a time.

Summary

Korean verb conjugation follows a clear, logical system. Remove -다, add the right ending for tense and politeness. The three tenses — present, past, and future — each have their own set of endings. The three politeness levels — informal, polite, and formal — apply across all of them.

Irregular verbs add a layer of complexity, but they're not exceptions — they're patterns. Once you recognize which group a verb belongs to, conjugating it becomes straightforward.

The real work is practice: conjugating daily, using verbs in full sentences, and eventually using them in real conversations. The chart is where you start. Speaking is where you finish.