Korean present tense: -아요 / -어요

Dictionary form and stem

Every Korean verb in the dictionary ends in -다: (gada, to go), (meokda, to eat), (hada, to do). Take away -다 and you have the stem: 가-, 먹-, 하-. All endings are added to the stem.

Describing words such as “good”, “expensive” or “big” work exactly like verbs in Korean (they are often called descriptive verbs): (jota, to be good), (bissada, to be expensive). Everything on this page applies to them too.

The polite present ending does not change with the person: (gayo) means I go, you go, she goes, we go or they go. The subject is shown by other words, or not at all.

저는 회사에 가요.Jeoneun hoesae gayo.I go to work.
민준 씨도 회사에 가요.Minjun ssido hoesae gayo.Minjun goes to work too.
이 가방 좋아요.I gabang joayo.This bag is nice.

The ㅏ / ㅗ rule

Look at the last vowel of the stem. If it is ㅏ or ㅗ, add -아요. If it is any other vowel, add -어요. and every verb that ends in 하다 are special: they become 해요.

Where the stem ends in a consonant, the ending is simply added, and the consonant links into it: is said meo-geo-yo, il-geo-yo.

Dictionary form	Stem	Last vowel	Present
(alda) to know	알-	ㅏ → -아요	(arayo)
(jota) to be good	좋-	ㅗ → -아요	(joayo)
(chatda) to look for	찾-	ㅏ → -아요	(chajayo)
(meokda) to eat	먹-	ㅓ → -어요	(meogeoyo)
(ikda) to read	읽-	ㅣ → -어요	(ilgeoyo)
(itda) to be, to have	있-	ㅣ → -어요	(isseoyo)
(utda) to laugh	웃-	ㅜ → -어요	(useoyo)
(hada) to do	하-	special	(haeyo)
(gongbuhada) to study	공부하-	special	(gongbuhaeyo)

When the stem ends in a vowel

When the stem ends in a vowel, the two vowels merge. If the stem already ends in ㅏ or ㅓ, nothing is added but 요: (gayo), (seoyo). ㅗ + ㅏ becomes ㅘ: (wayo), (bwayo). ㅜ + ㅓ becomes ㅝ: (baewoyo). ㅣ + ㅓ becomes ㅕ: (masyeoyo).

Stems ending in ㅐ or ㅔ just add 요: (bonaeyo). (doeda, to become) gives (dwaeyo). A few stems, such as (swida, to rest), don't merge: (swieoyo). Stems ending in ㅡ drop it: (sseuda, to write) → (sseoyo). The page on irregular verbs covers these stems and the irregular verbs.

Dictionary form	Stem + ending	Present
(gada) to go	가 + 아요	(gayo)
(jada) to sleep	자 + 아요	(jayo)
(seoda) to stand	서 + 어요	(seoyo)
(oda) to come	오 + 아요	(wayo)
(boda) to see	보 + 아요	(bwayo)
(baeuda) to learn	배우 + 어요	(baewoyo)
(juda) to give	주 + 어요	(jwoyo)
(masida) to drink	마시 + 어요	(masyeoyo)
(gidarida) to wait	기다리 + 어요	(gidaryeoyo)
(bonaeda) to send	보내 + 어요	(bonaeyo)
(doeda) to become	되 + 어요	(dwaeyo)
(swida) to rest	쉬 + 어요	(swieoyo)

하다 verbs

(hada, to do) is the most useful verb in Korean, because thousands of verbs are a noun + : (gongbu, study) + = (gongbuhada), to study. They all take 해요: (ilhaeyo), I work; (undonghaeyo), I exercise; (yorihaeyo), I cook.

Many descriptive verbs end in too: → (pigonhaeyo), I'm tired; → (kkaekkeutaeyo), it's clean; → (joyonghaeyo), it's quiet.

저는 은행에서 일해요.Jeoneun eunhaengeseo ilhaeyo.I work at a bank.
매일 아침에 운동해요.Maeil achime undonghaeyo.I exercise every morning.
오늘은 좀 피곤해요.Oneureun jom pigonhaeyo.I'm a bit tired today.

One form, many uses

The polite present covers what is happening now, what you do regularly, and plans for the near future, as long as a time word makes the future clear: (naeil Busane gayo), I'm going to Busan tomorrow.

The same form is also a question (with a rising voice), and even a friendly suggestion or request: (gachi gayo) can mean “we go together”, “shall we go together?” or “let's go together”, depending on the voice and the situation.

지금 뭐 해요?Jigeum mwo haeyo?What are you doing now?
저는 매일 아침에 커피를 마셔요.Jeoneun maeil achime keopireul masyeoyo.I drink coffee every morning.
주말에 뭐 해요?Jumare mwo haeyo?What are you doing at the weekend?
내일 부산에 가요.Naeil Busane gayo.I'm going to Busan tomorrow.
같이 가요.Gachi gayo.Let's go together.