Present Tense -아요/-어요

What it means

-아요/-어요 is the polite everyday ending used in most daily conversation — polite, but not stiff. It covers "I go", "I am going" and, with a time word, plans for the near future (내일 가요 = I'm going tomorrow).

How to make it

• First find the stem: remove 다 from the dictionary form: 가다 → 가, 먹다 → 먹
• Last vowel of the stem is ㅏ or ㅗ → add -아요: 살다 → 살아요, 가다 → 가요 (가 + 아 merge), 보다 → 봐요, 오다 → 와요 (ㅗ + ㅏ → ㅘ)
• Any other vowel → add -어요: 먹다 → 먹어요, 마시다 → 마셔요 (ㅣ + ㅓ → ㅕ), 배우다 → 배워요 (ㅜ + ㅓ → ㅝ)
• 하다 verbs → 해요: 하다 → 해요, 공부하다 → 공부해요

When to use it

• Statements: 점심에 비빔밥을 먹어요. = I eat bibimbap for lunch.
• Questions (raise your voice at the end): 요즘 뭐 해요? = What are you doing these days?
• Habits and routines: 주말에 영화를 봐요. = I watch a movie on the weekend.
• Soft suggestions: 같이 가요. = Let's go together.

Compare

• 가요 / 먹어요 (polite everyday) vs 갑니다 / 먹습니다 (formal, like 입니다): same meaning, but -아요/-어요 is friendlier and far more common in daily talk.
• One form, many uses: 가요. (I go.) / 가요? (Are you going?) — only the tone changes.

Common mistakes

• ❌ 보어요 → ✅ 봐요 (ㅗ takes -아요, and 보 + 아 merges into 봐)
• ❌ 먹아요 → ✅ 먹어요 (ㅓ is not ㅏ or ㅗ, so -어요)
• ❌ 공부하요 → ✅ 공부해요 (하다 always becomes 해요)