[Basic Korean Grammar] Verb/ Adj + 아/어요 The present tense of the informal polite style in Korean

Also Read

A 맛있어요?
Does it taste good?
B 네, 맛있어요.
Yes, it tastes good.

A 어디에 가요?
Where are you going?
B 학교에 가요.
I’m going to school.

사랑해요, 캐럴 씨
I love you, Carol.

Usage:

- The informal polite style is the honorific form used most in daily life. Compared to the formal polite style (click here), this style is softer and less formal and is therefore used mainly among family members, friends, and other close acquaintances. 

- The declarative and interrogative forms of the informal polite style are the same. The declarative form is therefore made by ending the sentence in a falling tone while the Interrogative form is made by ending the sentence in a rising tone.

Declarative form: 아/어요

Interrogative form: 아/어요?

- Word stem ends in ㅏ, ㅗ + 아요

If the word stem ends in a consonant, 아요 is added
앉다 (to sit) + 아요=> 앉아요.

받다 (to receive) => 받아요. 

살다 (to live) => 살아요.

If the word stem ends in the vowelㅏ，one ㅏ is deleted.
가다 (to go) =>가요

자다 (to sleep) => 자요

만나다 (to meet) => 만나요
If the word stem ends in a vowel, the following contraction can also occur.
오다 + 아요 => 와요

보다 + 아요 => 봐요 

- Word stem ends in a vowel other than ㅏ, ㅗ + 어요

+ If the word stem ends in a consonant, -어요 is added 

읽다 (to read) + 어요 => 읽어요; 먹다 (to eat) => 먹어요; 입다 (to wear/ to put on) =>입어요

+ If the word stem ends in the vowel ㅐ,ㅓ,ㅕ, the 어 of -어요 is deleted.

보내다(to send) => 보내요; 지내다 (to live/ to spend) => 지내요; 서다 (to stand) => 서요, 켜다 (to turn on) => 켜요 

+ If the word stem ends in the vowel ㅜ，ㅜ and the 어 of 어요 combine to form ᅯ. 

배우다 (to learn) + 어요 =>배워요; 

주다 (to give) => 줘요; 

바꾸다 (to change)  => 바꿔요

+ If  the word stem ends in the vowelㅣ,ㅣ and the 어 of 어요 combine to formㅕ 

마시다 (to drink) + 어요=> 마셔요 

기다리다 (to wait) => 기다려요

헤어지다 (to break up) => 헤어져요

- When the predicate ends in 하다, it is changed to 해요. (Originally, 여요 was added to 하 to form 하여요, but 하여요 is now shortened to 해요.)

말하다 (to say, tell, speak) => 말해요

공부하다 (to study) => 공부해요

전화하다 (to call/ phone) => 전화해요

여행하다 (to travel) => 여행해요

일하다 (to work) =>일해요

- The verb 이다 changes to 예요/이에요. 예요 used when the preceding word ends in a vowel and 이에요 used when the word ends in a consonant.

+ When the noun ends in a vowel: 

의사예요 (의사 + 예요)

사과이다 => 사과에요

어머니이다 => 어머니예요

+ When the noun ends in a consonant: 

회사원이다 => 회사원이에요 

책상이다 => 책상이에요

선생님이다 => 선생님이에요

Note: 

1. In Korean, the present tense forms include not only the present tense but also the present progressive tense and a future tense in which it is clear that a future event will occur.

Present: 저는 대학교에 다닙니다/다녀요. I go to college.

Progressive: 저는 지금 공부를 합니다/해요. I am studying now.

Near Future: 저는 내일 학교에 갑니다/가요. I will go to school tomorrow.

2. The present tense is also used to express general truths and to describe things that occur regularly.

지구는 태양 주위를 돌아요 The Earth rotates around the sun.

저는 아침마다 달리기를 해요. I run every morning. 

Conversation:

A: 지금 뭐 해요? What are you doing now?
B: 숙제해요. I’m doing homework.

A: 몇 시에 점심을 먹어요? What time do you eat lunch?
B: 보통 1시에 점심을 먹어요. I normally eat lunch at one o’clock.

A: 민우 씨는 직업이 뭐예요? What is Minu’s job?
B: 선생님이에요. He's a teacher.

>> Full of 'Korean grammar in use - Beginner': Click here
>> Fanpage: Say Hi Korean

Share this