Korean Present Tense Verbs/Adjectives -아/어요

-아/어요 style is the informal polite style used mostly in daily life. Compared to the formal polite style -(스) 닙니다, this style is softer and less formal and is therefore used mainly among family members, friends, and other close acquaintances.

-아/어요 style can take both declarative and interrogative meanings with the only difference residing in tones. The declarative form is therefore made by ending the sentence in a falling tone while the interrogative form is made by ending the sentence in a rising tone.

Example:

A: 어디에 가요?

B: 학교에 가요.

A: Where are you going??

B: I am going to the school.

How to form -아/어요 style?

1.    아요 is used when the word stem has vowel ㅏ or ㅗ (아 어 야), in particular:

1)     아요 is added when the word stem ends in a consonant, e.g.:

앉다 +아요 -> 앉아요 (to sit)

받다 +아요 -> 받아요 (to receive)

살다 +아요 -> 살아요 (to live)

2)     If the word stem ends in the vowel ㅏ , one ㅏ is deleted, e.g.:

가다 +아요 -> 가요 (to go)

자다 +아요 -> 자요 (to sleep)

끝나다 +아요 -> 끝나요 (to end)

3)     If the word stem ends in the vowel ㅗ, following contraction can occur, e.g.:

오다 + 아요 -> 와요 (오+ㅏ요 -> 와요) (to come)

보다 + 아요 -> 봐요 (보+ㅏ요 -> 봐요) (to see)

2.    어요 is used when the word stem has vowel other than ㅏ or ㅗ, in particular:

1)     어요 is added when the word stem ends in a consonant, e.g.:

읽다 + 어요 -> 읽어요 (to read)

먹다 + 어요 -> 먹어요 (to eat) 

입다 + 어요 -> 입어요 (to wear)

2)     If the word stem ends in the vowel ㅐ, ㅓ, ㅕ, the 어 of -어요 is deleted, e.g.:

보내다 + 어요 -> 보내요 (보내 +요 -> 보내요) (to send)

지내다 + 어요 -> 지내요 (지내 +요 -> 지내요) (to pass, to spend)

서다 + 어요 -> 서요 (서 +요 -> 서) (to stand)

3)     If the word stem ends in the vowel ㅜ , ㅜ and the 어 of 어요 are combined to form ㅝ, e.g.:

배우다 + 어요 -> 배워요 (배우 + ㅓ요 -> 배워요) (to study)

주다 + 어요 ->  줘요 (주 + ㅓ요 -> 줘요) (to give)

바꾸다 + 어요 -> 바꿔요 (바꾸 + ㅓ요 -> 바꿔요) (to change)

4)     When the word stem ends in the vowel ㅣ , ㅣ and the 어 of 어요 are combined to form ㅕ, e.g.:

마시다 + 어요 -> 마셔요 (마시 + ㅓ요  -> 마셔요) (to drink)

기다리다 + 어요 -> 기다려요 (기다리 + ㅓ요 -> 기다려요) (to wait)

헤어지다 + 어요 -> 헤어져요 (헤어지 + ㅓ요 -> 헤어져요) (to separate)

3.    When the predicate (verb or adjective) ends in 하다， it is changed to 해요. (Originally, 여요 was added to 하 to form 하여요, but 하여요 is now shortened to 해요.) , e.g.:

말하다  -> 말해요 (to speak)

공부하다  -> 공부해요 (to study)

일하다 -> 일해요 (to work)

4.    The verb 이다 changes into 예요/이에요， with 예요 used when the preceding word ends in a vowel and 이에요 used when the word ends in a consonant, e.g.:

1)     When the noun ends in a vowel:

의사예요 (의사 +예요)

어머니이다 -> 어머니예요

2)     When the noun ends in a consonant:

회사원이에요 (회사원 +이에요)

책상이다 -> 책상이에요