Restoring a ㅣ-Final Stem
In the regular examples taught here, a stem ending in ㅣ combines with -어요 , and ㅣ and ㅓ contract to ㅕ in both ordinary pronunciation and spelling.
마시- + -어요 → 마시어요 → 마셔요
기다리- + -어요 → 기다리어요 → 기다려요
Not every form containing ㅕ comes from this contraction. Apply this reverse analysis only when the surrounding form and dictionary evidence support a ㅣ -final stem.
From 마셔요 to 마시다
Start by restoring the likely stem-ending combination behind 마셔요 .
Step 1: Reverse the contraction: 마셔요 → 마시어요 .
Step 2: Identify and remove -어요 : 마시어요 → 마시- .
Step 3: Add -다 to form the likely dictionary headword: 마시- + -다 → 마시다 .
Confirm the restored form in a dictionary when the word is unfamiliar.
From 기다려요 to 기다리다
Apply the same reverse analysis to the regular form 기다려요 .
Step 1: Restore the uncontracted combination: 기다려요 → 기다리어요 .
Step 2: Identify and remove -어요 : 기다리어요 → 기다리- .
Step 3: Add -다 : 기다리- + -다 → 기다리다 .
The same relationship appears in examples such as 빌려요 → 빌리어요 → 빌리다 and 내려요 → 내리어요 → 내리다 .
Finding the Stem in a Past Form
The same stem can also be recovered from the contracted past form 마셨어요 .
Restore the uncontracted combination first: 마셨어요 → 마시었어요 .
Then identify and remove -었어요 : 마시었어요 → 마시- .
Finally, add -다 : 마시- + -다 → 마시다 .
Analyze the full word rather than treating 셨 as an independent unit.
Do Not Replace 요 with 다
A common mistake is replacing 요 directly with 다 . That produces incorrect forms such as 마셔다 and 기다려다 .
Instead, use the contraction pattern learned in this course to restore a possible stem-ending combination: 마셔요 → 마시어요 and 기다려요 → 기다리어요 . Then remove -어요 and add -다 .
Because not every ㅕ form comes from a ㅣ -final stem, confirm the resulting dictionary form when necessary.