Korean Present Tense — Verbs

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Conjugate the 요 present with 아/어 harmony, talk past with ㅆ, and make plans with ㄹ 거예요.

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Vowel harmony: 아 vs 어

The polite present stem ends in 아요 if the stem's last vowel is ㅏ or ㅗ, else 어요: 가다→가요 (go), 오다→와요 (come), 먹다→먹어요 (eat), 읽다→읽어요 (read), 하다→해요 (do — special!). 하다 verbs are everywhere: 공부해요 (study), 전화해요 (phone), 결혼해요 (marry). Verbs never change for person — 저/당신/그 all take 먹어요.

Past with ㅆ

Add ㅆ어(요): 먹었어요 (ate), 갔어요 (went), 왔어요 (came), 했어요 (did). The ㅆ (ss) is the past marker in every polite past form — hear it and you're in yesterday. "Did you eat?" — 밥 먹었어요? — doubles as "how are you", just like Chinese 你吃了吗.

Future: ㄹ 거예요

Plans and promises: stem + ㄹ/을 거예요 — 갈 거예요 (will go), 먹을 거예요 (will eat). Vowel stems take ㄹ, consonant stems 을. Intentions: 내일 만날 거예요 (will meet tomorrow). Guesses about others use 겠: 비가 오겠어요 (it will probably rain). Everyday speech often uses the present for near future: 내일 가요 (I go tomorrow).

Want, like and please

Want: 고 싶어요 — 먹고 싶어요 (I want to eat). Like: 좋아해요 (김치를 좋아해요 — I like kimchi). "Please do": 주세요 after a connective — 앉아 주세요 (please sit), 기다려 주세요 (please wait). Inviting: 같이…요 — 같이 먹어요 (let's eat together). Shall we: …ㄹ까요? — 먹을까요?

Form	먹다 (to eat)
present	먹어요
past	먹었어요
future	먹을 거예요
don't	안 먹어요
can't	못 먹어요
want to	먹고 싶어요

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