Polite Present

Korean Grammar 1

Course 1 Β· Chapter 6 Β· Verbs 1: The Everyday Polite Present

πŸƒ Verbs 1: The Everyday Polite Present β€” ν˜„μž¬ μ‹œμ œ

You have used verbs in the polite -μš” form since Korean Grammar 1, chapter 1 (λ¨Ήμ–΄μš”, κ°€μš”, λ§ˆμ…”μš”). Now you learn the rule that builds them. Korean verbs do not change for person or number: λ¨Ήμ–΄μš” means "I eat", "you eat", "she eats" and "they eat". All the grammar is in the ending, and one ending, -μ•„μš”/-μ–΄μš”, covers the everyday polite present.

The rule in one box 1. Take the dictionary form (ends in λ‹€) and remove λ‹€. What is left is the stem.
2. Look at the last vowel of the stem. If it is ㅏ or γ…—, add -μ•„μš”. If it is any other vowel, add -μ–΄μš”.
3. If the stem ends in a vowel, the vowels often merge (the contractions below). The verb ν•˜λ‹€ becomes ν•΄μš”.

Step 1: Dictionary form and stem

Dictionary formMeaningStem
먹닀 meokdato eat먹-
읽닀 ikdato read읽-
κ°€λ‹€ gadato goκ°€-
λ§ˆμ‹œλ‹€ masidato drinkλ§ˆμ‹œ-
κ³΅λΆ€ν•˜λ‹€ gongbuhadato studyκ³΅λΆ€ν•˜-

Step 2: Stems ending in a consonant

When the stem ends in a final consonant there is no merging: simply add the ending. The ending is μ•„μš” if the stem's vowel is ㅏ or γ…—, otherwise μ–΄μš”.

Dictionary formMeaningStem vowelPolite present
앉닀 andato sitγ…μ•‰μ•„μš” anjayo
λ°›λ‹€ batdato receiveγ…λ°›μ•„μš” badayo
μ‚΄λ‹€ saldato liveγ…μ‚΄μ•„μš” sarayo
놀닀 noldato play, to hang outγ…—λ†€μ•„μš” norayo
λ¨Ήλ‹€ meokdato eatγ…“λ¨Ήμ–΄μš” meogeoyo
읽닀 ikdato readγ…£μ½μ–΄μš” ilgeoyo
μž…λ‹€ ipdato wearγ…£μž…μ–΄μš” ibeoyo
웃닀 utdato laugh, to smileγ…œμ›ƒμ–΄μš” useoyo
μžˆλ‹€ itdato be, to haveγ…£μžˆμ–΄μš” isseoyo
μ—†λ‹€ eopdato not be, to not haveγ…“μ—†μ–΄μš” eopseoyo

Because the ending begins with the silent γ…‡, the stem's final consonant moves across to it (Korean Grammar 1, chapter 2, rule A): μ•‰μ•„μš” is said [μ•ˆμžμš”], μ½μ–΄μš” [μΌκ±°μš”], μž…μ–΄μš” [μ΄λ²„μš”].

Step 3: Stems ending in a vowel

When the stem ends in a vowel, the stem vowel and the ending vowel run together. These contractions are the heart of Korean verb forms, so learn the patterns.

