Korean Grammar: 'ㅎ' Irregular Verbs (ㅎ 불규칙) Irregular Verbs Explained | Soona Study Lab
- Lee Serene
- Apr 13
- 4 min read
The Shape-Shifters: Korean 'ㅎ' Irregular Verbs (ㅎ 불규칙)
Korean 'ㅎ' irregular verbs are extremely important because they are mostly used to express Colors (파랗다, 빨갛다, 노랗다) and States/Conditions (그렇다, 어떻다, 이렇다).
Here is the tricky part: when these adjectives meet a grammar pattern that starts with a vowel like '-아/어요', two things happen. First, the 'ㅎ' completely disappears. Second, the final vowel '아/어' transforms into '애/에' (or '얘/예'). For example, 파랗다 becomes 파래요.
Don't worry! Because these words are related to describing things in your daily life, you will use them all the time. We'll also cover the regular exceptions (mostly action verbs like 좋다, 많다, 넣다) that you must memorize.
Click the play buttons in the interactive module below to listen to the native pronunciation and practice reading out loud!
(The full text and discussion questions are provided at the bottom of the page.)
Practice Makes Perfect
Memorizing the rule of the 'ㅎ' irregular verb is just the first step. To truly speak Korean with confidence, you need to practice saying words like "파래요" and "어때요?" out loud until they become muscle memory. Stop calculating the grammar in your head and start speaking!
If you found this grammar breakdown helpful and want to practice building complex sentences in real-time, join my 1:1 conversation classes. Let's conquer your Korean goals together!
Full Grammar Breakdown, Conjugation Tables & Discussion (Free Study Materials)
Korean Grammar: 'ㅎ' Irregular Verbs (ㅎ 불규칙) Irregular Verbs Explained | Soona Study Lab
The Rule: Drop the ㅎ, Change the Vowel!
If an adjective stem ends with 'ㅎ', and the next grammar pattern starts with -아/어요, two things happen:
The 'ㅎ' drops.
The final vowel '아/어' changes to '애/에' (or '얘/예').
Note: This rule mostly applies to Adjectives. Action verbs ending in ㅎ are usually regular.
[Dictionary Form -> Meaning -> Conjugation]
파랗다 -> To be blue -> 파라 + 아요 = 파래요
빨갛다 -> To be red -> 빨가 + 아요 = 빨개요
하얗다 -> To be white -> 하야 + 아요 = 하얘요
어떻다 -> To be how -> 어떠 + 어요 = 어때요
그렇다 -> To be so / like that -> 그러 + 어요 = 그래요
When meeting grammar with (으)
When 'ㅎ' irregulars meet grammar patterns like -(으)ㄴ or -(으)면, first drop the 'ㅎ'. Now the stem ends in a vowel (e.g., 파라), so you simply attach the vowel-ending form (-ㄴ or -면).
파랗다 -> 파라 + ㄴ = 파란 (Noun Modifier)
그렇다 -> 그러 + 면 = 그러면 (If/When)
어떻다 -> 어떠 + 니까 = 어떠니까 (Because)
10 Sentences Practice (Present & Past Tense)
오늘 하늘이 정말 파래요. (파랗다 - Present)
[O-neul ha-neu-ri jeong-mal pa-rae-yo.]
The sky is really blue today.
부끄러워서 얼굴이 빨개요. (빨갛다 - Present)
[Bu-kkeu-reo-wo-seo eol-gu-ri ppal-gae-yo.]
My face is red because I'm shy.
새로 산 옷은 어때요? (어떻다 - Present)
[Sae-ro san o-seun eo-ttae-yo?]
How are the newly bought clothes?
어제는 기분이 조금 그랬어요. (그렇다 - Past)
[Eo-je-neun gi-bu-ni jo-geum geu-rae-sseo-yo.]
I felt a bit down (like that) yesterday.
저는 까만 색 자동차를 좋아해요. (까맣다 - Noun Modifier)
[Jeo-neun kka-man saek ja-dong-cha-reul jo-a-hae-yo.]
I like black cars.
겨울에 내리는 눈은 아주 하얘요. (하얗다 - Present)
[Gyeo-u-re nae-ri-neun nu-neun a-ju ha-yae-yo.]
The snow that falls in winter is very white.
가을이 되면 나뭇잎이 노란 색으로 변해요. (노랗다 - Noun Modifier)
[Ga-eu-ri doe-myeon na-mun-ni-pi no-ran sae-geu-ro byeon-hae-yo.]
