-아요/어요: the polite ending you'll use every day

2026-10-21

Bernard Gagnon / CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)

If you learn only one verb ending in Korean, make it -아요/어요 (-ayo/-eoyo). It is the friendly, polite style Koreans use with shop staff, colleagues, new acquaintances and most people they aren't close to. In grammar books it's called 해요체 (haeyoche), the "haeyo style". The good news: one form covers statements, questions and even suggestions.

Step 1: find the stem

Korean verbs and adjectives are listed in the dictionary ending in -다 (-da). Take off 다 and you have the stem:

• 가다 (gada) – to go → stem 가-
• 먹다 (meokda) – to eat → stem 먹-
• 좋다 (jota) – to be good → stem 좋-

Step 2: look at the last vowel

Now look at the vowel in the last syllable of the stem.

• If it is ㅏ or ㅗ, add -아요.
• If it is anything else, add -어요.
• If the verb ends in 하다, it becomes 해요.

That last line is the one that looks "irregular", but it's completely predictable: every 하다 verb follows it. 일하다 (ilhada) – to work → 일해요 (ilhaeyo); 좋아하다 (joahada) – to like → 좋아해요 (joahaeyo).

Step 3: let the vowels merge

When the stem ends in a vowel, the two vowels usually squeeze together. This is why many common forms look different from what you'd expect:

• 가 + 아요 → 가요 (gayo) – the two ㅏ sounds merge
• 서 + 어요 → 서요 (seoyo) – (I) stand / stop
• 오 + 아요 → 와요 (wayo) – (I) come
• 보 + 아요 → 봐요 (bwayo) – (I) see, watch
• 배우 + 어요 → 배워요 (baewoyo) – (I) learn
• 마시 + 어요 → 마셔요 (masyeoyo) – (I) drink
• 되 + 어요 → 돼요 (dwaeyo) – (it) works / is possible
• 보내 + 어요 → 보내요 (bonaeyo) – (I) send

Stems ending in ㅡ drop the ㅡ, then look at the syllable before it:

• 쓰다 (sseuda) – to write → 써요 (sseoyo)
• 바쁘다 (bappeuda) – to be busy → 바빠요 (bappayo), because the syllable before is 바
• 예쁘다 (yeppeuda) – to be pretty → 예뻐요 (yeppeoyo)

A few verbs are truly irregular, such as 덥다 (deopda) – to be hot → 더워요 (deowoyo), or 모르다 (moreuda) – not to know → 몰라요 (mollayo). Learn them as you meet them; the rules above handle most verbs.

One form, three jobs

The same form works for different sentence types. Only your intonation changes.

• Statement: 지금 가요. (Jigeum gayo.) – I'm going now.
• Question: 지금 가요? (Jigeum gayo?) – Are you going now? (rising tone)
• Suggestion: 같이 가요! (Gachi gayo!) – Let's go together!

There is no separate word for "I" or "you" here; Korean usually drops the subject when it's clear from context.

Where it fits

Take away the 요 and you get casual speech (반말, banmal): 가, 먹어, 해. That's for close friends and younger people. Going the other way, -습니다 (-seumnida) forms like 갑니다 (gamnida) are more formal and common in news, announcements and business. For most learners, -아요/어요 is the safest default.

Mini practice

Change each verb into the -아요/어요 form. Answers are below.

1. 앉다 (anda) – to sit
2. 마시다 (masida) – to drink
3. 일하다 (ilhada) – to work
4. 만나다 (mannada) – to meet
5. 주다 (juda) – to give
6. 크다 (keuda) – to be big

Answers: 1. 앉아요 (anjayo) 2. 마셔요 (masyeoyo) 3. 일해요 (ilhaeyo) 4. 만나요 (mannayo) 5. 줘요 (jwoyo) 6. 커요 (keoyo)

Korean you can use

Try describing your day in five short sentences using only -아요/어요. You'll be surprised how far one ending can take you.