Korean grammar · Level 2 · 2급
ㄷ 불규칙
ㄷ becomes ㄹ
A few common verbs change their final ㄷ to ㄹ before a vowel: 걷다 → 걸어요, 듣다 → 들어요, 묻다 (to ask) → 물어요. Before a consonant nothing changes: 걷고, 듣지 않아요. Some ㄷ verbs are regular — 닫다 → 닫아요, 받다 → 받아요 — so learn them one by one.
| When | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| before a vowel | ㄷ → ㄹ | 걷다 → 걸어요 · 걸어서 · 걸으면 |
| before a consonant | no change | 걷고 · 듣지 않아요 |
| regular ㄷ verbs | no change | 닫다 → 닫아요 · 받다 → 받아요 |
Examples
매일 공원에서 걸어요.
I walk in the park every day.
지하철에서 음악을 들어요.
I listen to music on the subway.
사람들한테 길을 물었어요.
I asked people the way.
Practise it in context · Level 2, Unit 3
How do I get to Myeongdong?
A dialogue with audio, practice that checks itself, Hoya’s mistakes, a reading and a writing task.
Open the unit →