ㅅ(시옷) 불규칙

In some stems ending in ㅅ, the ㅅ disappears before an ending that starts with a vowel, and the vowels do not merge: 낫다 'get better' → 나아요.

문장 끝·말투Endings & speech style

Han: 낫다 is ㅅ-irregular: before -았어요 the ㅅ drops, and 나 + 았 does not contract.

Examples

집에 오면 먼저 손을 씻어요.When I get home, I wash my hands first.

약을 먹고 감기가 많이 나았어요.I took medicine and my cold is much better.

빨리 나으세요!Get well soon!

할아버지가 이 집을 직접 지으셨어요.My grandfather built this house himself.

ㅅ(시옷) 불규칙vs낫다 / 낮다낫다 'get better; be better' → 나아요; 낮다 'low' is a different, regular word → 낮아요.

stem in ㅅ+vowel ending → ㅅ drops, no contraction: 낫+아요 → 나아요

짓+어요 → 지어요

낫+으면 → 나으면

낫다 → 나아요, 나았어요, 나으면, 나으세요; 짓다 → 지어요, 지은; 붓다 → 부어요

After ㅅ drops, the vowels stay apart: 나아요 (not 나요), 지어요 (not 져요), 부어요, 이어요, 저어요. With (으) endings the 으 stays: 나으면, 지은 집.
Before consonant endings ㅅ stays: 낫고, 짓지만, 짓습니다.
Many everyday ㅅ verbs are regular: 웃다 → 웃어요, 씻다 → 씻어요, 벗다 → 벗어요, 빗다 → 빗어요.

Wrong: ~~감기가 다 낫았어요.~~

Right: 감기가 다 나았어요.

낫다 is ㅅ-irregular: before -았어요 the ㅅ drops, and 나 + 았 does not contract.

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