-아요 / -어요 – Korean polite present 해요 form
- Meaning
- polite, friendly statement or question
- Level
- Beginner
- Topic
- Verb endings & tenses
The standard polite ending for daily conversation. The vowel of the stem decides the ending: ㅏ or ㅗ takes -아요, everything else takes -어요, and 하다 becomes 해요.
Key rules
- Common contraction
- Last vowel determines 아/어
- Most common form
- 가 + 아요 contracts to 가요
- Vowel contraction
- 보 + 아 = 봐 (contraction)
- 하다 → 해요 (memorize!)
- Extremely common
Examples with -아요 / -어요
The highlighted part is the grammar form.
- 밥을 먹어요 Babeul meogeoyo I eat rice 먹 has ㅓ vowel → 먹 + 어요 = 먹어요 · Base form: 먹다 (meokda)
- 학교에 가요 Hakgyoe gayo I go to school 가 has ㅏ vowel → 가 + 아요 = 가요 (contracts) · Base form: 가다 (gada)
- 영화를 봐요 Yeonghwareul bwayo I watch a movie 보 + 아요 contracts to 봐요 · Base form: 보다 (boda)
- 운동을 해요 Undongeul haeyo I exercise 하다 → 해요 (special contraction) · Base form: 하다 (hada)
- 집에 와요 Jibe wayo I come home 오 + 아요 contracts to 와요 · Base form: 오다 (oda)
- 일찍 자요 Iljjik jayo I sleep early 자 + 아요 = 자요 · Base form: 자다 (jada)
- 선물을 줘요 Seonmureul jweoyo I give a gift 주 + 어요 contracts to 줘요 · Base form: 주다 (juda)
- 한국어를 배워요 Hangugeoreul baeweoyo I learn Korean 배우 + 어요 contracts to 배워요 · Base form: 배우다 (baeuda)
- 집에 가고 싶어요 Jibe gago sipeoyo I want to go home Verb stem + 고 싶다 = want to V. 가 + 고 싶다 · Base form: 가다
- 밥을 먹고 학교에 갔어요 Babeul meokgo hakgyoe gasseoyo I ate and went to school Verb stem + 고 = and then. 먹 + 고 · Base form: 먹다
- 잠깐 기다려 주세요 Jamkkan gidaryeo juseyo Please wait a moment 아/어 + 주세요 = please do. 기다리 + 어 = 기다려 · Base form: 기다리다
- 새 음식을 먹어 볼게요 Sae eumsigeul meogeo bolgeyo I'll try eating the new food 아/어 + 보다 = try doing. 먹 + 어 = 먹어 · Base form: 먹다
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More: verb endings & tenses
-ㅂ니다 / -습니다Formal polite endingformal polite statement-았- / -었-Past tensedid, was안 + verb / -지 않다Negative sentencesdo not, is not-고 싶다Want to dowant to (do something)-(으)ㄹ 거예요Future tensewill, going to-고 있다Progressive: be doingbe doing (right now)-(으)세요Polite requests and commandsplease do-(으)ㅂ시다 / -(으)ㄹ까요?Let’s / shall we?let’s, shall we-(으)ㄹ 수 있다 / 없다Can / cannotcan, be able to
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