Lesson 05 · V/A-아/어요 (Present Tense)
Hyeju’s Beginner Korean Grammar Class · Lesson 05
V/A-아/어요
Learn the polite everyday present-tense ending for Korean action verbs and adjectives. Discover when to use -아요, -어요, and -해요, then practice making your own sentences.
HYEJU LANGUAGE LAB · ENGLISH EXPLANATIONS
Watch Lesson 5 with Hyeju
Learn the vocabulary and grammar with English explanations, then review the examples and try the practice below.
Do You Remember Lesson 04?
Last time, you practiced formal questions with -ㅂ니까/습니까?. Let’s change the speaking style while keeping the basic meaning.
Both endings are polite. -ㅂ니다/습니다 is more formal; -아/어요 is common in ordinary conversation.
Today’s Grammar
Remove 다 from the dictionary form to find the verb or adjective stem. Then select the ending based on its final vowel. The same -아/어요 ending also makes a polite question with question intonation.
🌿 Hyeju’s Note · Korean vs. English
English often needs do/does or a change in word order for questions. Korean generally keeps the sentence order and uses intonation: 한국어를 공부해요. → 한국어를 공부해요?
The present form may describe habits, general facts, or a current state, depending on the verb and context. Do not automatically translate every -아/어요 sentence as English “am/is/are -ing.”
How to Choose the Ending
Use -아요
Look at the last vowel of the stem, not necessarily the first vowel of the word.
Use -어요
Use -어요 when the last stem vowel is not ㅏ or ㅗ. Some vowel sequences contract.
The Important 하다 Pattern
For 하다 verbs and adjectives, 하다 becomes 해요 in everyday polite speech.
| Dictionary form | Formal style | Everyday polite style |
|---|---|---|
| 공부하다 | 공부합니다. | 공부해요. |
| 운동하다 | 운동합니다. | 운동해요. |
| 피곤하다 | 피곤합니다. | 피곤해요. |
| 청소하다 | 청소합니다. | 청소해요. |
Formal vs. Everyday Polite
| Dictionary form | -ㅂ니다/습니다 | -아/어요 |
|---|---|---|
| 만나다 · to meet | 만납니다. | 만나요. |
| 입다 · to wear | 입습니다. | 입어요. |
| 배우다 · to learn | 배웁니다. | 배워요. |
| 바쁘다 · to be busy | 바쁩니다. | 바빠요. |
| 피곤하다 · to be tired | 피곤합니다. | 피곤해요. |
Part 1 · Everyday Statements
Use the endings with actions and descriptions. These examples reuse words from Vocabulary Lesson 05.
Part 2 · Everyday Questions
The ending can stay the same. Ask with question intonation and add a question mark in writing.
A 오늘 바빠요?
B 네, 오늘 바빠요.
A 어디에서 쉬어요?
B 집에서 쉬어요.
🌿 Hyeju’s Note · Special Forms Preview
Not every word follows the basic pattern without a stem change. From today’s vocabulary: 걷다 → 걸어요 (ㄷ irregular), 어렵다 → 어려워요 and 즐겁다 → 즐거워요 (ㅂ irregular), and 바쁘다 → 바빠요 (ㅡ vowel deletion).
These are preview forms, not a complete explanation of irregular conjugation. Learn the full irregular patterns in a separate follow-up lesson.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
1. Remove 다 before adding the ending.
입다 → 입다어요 → 입어요
2. Choose by the stem’s final vowel.
살다 → 살어요 → 살아요
3. Do not keep 하다 unchanged.
공부하다 → 공부하어요 → 공부해요
4. Some vowels contract.
보다 → 보아요 → 봐요 (the contracted form is usual in everyday speech).
5. Some stems change irregularly.
걷다 → 걷어요 → 걸어요 (when it means “to walk”).
Compare with similar grammar
LESSON 3
-습니다/ㅂ니다
저는 회사에 갑니다.The formal style. -아/어요 is the everyday polite style you’ll hear most.
Review Lesson 3 →LESSON 21
-았/었어요
어제 영화를 봤어요.The past tense uses the same 아/어 choice: 보다 → 봐요 → 봤어요.
Look ahead: Lesson 21 →LESSON 18
-고 있어요
지금 비가 오고 있어요.-아/어요 can also mean “now”, but -고 있어요 stresses an action in progress.
Look ahead: Lesson 18 →LESSON 16
하다, ㅡ & irregulars
요즘 바빠요.Lesson 16 covers 하다 → 해요, dropping ㅡ (바쁘다 → 바빠요) and other irregular stems.
Look ahead: Lesson 16 →| Pattern | When to use | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -아요 | The stem’s last vowel is ㅏ or ㅗ | 가요, 와요, 좋아요 |
| -어요 | Any other vowel | 먹어요, 마셔요, 있어요 |
| 해요 | 하다 verbs and adjectives | 공부해요, 일해요 |
Common mistakes
When the stem ends in ㅏ, the 아 merges into it: 가 + 아요 → 가요.
ㅣ + 어 contracts to ㅕ: 마시 + 어요 → 마셔요.
The last vowel of 만나 is ㅏ, so it takes 아, which then merges: 만나요.
The vowel in 좋 is ㅗ, so add 아요.
Mini practice · six questions
All sentences below are new. Try each one before opening the answer.
- Fill in the blank저는 아침에 빵을 ______. (먹다)
Check answer
저는 아침에 빵을 먹어요.
The vowel in 먹 is ㅓ → 어요. “I eat bread in the morning.”
- Fill in the blank · contraction동생이 집에 ______. (오다)
Check answer
동생이 집에 와요.
오 + 아요 → 와요 (ㅗ + ㅏ = ㅘ). “My younger sibling comes home.”
- Choose the correct form이 책은 (재미있아요 / 재미있어요).
Check answer
재미있어요
The vowel in 있 is ㅣ, not ㅏ or ㅗ, so add 어요.
- Choose the correct form지금 뭐 (해요 / 하요)?
Check answer
해요
하다 always becomes 해요.
- Find and fix the mistake저는 주말에 친구를 기다리어요.
Check answer
저는 주말에 친구를 기다려요.
ㅣ + 어 contracts to ㅕ: 기다리어요 → 기다려요.
- Say it in KoreanMy friend lives in Seoul.
Check answer
친구는 서울에 살아요.
The vowel in 살 is ㅏ → 살아요. Korean uses the simple present here.
Today’s Key Point
- Remove 다 to find the stem.
- Final stem vowel ㅏ / ㅗ → -아요: 살다 → 살아요.
- Other stem vowels → -어요: 읽다 → 읽어요.
- 하다 → 해요: 공부하다 → 공부해요.
- Use -아/어요 for everyday polite statements and questions; some stems have special forms.
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