Stem ends inWhat happensDictionary formPolite present
ㅏ아 is absorbed: ㅏ + μ•„ β†’ ㅏ κ°€λ‹€ to go
μžλ‹€ to sleep
사닀 to buy
λ§Œλ‚˜λ‹€ to meet
타닀 to ride		 κ°€μš” gayo
μžμš” jayo
μ‚¬μš” sayo
λ§Œλ‚˜μš” mannayo
νƒ€μš” tayo
γ…“μ–΄ is absorbed: γ…“ + μ–΄ β†’ γ…“ μ„œλ‹€ to stand μ„œμš” seoyo
γ…—γ…— + μ•„ β†’ γ…˜ μ˜€λ‹€ to come
보닀 to see, to watch		 μ™€μš” wayo
λ΄μš” bwayo
γ…œγ…œ + μ–΄ β†’ ㅝ μ£Όλ‹€ to give
λ°°μš°λ‹€ to learn		 μ€˜μš” jwoyo
λ°°μ›Œμš” baewoyo
γ…£γ…£ + μ–΄ β†’ γ…• λ§ˆμ‹œλ‹€ to drink
기닀리닀 to wait		 λ§ˆμ…”μš” masyeoyo
κΈ°λ‹€λ €μš” gidaryeoyo
γ…‘γ…‘ drops, then μ–΄ is added μ“°λ‹€ to write, to use μ¨μš” sseoyo
Watch out: the contraction is the normal spelling You will never see the uncontracted κ°€μ•„μš” or λ§ˆμ‹œμ–΄μš” in ordinary writing. Learn the contracted form as the form, and do not try to "uncontract" it when you read.

ν•˜λ‹€ verbs: the largest family

ν•˜λ‹€ means "to do". It is irregular: its polite present is ν•΄μš” haeyo (from ν•˜ + μ—¬μš”). Add ν•˜λ‹€ to a noun and you get a verb, and every one of them follows the same pattern: drop λ‹€, put ν•΄μš” on the end. Thousands of Korean verbs are made this way, many from words borrowed from Chinese or English.

Nounν•˜λ‹€ verbPolite present
곡뢀 studyκ³΅λΆ€ν•˜λ‹€ to studyκ³΅λΆ€ν•΄μš” gongbuhaeyo
일 workμΌν•˜λ‹€ to workμΌν•΄μš” ilhaeyo
μš΄λ™ exerciseμš΄λ™ν•˜λ‹€ to exerciseμš΄λ™ν•΄μš” undonghaeyo
μš”λ¦¬ cookingμš”λ¦¬ν•˜λ‹€ to cookμš”λ¦¬ν•΄μš” yorihaeyo
μ „ν™” telephoneμ „ν™”ν•˜λ‹€ to phoneμ „ν™”ν•΄μš” jeonhwahaeyo
μ’‹μ•„ (liking)μ’‹μ•„ν•˜λ‹€ to likeμ’‹μ•„ν•΄μš” joahaeyo

With many of them you can also separate the noun and mark it with 을/λ₯Ό: 곡뢀λ₯Ό ν•΄μš” ("do study") is the same as κ³΅λΆ€ν•΄μš”. The verb μ’‹μ•„ν•˜λ‹€ always takes an object: 사과λ₯Ό μ’‹μ•„ν•΄μš” (I like apples).

One form, several meanings

The polite present form is used for everything English splits into several tenses:

KoreanCan mean
κ³΅λΆ€ν•΄μš”. (I) study. (I) am studying. (I) will study (when the time is clear).
κ°€μš”. (I) go. (I) am going. As a question κ°€μš”? "Are you going?"; as an invitation "Let's go"; sometimes "Go!" Context and tone decide.
Watch out: a few verbs are irregular Some stems change their last sound before the ending. Two you will meet early: λ“£λ‹€ deutda (to listen, to hear) β†’ λ“€μ–΄μš” deureoyo, and λͺ¨λ₯΄λ‹€ moreuda (to not know) β†’ λͺ°λΌμš” mollayo. Treat these as vocabulary to learn with the verb; a later course takes the irregular patterns in full.

πŸ—£οΈ In Use β€” μ‹€μ œ 예문

Find the stem of each verb in the exchange, and check which ending it took.

β‘  What are you doing?

A: 뭐 ν•΄μš”? mwo haeyo? What are you doing?
B: κ³΅λΆ€ν•΄μš”. 책을 μ½μ–΄μš”. gongbuhaeyo. chaeg-eul ilgeoyo. I'm studying. I'm reading a book.

β‘‘ Work

A: μ–΄λ””μ—μ„œ μΌν•΄μš”? eodi-eseo ilhaeyo? Where do you work?
B: μ„œμšΈμ—μ„œ μΌν•΄μš”. μ„œμšΈμ— μ‚΄μ•„μš”. seoul-eseo ilhaeyo. seoul-e sarayo. I work in Seoul. I live in Seoul.

