Present Tense Verb Conjugation in Korean 아/어요
Polite speech level is the 요-ending that we are the most familiar with. It’s the most used speech style in daily conversations as it is polite yet less formal. It can be used with classmates, colleagues, neighbours or strangers that you’ve encountered on the street, basically anyone.
Sentence structure: Adjectives / Verbs + 아/어요
There are 4 types of sentences in Korean: Declarative (평서형), Interrogative (의문형), Imperative (명령형) and Suggestive (청유형). The Polite Speech level uses the same sentence ending for the 4 sentence types — 아/어요. Depending on the tone, 아/어요 can express one of the sentence types. Rising tone will be found in the endings of interrogative and suggestive sentences, while falling tone will be found in the endings of imperative sentences.
Examples:
내일 같이 갈까요？= Should we go together tomorrow? → rising tone
빨리 해요 = Do it quickly → falling tone
When should we use 아요 and when should we use 어요?
This depends on the last vowel of the preceding adjective or verb.
Rules:
1. Consonant Bases [The base will be marked by X-]
Regular conjugation: If the last vowel is ㅏ or ㅗ, use 아요；Others, use 어요
앉-：앉다 (to sit down) 앉+아 → 앉아요 (The vowel is ㅏ.)
읽-：읽다 (to read) 읽+어 → 읽어요 (The vowel is ㅣ.)
Irregular conjugation:
a) ㄷ-irregular — get rid of ㄷ and add ㄹ
들-：듣다 (to listen) 들+어 → 들어요 ( The vowel is ㅡ.)
b) ㅂ-irregular — get rid of ㅂ and add 우
귀여w-：귀엽다 (cute) 귀여(우+어) → 귀여워요 (The vowel is ㅜ.)
c) ㅅ-irregular — get rid of ㅅ
낫다 (to become better) → 나+아 → 나아요 (The vowel is ㅏ.)
2. Vowel Bases
Regular:
a) The last vowel is ㅏ, ㅓ, ㅐ, then add the same vowel
가-：가다 (to go) 가+아 → 가요 (The vowel is ㅏ.)
b) The last vowel is ㅣ→ add 어요 (이+어 = 여)
마시- → 마시다 (to drink) 마시+어 → 마셔요
c) The last vowel is ㅜ → add 어요 (우+어 = 워)
배우-：배우다 (to learn) 배우+어 → 배워요
d) The last vowel is ㅗ → add 아요 (오+아=와)
보-：보다 (to look/watch) 보+아 → 봐요
e) The last vowel is ㅡ → get rid of ㅡ, add 아/어요
아프-：아프다 (to hurt) → 아ㅍ+아 → 아파요 (The vowel is ㅏ.)
3 Special Infinitives:
*They are fixed conjugations, so only have to memorize them!
1. 되-：되다 (to become) 되어 → 돼요
2. 이-：이다 (to be) 이어 → 이에요/예요
3. 하-：하다 (to do) 하여 → 해요
Irregular:
(a) 르-irregular → 르 becomes ㄹ+ㄹ, then add 아/어요
모르-：모르다 (do not know) 모+ㄹ+ㄹ+아 → 몰라요 (The vowel is ㅗ.)
