Korean Verb Conjugation Basics: How to Use -아요/어요 (A1)
Korean verbs can look mysterious at first, but the basics are friendly once you see the pattern. In this lesson, you’ll learn how to turn dictionary verbs ending in -다 into everyday polite sentences with -아요/어요, make simple past tense (-았/었어요), and sound naturally polite with -요. We’ll practice with common verbs you’ll use all the time.
1) What a Korean verb looks like
- Dictionary form ends in -다 (e.g., 가다 “to go”, 먹다 “to eat”). You’ll see this in dictionaries and vocabulary lists.
- In conversation, A1 learners use polite present with -아요/어요 (and finish with -요). This is the most common beginner style.
Think of it like building blocks:
- Take the verb stem (remove -다)
- Add -아요 or -어요
- Say the sentence with -요 politeness
Examples:
- 가다 → 가 + 아요 → 가요 (I/you/he go)
- 먹다 → 먹 + 어요 → 먹어요 (eat)
- 하다 → 하 + 여요 → 해요 (do)
Note: Some combinations contract naturally:
- 보 + 아요 → 봐요 (from 보다 “to see/watch”)
- 마시 + 어요 → 마셔요 (from 마시다 “to drink”) — si + eo → sye → 셔
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| 저 | 가아요 |
| 너 | 가아요 |
| 그/그녀 | 가아요 |
| 우리 | 가아요 |
| 여러분 | 가아요 |
| 그들 | 가아요 |
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| 저 | 먹어요 |
| 너 | 먹어요 |
| 그/그녀 | 먹어요 |
| 우리 | 먹어요 |
| 여러분 | 먹어요 |
| 그들 | 먹어요 |
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| 저 | 하해요 |
| 너 | 하해요 |
| 그/그녀 | 하해요 |
| 우리 | 하해요 |
| 여러분 | 하해요 |
| 그들 | 하해요 |
Quick practice: present polite
Try turning dictionary verbs into polite present (-아요/어요).
지금 집에 .
Put words in Korean order: Subject–Place–Verb.
2) Past tense made simple: -았어요 / -었어요
To say what already happened, add -았어요 or -었어요 to the stem.
- ㅏ/ㅗ stems → -았어요
- Other vowels → -었어요
- 하다 → 했어요
Examples:
- 가다 → 갔어요 (I went)
- 먹다 → 먹었어요 (I ate)
- 하다 → 했어요 (I did)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| 저 | 가았어요 |
| 너 | 가았어요 |
| 그/그녀 | 가았어요 |
| 우리 | 가았어요 |
| 여러분 | 가았어요 |
| 그들 | 가았어요 |
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| 저 | 먹었어요 |
| 너 | 먹었어요 |
| 그/그녀 | 먹었어요 |
| 우리 | 먹었어요 |
| 여러분 | 먹었어요 |
| 그들 | 먹었어요 |
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| 저 | 하했어요 |
| 너 | 하했어요 |
| 그/그녀 | 하했어요 |
| 우리 | 하했어요 |
| 여러분 | 하했어요 |
| 그들 | 하했어요 |
어제 숙제를 .
Time–Object–Verb order.
Cultural note: sounding polite with -요
In Korea, using the -요 ending shows respect to strangers, service staff, teachers, and most adults. With close friends and younger people, speakers often drop -요 (casual speech). As a beginner, using -요 is a safe default.
3) Real-life examples
Notice the SOV (Subject–Object–Verb) pattern, and the polite -요 ending.
4) Common mistakes to avoid
가다요 → 가요 Remove -다 and add -아요/-어요 + -요 for polite speech. 먹다어요 → 먹어요 Don’t keep -다. Stem 먹 + -어요 → 먹어요.5) Your A1 verb toolkit: must-know verbs
Learn these high-frequency verbs and try saying them in present and past.
Practice more with word order
Try building sentences in SOV order with time/place before the verb.
Time–Object–Verb order.
Extra tip: negatives
At A1, the easiest negative is 안 + verb.
- 저는 커피를 안 마셔요. (I don’t drink coffee.)
- 어제 숙제를 안 했어요. (I didn’t do homework.) You can also use 못 for “cannot,” but start with 안.
Wrap-up: keep it simple and polite
- Dictionary form ends with -다 (가다, 먹다, 하다)
- Present polite: stem + -아요/어요 → 가요, 먹어요, 해요
- Past polite: stem + -았어요/었어요 → 갔어요, 먹었어요, 했어요
- Use -요 to sound polite; keep SOV order
Daily mini-practice:
- Choose a verb (가다, 먹다, 보다, 하다)
- Say it in present: 오늘 ___요
- Say it in past: 어제 ___었어요/았어요
You’ve got this! With a few high-frequency verbs and the -아요/어요 pattern, you can already talk about your day in Korean.