πŸ“‹ Quick Reference β€” μš”μ•½ν‘œ

StemRuleExample
ends in a consonant, vowel ㅏ or γ…—+ μ•„μš”μ•‰λ‹€ β†’ μ•‰μ•„μš”
ends in a consonant, other vowel+ μ–΄μš”λ¨Ήλ‹€ β†’ λ¨Ήμ–΄μš”
ends in ㅏ / γ…“merges: ㅏ+μ•„ β†’ ㅏ, γ…“+μ–΄ β†’ γ…“κ°€λ‹€ β†’ κ°€μš”
ends in γ…— / γ…œγ…˜ / γ…μ˜€λ‹€ β†’ μ™€μš”, μ£Όλ‹€ β†’ μ€˜μš”
ends in γ…£γ…•λ§ˆμ‹œλ‹€ β†’ λ§ˆμ…”μš”
ends in γ…‘γ…‘ drops, + μ–΄μš”μ“°λ‹€ β†’ μ¨μš”
ν•˜λ‹€β†’ ν•΄μš”κ³΅λΆ€ν•˜λ‹€ β†’ κ³΅λΆ€ν•΄μš”

✏️ Try It Yourself β€” μ—°μŠ΅

Work out the answer first, then click to check.

1. Give the polite present of λ¨Ήλ‹€ and 앉닀, and say why they take different endings.

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λ¨Ήμ–΄μš” (stem vowel γ…“ β†’ μ–΄μš”) and μ•‰μ•„μš” (stem vowel ㅏ β†’ μ•„μš”).

2. Give the polite present of κ°€λ‹€ and μžλ‹€.

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κ°€μš” and μžμš”. (ㅏ + μ•„ merges to ㅏ.)

3. Give the polite present of μ˜€λ‹€ and 보닀.

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μ™€μš” and λ΄μš”. (γ…— + μ•„ β†’ γ…˜.)

4. Give the polite present of λ§ˆμ‹œλ‹€ and 기닀리닀 (to wait).

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λ§ˆμ…”μš” and κΈ°λ‹€λ €μš”. (γ…£ + μ–΄ β†’ γ…•.)

5. Give the polite present of μ£Όλ‹€ and λ°°μš°λ‹€.

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μ€˜μš” and λ°°μ›Œμš”. (γ…œ + μ–΄ β†’ ㅝ.)

6. Give the polite present of μ“°λ‹€ (to write).

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μ¨μš” sseoyo: γ…‘ drops and μ–΄μš” is added.

7. Give the polite present of μš΄λ™ν•˜λ‹€ and μ’‹μ•„ν•˜λ‹€.

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μš΄λ™ν•΄μš” and μ’‹μ•„ν•΄μš”.

8. How is μ•‰μ•„μš” said, and why?

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[μ•ˆμžμš”]: the γ…ˆ of 앉 moves across to the silent γ…‡ of μ•„μš” (only the γ„΄ is left at the foot).

9. Say "I live in Seoul and I work in Seoul", using what you know about 에 and μ—μ„œ (Korean Grammar 1, chapter 4).

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μ„œμšΈμ— μ‚΄μ•„μš”. μ„œμšΈμ—μ„œ μΌν•΄μš”. (μ‚΄λ‹€ takes 에; μΌν•˜λ‹€ is an action, so μ—μ„œ.)

10. Make "Do you read books?" from 책을 μ½μ–΄μš”, and give two possible meanings of κ°€μš”?.

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책을 μ½μ–΄μš”? with a rising voice. κ°€μš”? can mean "Are you going?" or "Shall we go?"

Coming up in Chapter 7: Verbs 2: Past, Future and Negation. You will add -μ•˜μ–΄μš”/-μ—ˆμ–΄μš” for the past, -(으)γ„Ή κ±°μ˜ˆμš” for the future, and make verbs negative with μ•ˆ and -지 μ•Šλ‹€.