Korean Verb Conjugation: Present, Past, and Future Tense
Korean Verb Conjugation
Korean verb conjugation is more regular than English. Once you learn the patterns, you can conjugate almost any verb. Here are the three essential tenses every beginner needs.
Present Tense: 아요/어요
The present tense ending depends on the last vowel of the verb stem:
- ㅏ or ㅗ in the stem → use 아요
- Everything else → use 어요
- 하다 verbs → always 해요
| Dictionary Form | Stem | Present | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 가다 | 가 | 가요 | go |
| 먹다 | 먹 | 먹어요 | eat |
| 마시다 | 마시 | 마셔요 | drink |
| 공부하다 | 공부하 | 공부해요 | study |
Practice present tense with interactive examples →
Past Tense: 았/었어요
The past tense follows the same vowel harmony rule as present tense:
- ㅏ or ㅗ → 았어요
- Everything else → 었어요
- 하다 → 했어요
| Present | Past | English |
|---|---|---|
| 가요 | 갔어요 | went |
| 먹어요 | 먹었어요 | ate |
| 마셔요 | 마셨어요 | drank |
| 공부해요 | 공부했어요 | studied |
Practice past tense with interactive examples →
Future Tense: (으)ㄹ 거예요
The future tense pattern:
- Stem ends in vowel → add ㄹ 거예요
- Stem ends in consonant → add 을 거예요
| Present | Future | English |
|---|---|---|
| 가요 | 갈 거예요 | will go |
| 먹어요 | 먹을 거예요 | will eat |
| 마셔요 | 마실 거예요 | will drink |
| 공부해요 | 공부할 거예요 | will study |
Practice future tense with interactive examples →
Negation: 안 and 못
Korean has two ways to negate verbs:
안 (don't / won't — by choice):
- 안 먹어요 = I don't eat
못 (can't — inability):
- 못 먹어요 = I can't eat
Learn about 안 negation → | Learn about 못 vs 안 →
Practice on Chamelingo
Our curriculum introduces present tense in Unit 4, past tense in Unit 7, and future tense in Unit 6. Chamelingo has interactive exercises for each tense where you practice conjugating verbs in context.