7.5. Korean Verbs with Vowel Bases

The second major type of Korean verb entails bases that end with a vowel. Vowel-base verbs are unfortunately somewhat more complex:

1. In one group, the infinitive is the same shape as the base. This includes bases ending in 아, 어 and 애:

2. In another group, the base ends in 이 and the infinitive ending -어 is added, but 이어 is abbreviated to 여:

Note that the base 쉬- cannot abbreviate (there is no 한글 letter combining 위 and 어 in one syllable):

3. A similar group consists of bases that end in 우; they add the ending -어 and then the sequence 우어 abbreviates to 워 if the base is just one syllable:

4. Vowel bases that end in 오 add the infinitive ending as -아 and then 오아 is shortened to 와 :

[Note that in the case of come, the contraction from 오아 to 와 is obligatory. In the case of see, note that Koreans frequently drop w after consonants, especially labial sounds like ㅂ, so you will hear 봐 pronounced 바 in fast or sloppy speech.]

5. Most vowel bases that end in 으 drop the 으 before adding the infinitive ending -어 (or -아, if there is a preceding syllable with 오 or 아):

6. But most vowel bases that end in 르 not only drop the 으 but double the ㄹ before adding the appropriate infinitive ending (normally -어, but -아 when the vowel of the preceding syllable is 오 or 아):

These are called L-doubling bases.

7. Another common kind of vowel base is one which looks at first glance like a consonant base: it ends in a vowel before some endings, but picks up an ㄹ before others, two of which are the infinitive and the dictionary form:

For each new ending you learn, you must memorize whether he -ㄹ- of these verbs stays or drops before it. So far you have not learned any endings which require the -ㄹ- to drop. These are called L-extending bases.

It is vital that you keep these L-extending bases apart from the ㄹ-ㄷ verbs like 들- listen introduced in section 7.4 above. Given an infinitive form like 물어, you do not know whether the base is 무-ㄹ- or 물- As it turns out, both bases exist:

8. Finally, there are three special infinitives we should mention.

a. BECOME The infinitive of this verb usually has the same shape as the base, but is sometimes spelled — and occasionally pronounced — 돼 (though pronounced with a long vowel):

b. COPULA The infinitive of the copula is irregular in that it does not abbreviate from -이어 to -여. Note also that the relationship between Polite Style and Infinitive in the copula is irregular:

c. DO The important verb 하- do has an irregular infinitive: 해 (the literary form of the infinitive which you may sometimes see is: 하여) does.

There are a few other kinds of verb bases that you will learn about later.

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