The present tense — Korean grammar

아요/어요

The present tense

Beginner suffix

The ending -아요/어요 is used to form the polite present tense.

용법

Use

Indicates the present tense of action verbs (verbs) or description verbs (adjectives)

  • ▸ 저는 밥을 먹어요.

    I eat a meal.

  • ▸ 책을 사요.

    I buy a book.

  • ▸ 한국어를 공부해요.

    I learn Korean.

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Grammar tips

Grammar tips

- To form the present tense in the polite form, we must change the ending of the verb to -아요/어요. If the last vowel of the verb stem ends in ㅏ or ㅗ, we add 아요, otherwise we add 어요. The exception is the verb 하다 which becomes 해요.

- Contraction 1

Comparison

저기요~

The race of the words is ended by ㅏ,ㅓ, ㅕ,ㅐ ou ㅔ (in batches) 아요/어야, the 아/어 of 아요/어야 is also beautiful. It is just as important to stop the race and avoid ㅔ.

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