-아/어요
Quick answer: -아/어요 means the polite present — what you do, what is happening.
How to form it
Stem ending in ㅏ or ㅗ → -아요 · any other stem → -어요 · 하다 → 해요
In Korean: 어간 ㅏ·ㅗ → -아요 그 밖 → -어요 하다 → 해요
What to know
One ending covers I do, you do, he does and it is happening. Korean does not change the verb for the person, and it does not need a separate word for am doing. Context tells you which English sentence it matches.
Examples
- 저는 한국어를 공부해요.I study Korean.
- 빵을 먹어요.I eat bread.
- 물을 마셔요.I drink water.
Where it's taught
HanDa Level 1 (TOPIK I), Lesson 7: 저는 한국어를 공부해요 — I study Korean. Also in the Level 1 book.
Learned in the same lesson: N을/를.
Practise -아/어요 out loud
In the HanDa app this is Level 1, Lesson 7 — drills, a speaking check and an AI teacher that corrects what you say. Free for 7 days.