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'ㅂ' 불규칙 (Irregular Conjugation)
When an irregular stem ending in 'ㅂ' meets an ending starting with a vowel, the 'ㅂ' changes to '우'. (For '돕다' and '곱다', it changes to '오' when meeting -아/어).
Summary
Equivalent
'ㅂ' Irregular
Example
The weather is really cold today. (춥다)
오늘 날씨가 정말 추워요.
Grammar rules
- Example: 춥다 + 어요 -> 추우 + 어요 -> 추워요.
- 맵다 + (으)면 -> 매우 + 면 -> 매우면.
- Before constants (like -고, -지만), it remains regular (춥고, 맵지만). Also, some verbs are REGULAR and do not change (입다 -> 입어요, 잡다 -> 잡아요, 좁다 -> 좁아요).
어렵다 -> 어려워요 (Difficult), 돕다 -> 도와요 (Help)
Patterns
1
Some Verbs/Adjectives ending in 'ㅂ'
Meeting a Vowel · Stem (drop ㅂ) + 우/오 + Vowel Endings
Example sentences
The weather is really cold today. (춥다)
오늘 날씨가 정말 추워요.
Do you eat spicy food well? (맵다 + (으)ㄴ)
매운 음식을 잘 먹어요?
I will help you. (돕다)
제가 도와드릴게요.
Conversation
A: How is studying Korean?
한국어 공부가 어때요?
B: It is a little difficult, but fun. (어렵다)
조금 어렵지만 재미있어요.
Practice
Fill in the blank
Select the correct conjugated form for the 'ㅂ' irregular.
Spicy.
Easy.