How to Conjugate 이르다 (to be early / to reach): 르-irregular Pattern

르 irregular: 이르 + 어요 → ㄹ inserts into 이, making 일 + 러요 → 일러요.

The Rule

르 irregular: 이르 + 어요 → ㄹ inserts into 이, making 일 + 러요 → 일러요. 이르다 follows the 르-irregular irregular pattern. This means the verb stem changes when certain endings are added. Don't worry — once you learn this pattern, it applies to many other verbs too.

Why English Speakers Get It Wrong

English verb conjugation is relatively simple — "I eat, he eats, I ate." Korean is more complex because the verb ending changes based on politeness level, tense, AND the verb stem's final vowel or consonant. The 르-irregular pattern is especially tricky because the stem itself changes. English irregular verbs (go→went) change unpredictably, but Korean irregular verbs follow learnable PATTERNS. Once you know the 르-irregular rule, you can predict how all 르-irregular verbs behave.

How It Works

Stem: 이르 Polite present (해요체): 일러요 Polite past: 일렀어요 Polite future: 이를 거예요 Formal (합쇼체): 이릅니다 Negative: 안 일러요 Notice how the stem "이르" changes in some forms. This is the 르-irregular pattern in action.

Real Examples

• 일러요 (irreoyo) — "be early / to reach (polite present)" • 일렀어요 (irreoteoyo) — "be early / to reach (past)" • 이를 거예요 (ireur geoyeyo) — "will be early / to reach (future)" • 이릅니다 (ireupnida) — "be early / to reach (formal)" • 안 일러요 (an irreoyo) — "don't be early / to reach"

Common Mistakes

❌ 이르어요 (ireueoyo) ✅ 일러요 (irreoyo) → 르 → ㄹ inserted: 이 becomes 일, then + 러요. ❌ Using the casual form (이르어/아) in formal situations ✅ Use 이릅니다 when speaking to elders, at work, or in official settings → Mixing up politeness levels is one of the most noticeable mistakes foreigners make in Korean.

Quick Tip

Start by mastering the 해요체 (polite) form: 일러요. This is the form you'll use 90% of the time in daily life. Once it's automatic, add the past (일렀어요) and future (이를 거예요) to your toolkit. For 르-irregular verbs, make a list of 5 common ones and practice all their forms. The pattern will click after repetition.

이르다: 일러요 (present) / 일렀어요 (past) / 이를 거예요 (future)

Examples

일러요 — irreoyo — be early / to reach (polite)

일렀어요 — irreoteoyo — be early / to reach (past)

이를 거예요 — ireur geoyeyo — will be early / to reach

이릅니다 — ireupnida — be early / to reach (formal)

안 일러요 — an irreoyo — don't be early / to reach