Level 1 Lesson 16 / Basic Present Tense / -아요, -어요, -여요Level 1 Lesson 16 / Basic Present Tense / -아요, -어요, -여요
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In this TTMIK lesson, we are looking at how to change a verb in its dictionary form into the basic present tense. In Korean, when you look up a verb in a dictionary, everything ends in the letter 다 [da], and you have to get rid of that in order to conjugate the verb. And after that, you add 아요, 어요, or 여요. Listen in to find out how to determine which one of these should follow the verb stem when you say something in the present tense. Be sure to pick up the FREE PDF, and also try making some sample sentences of your own. Video responses are welcome as well!
Click here to check out the page on 아/어/여 + 요 in Korean Wiki Project.
Lesson PDF in other languages (Participate in the translation!)
Discussion( leave a comment )
excuse me…is mok-a-yo,mok-eo-yo and mok-yeo-yo is the same meaning?
Hm… Did you mean “to eat”? If so, only “먹어요[meo-geo-yo]” is right.
excuse me …is mok-ayo,mok-eoyo and mok- yeoyo are all the same meaning?
Thanks for taking this one step at a time!
보다 –> 봐요
자다 –> 자요
필요하다 –> 필요해요
마시다 –> 마셔요
가다 –> 가요
Thank you for the lessons!!
선생님들~ 정말 감사합니다!^^
Do you have to apply the present tense characters always? What about “what do you want to eat?” in Korean? I don’t recognize the present tense in it, so is it unincluded, infused, or just interperated?
Thankyou TT.TT I’m truly grateful for these lessons, I’m moved!!!!!
Just wanted to thank you for the lessons. They really are a big help.
감사합니다! :))
Hello, I have a problem. I tried to change verb 쉬다 into the present tense and past tense but I’m not sure if it’s correct, esp. one in the present tense.
쉬다 – to rest
쉬어요 – I rest.
쉬었어요 – I rested.
Yeah, the examples you wrote are correct. Good job!
Choi Kyeongeun-ssi not feel well, and Sun Hyunwoo-ssi ask her: “아파요?” “네, 조금 아파요.” why Sun Hyunwoo-ssi ask her “painful?” and she reply “yes, a little bit.” Because what I know sick is “병”.
The meaning of 병 is rather close to disease like cough, epidemic and it is noun.
When I want to say “to be sick, or to be painful”, I can say “아파요”.
Thanks for your comment.
Hi, great lesson, but I have a question about vowel vs consonant endings. The books I’ve read about Korean show different endings to use when a vowel is the final letter and other endings to use when a consonant is the final letter. I noticed you skipped the final consonant in “To Eat” and focused on it’s final vowel. I haven’t seen all the lessons or read all the comments, so maybe you’ve addressed it already, but which method is the correct way to determine a verbs ending? Final consonant or final vowel?
진 선생님, I’ve learned this lesson but I’m still confused by these >.< :
1. What's the difference between "머리가 좋다" and "머리가 좋아요" ?
2. What's the difference between "좋아해요" and "좋아요" ?
Help me please ^^ Thankyou
Hi,
Q1)
Well, there is no differences in meaning. But, when you change the expression “머리가 좋다” into present tense, it can be “머리가 좋아요” , and 머리가 좋다 is quite dictionary form.
Q2)
좋아해요 mainly means “to like” but “좋아요” include the meaning of “to like” and “to be good”.
Thanks for your comment.
ya boa rocks ^^
Hi! I want to ask, what’s the different in meaning between boayo (bwayo) and boyeoyo?
First I want to thank you and congratulate you for your interesting approach. I laughed so much when you said „pigeons don’t have a telephone number”, I’ll never forget again that 9 is 구.
I read all the comments and I still have a few things to say, please tell me if I’m right or not.
1) If stem’s FINAL letter is vowel 이, we use 여요 ex: 마시(다)=마시여요; 바이(다) =바이여요
because (I think) the sounds combine in yo… (맛있다 = 맛있어요)
2) BUT We don’t look at the stem’s FINAL letter generally, but at the stem’s LAST vowel.
놀(다) = 놀아요 because 오 is the LAST vowel. ᆯ is the FINAL consonant.
핥(다) = 핥아요 because 아 is the LAST vowel. ᆴ is the FINAL group of consonants.
3)It’s ok if we use 해요 instead of 혀요 when we conjugate verbs ending in 하다???
하다 (to do) should be 해요 as well… 뭐 해요?
