동사활용A1

Present Tense

Q: When is 현재 시제 used?

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 .

Q: How is 현재 시제 formed?

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).

Present tense conjugation: dictionary form (-다) to polite informal (-아/어/해요)

Learning Goal

Can conjugate regular and common irregular verbs in the polite informal present tense

Exam Skills:쓰기읽기

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).

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

Practice Exercises

Learners struggle with vowel harmony rules and vowel contraction. The good news: no person/number conjugation! 🇬🇧 English speakers: English speakers are relieved that there's no person conjugation (no 'I go/he goes' distinction). The challenge is vowel harmony — English has nothing similar. Practice: if stem ends in ㅏ/ㅗ → 아요, everything else → 어요. 🇩🇪 German speakers: German speakers are used to complex conjugation tables (ich gehe, du gehst, er geht...). Korean's single form 가요 for all persons is simpler. The vowel contraction (오+아→와) takes practice.

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

A1 Course

Present Tense

현재 시제 — Present Tense Conjugation

Common Error Patterns

Put it into practice

Frequently asked questions