The 아/어 form
How stems take -아요, -어요 and -해요.
The everyday polite present is the stem with -아요 or -어요. Which one depends on the stem's last vowel:
- ㅏ or ㅗ takes -아요: 살다 → 살아요 "I live", 좋다 → 좋아요 "it's good".
- Any other vowel takes -어요: 먹다 → 먹어요 "I eat", 읽다 → 읽어요 "I read".
- 하다 becomes 해요: 하다 → 해요, 공부하다 → 공부해요.
| Dictionary | Stem | Polite present |
|---|---|---|
| 살다 to live | 살- | 살아요 sarayo |
| 앉다 to sit | 앉- | 앉아요 anjayo |
| 놀다 to play | 놀- | 놀아요 norayo |
| 먹다 to eat | 먹- | 먹어요 meogeoyo |
| 있다 to be, have | 있- | 있어요 isseoyo |
| 웃다 to laugh | 웃- | 웃어요 useoyo |
| 일하다 to work | 일하- | 일해요 ilhaeyo |
Stems ending in a vowel
When the stem ends in a vowel, it merges with the ending:
| Stem ends in | Becomes | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ㅏ | ㅏ: the 아 drops | 가다 → 가요, 자다 → 자요 |
| ㅓ, ㅕ, ㅐ | the 어 drops | 서다 → 서요, 켜다 → 켜요, 보내다 → 보내요 |
| ㅗ | ㅘ | 오다 → 와요, 보다 → 봐요 |
| ㅜ | ㅝ | 주다 → 줘요, 배우다 → 배워요 |
| ㅣ | ㅕ | 마시다 → 마셔요, 기다리다 → 기다려요 |
| ㅚ | ㅙ | 되다 → 돼요 |
| ㅡ | the ㅡ drops | 쓰다 → 써요, 바쁘다 → 바빠요 |
The ㅡ stems and a few other groups change in their own ways (Irregular verbs).
One form, many times
The polite present covers "I do", "I'm doing" and the near future:
- jeoneun seoure sarayo.I live in Seoul.
- jigeum mwo haeyo?What are you doing now?
- naeil gayo.I'm going tomorrow.
The base of many endings
Take -요 off and the 아/어 form is the casual present (먹어 "I eat"). The same form carries the past (먹었어요), and joins patterns such as -아서 "so", -아야 하다 "must", -아도 되다 "may" and -아 주다 "for someone", which follow the same rules.
Cards from this guide
10 cardsEach card asks about one thing this guide teaches, and its back gives the answer with why and an example. They're reviewed with the rest of the Verbs and adjectives cards.
-아요 or -어요 on 살- (to live)?
-아요: 살아요.
What's the polite present of 먹다 (to eat)?
먹어요 (meogeoyo).
What's the polite present of 하다 (to do)?
해요 (haeyo).
What's the polite present of 오다 (to come)?
와요 (wayo).
What's the polite present of 보다 (to see)?
봐요 (bwayo).
What's the polite present of 마시다 (to drink)?
마셔요 (masyeoyo).
What's the polite present of 주다 (to give)?
줘요 (jwoyo).
What's the polite present of 가다 (to go)?
가요 (gayo).
What's the polite present of 되다 (to become)?
돼요 (dwaeyo).
Which times can 가요 mean?
'I go', 'I'm going' and 'I'll go (soon)'.