V-아요

Here are the different conditions for a verb to follow this pattern:

If the verb stem ends with a vowel being ㅏ or ㅗ followed by a consonant, the particle 다 will be replaced by the suffix 아요 at the end of the verb.

• 앉다앉아요- to sit
• 찾다찾아요- to find
• 잡다잡아요- to catch, grab, seize

If a verb already ends with the vowel ㅏ, then you will only replace 다 with 요.

• 타다타요- to ride
• 자다자요- to sleep
• 만나다만나요- to meet

If it’s finishing by a ㅗ you still need to add the ㅏ vowel. These last 2 vowels will combine and form ㅘ요 when conjugated.

• 보다봐요- to see
• 오다와요- to come

Few sentences using this pattern:

• 내 이름을 알아요?
  Do you know my name?
• 뉴욕에서 살아요
  I live in New York
• 오늘 민수씨 만나요
  I’m meeting Minsu today
• 영화를 봐요
  I watch a movie

V-아요

Now for all the rest, you will work with ㅓ요. Let’s see how it differs depending on the case.

When it’s ending with a consonant and the previous vowel is not ㅏ/ㅗ, contrary to above, then the verb ends by 어요.

• 먹다먹어요- to eat
• 읽다읽어요- to read
• 입다입어요- to wear

When the verb ends with another vowel:

Once again If a verb already ends with the vowel ㅓ, then you will only replace 다 with 요.

• 서다서요- to stand
• 건너다건너요- to go across

If a verb ends with ㅜ, it comines with the vowel ㅓ to form ㅝ요

• 배우다배워요- to learn
• 싸우다싸워요- to fight
• 나누다나눠요- to split

If it’s finishing by a ㅣ you still need to add the ㅓ vowel. As you know these two vowels can be combined, so it will end with 여요 when conjugated.

• 마시다마셔요- to drink
• 기다리다기다려요- to wait
• 가르치다가르쳐요- to teach
• 빌리다빌려요- to borrow

Few sentences using this pattern:

• 저는 아침에 커피를 마셔요
  I drink coffee in the morning
• 친구들이 점심을 같이 먹어요
  Friends eat lunch together
• 민수 씨는 신문을 매일 읽어요
  Minsu reads the newspaper every day
• 저는 주말에 축구경기를 봐요
  I watch soccer games on the weekend

Other cases

이다 means “to be”. You saw it in our very firsts lessons.

There is 2 ways to conjugate this verb, depending if the preceding noun ends with a vowel or a consonant:

• 저는 학생이에요
  I am a student
• 저는 간호사예요
  I am a nurse

You might come across some verbs ending with 내다, in this case you just need to add 요.

• 보내다보내요- to send
• 끝내다끝내요- to finish

V-습니다/ㅂ니다

We’ve covered how to conjugate verbs in their polite form.

However, you are already aware that Korean language possesses another level of politeness. Let’s see how to properly conjugate verbs in this form:

A verb ending with a consonant will see his particule 다 replaced by 습니다.

In this case, the consonant is barely, almost not pronounced.

• 먹다먹습니다- to eat
• 읽다읽습니다- to read
• 맞다맞습니다- to be correct
• 받다받습니다- to receive

A verb ending with a vowel will end with ㅂ니다 ( this also goes for verbs in 하다 ) :

• 가다갑니다- to go
• 기다리다기다립니다- to wait
• 하다합니다- to do
• 감사하다감사합니다- to appreciate, to thank
• 부탁하다부탁합니다- to ask for a favor, to request

Summary

Vocabulary

• 가다
  to go
• 오다
  to come
• 먹다
  to eat
• 마시다
  to drink
• 보다
  to see
• 만나다
  to meet
• 자다
  to sleep
• 읽다
  to read
• 입다
  to wear
• 찾다
  to find
• 앉다
  to sit
• 잡다
  to catch
• 타다
  to ride
• 서다
  to stand
• 기다리다
  to wait
• 가르치다
  to teach
• 빌리다
  to borrow
• 보내다
  to send
• 싸우다
  to fight
• 받다
  to receive
• 끝내다
  to finish