When autumn comes, the leaves turn yellow.
주말에 어떤 음식을 먹고 싶어요? (어떻다 - Noun Modifier)
[Ju-ma-re eo-tteon eum-si-geul meok-kko si-peo-yo?]
What kind of food do you want to eat on the weekend?
그러면 내일 다시 만날까요? (그렇다 - If/When)
[Geu-reo-myeon nae-il da-si man-nal-kka-yo?]
If so, shall we meet again tomorrow?
요즘 일이 너무 바빠서 이래요. (이렇다 - Present)
[Yo-jeum i-ri neo-mu ba-ppa-seo i-rae-yo.]
I'm like this because work is too busy these days.
Regular Exceptions (Do not change)
Most Action Verbs (동사) that end in 'ㅎ' are REGULAR. Also, a few common adjectives like 좋다 and 많다 are regular. They do NOT drop the ㅎ. You just add -아요/어요 normally.
[Dictionary Form -> Meaning -> Conjugation]
좋다 -> To be good -> 좋 + 아요 = 좋아요
많다 -> To be many/much -> 많 + 아요 = 많아요
넣다 -> To put in -> 넣 + 어요 = 넣어요
놓다 -> To put down -> 놓 + 아요 = 놓아요
낳다 -> To give birth -> 낳 + 아요 = 낳아요
오늘 날씨가 아주 좋아요.
[O-neul nal-ssi-ga a-ju jo-a-yo.]
The weather is very good today.
주말에는 극장에 사람이 많아요.
[Ju-ma-re-neun geuk-jjang-e sa-ra-mi ma-na-yo.]
There are many people at the theater on weekends.
가방에 책을 넣었어요.
[Ga-bang-e chae-geul neo-eo-sseo-yo.]
I put the book in the bag.
책상 위에 핸드폰을 놓았어요.
[Chaek-ssang wi-e haen-deu-po-neul no-a-sseo-yo.]
I put the cellphone down on the desk.
Free Talking & Discussion Questions
여러분이 가장 좋아하는 색깔은 무엇인가요?
[Yeo-reo-bu-ni ga-jang jo-a-ha-neun saek-kka-reun mu-eo-sin-ga-yo?]
What is your favorite color?
까만색 옷을 자주 입는 편인가요?
[Kka-man-saek o-seul ja-ju im-neun pyeo-nin-ga-yo?]
Do you tend to wear black clothes often?
화가 나거나 부끄러울 때 얼굴이 빨개지나요?
[Hwa-ga na-geo-na bu-kkeu-reo-ul ttae eol-gu-ri ppal-gae-ji-na-yo?]
Does your face turn red when you are angry or shy?
오늘 기분이 어때요?
[O-neul gi-bu-ni eo-ttae-yo?]
How are you feeling today?
한국어 공부는 어때요? 재미있어요?
[Han-gu-geo gong-bu-neun eo-ttae-yo? Jae-mi-i-sseo-yo?]
How is studying Korean? Is it fun?
친구가 슬퍼 보일 때 "왜 그래요?"라고 물어보나요?
[Chin-gu-ga seul-peo bo-il ttae "Wae geu-rae-yo?"ra-go mu-reo-bo-na-yo?]
Do you ask "Why are you like that? (What's wrong?)" when a friend looks sad?
하늘이 파란 날에는 보통 무엇을 하고 싶어요?
[Ha-neu-ri pa-ran na-re-neun bo-tong mu-eo-seul ha-go si-peo-yo?]
What do you usually want to do on a day when the sky is blue?
주말에는 보통 사람이 많은 곳에 가나요, 없는 곳에 가나요?
[Ju-ma-re-neun bo-tong sa-ra-mi ma-neun go-se ga-na-yo, eom-neun go-se ga-na-yo?]
On weekends, do you usually go to a place with many people or no people?
외출할 때 가방에 항상 넣고 다니는 물건은 무엇인가요?
[Oe-chul-hal ttae ga-bang-e hang-sang neo-ko da-ni-neun mul-geo-neun mu-eo-sin-ga-yo?]
What is the item you always put in your bag and carry around when going out?
어떤 계절의 날씨를 가장 좋아해요?
[Eo-tteon gye-jeo-re nal-ssi-reul ga-jang jo-a-hae-yo?]
Which season's weather do you like the most?
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