행복하다 (to be happy): 난 행복해요 I’m happy :)
what means ‘ireubeum’ actually? and when do i use it?
Hm… I am sorry Marcwoohyun. I can’t understand what you meant.
I think you mean 여러분, right? “yo-ro-bun” it means everyone like 안녕하세요 여러분! ( Hello Everyone!)
hi! i’m just wondering if 아요 is used for vowels ㅏand ㅗ and 어요 is used for any vowels, then 여요 is used with what? i know that you guys already said the word 하다 but is that ONLY word that goes with 여요?? it’s still a bit confusing…
and thank you for all the lesson, you guys are awesome!!
love you guys….
hi! i’m wondering if 아요 used with vowels ㅏand ㅗ and 어요 used with any other vowels then what 여요 used with?? i know you guys already said 하다 but does that mean it ONLY work with 하다?? it’s confusing for me…
amd also many thanks for all the lessons, you guys ARE the best!!
Im korean but i donno how ti speak it! I think i have a learning problem coz i cant remember anything. i learn it then the next day i forget every thing, is there a way i can remember the lessons? I listen to them 5 times a day and still forget
thanks peeps, chanced upon this 2 weeks ago, cant believe i had reached the Lessons 16. keep up the good work.
Hello peeps, keep up the good work. Chanced upon this website 2 weeks ago, can’t believed i had reached the lessons 16 hehe.
Im getting confused with verbs ending with (i)…for example when forming the present tense for bo-i-da it becomes bo-yeo-yeo right?How about the past tense?does it become beo-sseo-yo? or for neu-kki-da (to feel) does it become neu-kkyeo-yo or neu-kki-eo-yo / neu-kki-eo-sseo – yo (for past tense)?huhu confised…
The past tense of 보이다 is 보였어요 [bo-yeo-sseo-yo].
The past tense of 느끼다 is 느꼈어요 [neu-kkyeo-sseo-yo].
Verb stems ending with vowels other than ㅗ or ㅏ are followed by 었어요 [eo-sseo-yo].
보이 + 었어요 => 보였어요.
느끼 + 었어요 => 느꼈어요.
I’m confused
I just wanted to say 감사함니다! And mention that I love kpop, they were my motivation to start learning korean. But it’s hard because I can’t practice with anyone from where I am from. I try!
Thanks Again!
Do you use 아요 or 여요 if the last vowel is ᅧor ᅣ?
Because the last vowel is not ㅏ or ㅗ, so 아요 is followed.
응? i thought it should be -어요?
아, 고마워요! I have been in Korea almost 5 months and learning the language can be really overwhelming. Thank you for explaining things in detail and making the lessons short and manageable^^ This clears up some conjugation confusion =) Your team really has a gift for teaching Korean! Seriously, the most helpful resource I’ve come across.
보고싶어요. 사랑해요. ㅋㅋㅋ
I have the impression I actually sent this message before, but don’t see it anywhere, so my apologies if you are actually seeing twice.
I was wondering – do you know where can I find, in whatever the format, verb conjugation drill exercises? I understand the theory well, and can think around some letter transformations when they happen, but I think it’ll do me good to just start conjugating most basic verbs and just get used to what sounds more natural. I have been searching but I haven’t been able to find anything like it, which strikes me as odd, as it sounds like a really basic sort of exercise…?
Many, many thanks for this wonderful site!
Hi Ana,
I am sorry I don’t know what you are exactly looking for. Would you please check out this link below?
http://www.talktomeinkorean.com/curriculum/
If you don’t find the lesson you want, it means that we have not made it yet. :(
I’m not sure and I think this is a dumb question, but you said something about adding 하다 to a noun to make a verb. So, when we make it present tense, would we put noun +아요 or 어요, or would we put noun +하+아요 or 어요?
We don’t add 아요 or 어요 to noun, but verb stem.
Holy smokes the “오아 오아 오아 오아 오아 ” thing helped SO much! Thanks a lot you guys :D I was always having trouble figuring out which present conjugation to use and now I know. And it’s fun to try and figure it out :D
I’m a little confused about ha-da. Between the audio and the PDF it seems different. The audio says that hae-yo was said back in the day but isn’t said any longer and people are saying ha-yeo-yo (due to the 3rd rule). But on the PDF its the other way around and the text below the breakout says ‘ha-da becomes hae-yo in the present tense’. Why would that be there if hae-yo isn’t said any longer and do to the 3rd rule? :( Please help me understand.
Thank you so much ALL of you! Your time and dedication to helping people learn Korean is very appreciated! Gamsahamnida!
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