Korean Grammar Quiz: -아요 / -어요

Welcome to today’s Korean grammar practice! Today, we are testing your knowledge on one of the most essential polite informal endings in Korean: -아요 / -어요 (-ayo / -eoyo).Watch the YouTube Shorts below and see how many levels you can get right!

Try converting the following verbs into the -아요 / -어요 form before checking the answers!

Level 1: 가다 (to go)
Answer:가요

Level 2: 먹다 (to eat)
Answer:먹어요

Level 3: 마시다 (to drink)
Answer:마셔요(마시다 + 어요 ➔ 마셔요)

Level 4: 바쁘다 (to be busy)
Answer:바빠요(‘ㅡ’ dropping rule)

Level 5: 춥다 (to be cold)
Answer:추워요(‘ㅂ’ irregular rule)

Level 6: 모르다 (not to know)
Answer:몰라요(‘르’ irregular rule)

Level 7: 듣다 (to listen / to hear)
Answer:들어요(‘ㄷ’ irregular rule)

Level 8: 낫다 (to be better / to heal)
Answer:나아요(‘ㅅ’ irregular rule)

Level 9: 파랗다 (to be blue)
Answer:파래요(‘ㅎ’ irregular rule)

Bonus Level: 이르다 (to reach / to arrive)
Answer:이르러요(‘러’ irregular rule)

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1. Basic Rule
– Add -아요: When the final vowel of the verb stem is ㅏ or ㅗ.
Example: 가다 ➔ 가요
– Add -어요: When the final vowel is NOT ㅏ or ㅗ.
Example: 먹다 ➔ 먹어요

2. Key Irregular Rules Featured in the Test
– ‘ㅡ’ Omission: 바쁘다 + 아요 ➔ 바빠요
– ‘ㅂ’ Irregular: 춥다 + 어요 ➔ 추워요 (‘ㅂ’ changes to ‘우’)
– ‘르’ Irregular: 모르다 + 아요 ➔ 몰라요 (Adds ‘ㄹ’ to the previous syllable)
– ‘ㄷ’ Irregular: 듣다 + 어요 ➔ 들어요 (‘ㄷ’ changes to ‘ㄹ’)
– ‘ㅅ’ Irregular: 낫다 + 아요 ➔ 나아요 (‘ㅅ’ drops off)
– ‘ㅎ’ Irregular: 파랗다 + 아요 ➔ 파래요 (‘ㅎ’ drops off and vowel changes)
– ‘러’ Irregular: 이르다 + 어요 ➔ 이르러요 (‘어’ changes to ‘러’)