열다 conjugation

The polite forms end in 요 and suit most conversations; the formal form is for announcements, presentations and first meetings. The same form works for I, you, she or they.

How 열다 conjugates

1. Find the stem. Take 다 off 열다 and you are left with 열.
2. Check the last vowel. It is ㅕ, and any vowel other than ㅏ or ㅗ takes 어요.
3. Join them. 열 + 어요 gives 열어요. The ㄹ drops before ㅂ니다, giving the formal form.
4. Build the rest on it. The past tense adds ㅆ to the same base, giving 열었어요, and the table above has the future and the formal form.

Using 열다

ㄹ-irregular: 열어요. 문을 열다 = to open the door.

• 창문을 열어요.

  I open the window.

• 문 좀 열어 주세요.

  Please open the door.

More ㄹ stem verbs

• 살다to live
• 울다to cry
• 알다to know
• 놀다to play
• 만들다to make
• 걸다to hang

Conjugate any other verb with the Korean verb conjugator, or read the guide to Korean verb conjugation for the rules behind the table.