Present Tense
Present tense conjugation: dictionary form (-다) to polite informal (-아/어/해요)
Can conjugate regular and common irregular verbs in the polite informal present tense
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
저는 한국어를 배워요.
I learn Korean.
매일 운동해요.
I exercise every day.
친구가 와요.
A friend is coming.
음악을 들어요.
I listen to music.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
현재 시제 — Present Tense Conjugation
Korean verbs have a dictionary form ending in -다. To make the polite informal (해요체) present tense, remove -다 and add the appropriate ending based on vowel harmony.
Three conjugation rules:
| Last vowel of stem | Ending | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ㅏ or ㅗ | -아요 | 가다 → 가 + 아요 → 가요 (go) |
| All other vowels | -어요 | 먹다 → 먹 + 어요 → 먹어요 (eat) |
| 하다 verbs | -해요 | 공부하다 → 공부해요 (study) |
Vowel contraction examples:
| Dictionary | Stem + ending | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 오다 (come) | 오 + 아요 | 와요 (ㅗ+ㅏ→ㅘ) |
| 배우다 (learn) | 배우 + 어요 | 배워요 (ㅜ+ㅓ→ㅝ) |
| 마시다 (drink) | 마시 + 어요 | 마셔요 (ㅣ+ㅓ→ㅕ) |
| 쓰다 (write) | 쓰 + 어요 | 써요 (ㅡ drops) |
Key insight: Korean verbs do NOT conjugate by person! 가요 means 'I go', 'you go', 'he/she goes', 'we go', 'they go' — all the same. Context determines the subject.
Common irregular verbs: 듣다 (listen) → 들어요, 걷다 (walk) → 걸어요 (ㄷ→ㄹ irregulars).
Common Error Patterns
Applied wrong vowel harmony rule (아요 vs 어요)
ㅏ or ㅗ in the last stem syllable → 아요. All other vowels → 어요. 하다 → 해요 (always)
Failed to contract vowels correctly
ㅗ+ㅏ→ㅘ (와요), ㅜ+ㅓ→ㅝ (워요), ㅣ+ㅓ→ㅕ (셔요), ㅡ drops (써요)
저는 한국어를 배워요.
I learn Korean.
배우다 (learn): stem 배우 (last vowel ㅜ, not ㅏ/ㅗ) → 어요. Contraction: 배우 + 어요 → 배워요 (ㅜ+ㅓ→ㅝ).
매일 운동해요.
I exercise every day.
하다 verb: 운동하다 (exercise) → 운동 + 해요. All 하다 verbs follow this simple pattern. There are hundreds of 하다 verbs!
친구가 와요.
A friend is coming.
오다 (come): stem 오 (last vowel ㅗ) → 아요. Contraction: 오 + 아요 → 와요 (ㅗ+ㅏ→ㅘ).
음악을 들어요.
I listen to music.
듣다 (listen) is a ㄷ-irregular: stem 듣 → 들 before a vowel ending. 들 + 어요 → 들어요. (ㄷ changes to ㄹ.)
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises