1. Sentence-final endings
Verbs are the most complex part of speech in Korean. Their structure when used as the predicate of a clause is prefix + root + up to seven suffixes, and can be illustrated with a template:
(negative prefix) + ROOT + (valency) + (honorific) + (tense-aspect) + (formality) + (syntactic mood) + (pragmatic mood) + (polite)
- The negative prefix is 안 "not"; the word 못 "can't" also occurs in this position.
- ROOT is a verb stem like 알(다) 먹(다)
- valency may be passive or causative
passive suffix : -이-, -히-, -리-, -기-
causative suffix: -이-, -히-, -리-, -기-, -우-, -구-, -추-, -애-, -이우-, -시-, -으키-, -이키-
- honorific suffix : -시-
- tense-aspect
Future tense & prospective aspect : -겠-
past perfective : -었/았-
remote past : -었었/았었-
past-future : -었겠/았겠-
remote past-future : -었었겠/았었겠-
- formal suffix : -ㅂ,습,읍-
- syntactic mood
indicative : -는,니,ㄴ-
retrospective : -던,디,ㄷ-
- pragmatic mood
declarative : -다,라,에-
interrogative : -까,야,가-
propositive : -다,자,에-
imperative : -오,어라/아라,게-
- polite suffix : -요
2. Attributive Endings
Attributive verb endings modify nouns and take the place of attributive adjectives. Korean does not have relative pronouns. Instead, attributive verbs modify nouns, as adjectives do in English.
(negative prefix) + ROOT + (valency) + (tense) + (attributive)
- attributive
Present progressive : -는
Perfective : -은/ㄴ
Imperfective : -던
Future : -을/ㄹ
3. Conjunctive Endings
Verbs can take conjunctive suffixes. These suffixes make subordinate clauses.
- conjunctive suffix : -고,(어/아)서,면,거나,기도,든지
Refer to
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_verbs