Polite Present Tense · -아요/어요

4. Common mistakes

❌ Mistake 1 — Using 아요 after ㅓ

✖ 밥을 먹아요.
✔ 밥을 먹어요.
  ba-beul meo-geo-yo.

The last vowel of 먹 is ㅓ, so the correct ending is 어요. Only ㅏ and ㅗ use 아요. Check the vowel before you add the ending.

❌ Mistake 2 — Writing 가아요

✖ 학교에 가아요.
✔ 학교에 가요.
  hak-gyo-e ga-yo.

가 + 아요 merges into one sound, so you write just 가요. The same thing happens with 자다 and 서다. Do not repeat the vowel when the stem ends in the same one.

❌ Mistake 3 — 이에요 after a vowel

✖ 저는 의사이에요.
✔ 저는 의사예요.
  jeo-neun ui-sa-ye-yo.

의사 ends in a vowel, so you use the short form 예요. The long form 이에요 is only for nouns that end in a consonant. If you say 의사이에요, it sounds slow and wrong.

❌ Mistake 4 — Writing 하어요

✖ 한국어를 공부하어요.
✔ 한국어를 공부해요.
  han-gu-geo-reul gong-bu-hae-yo.

Every 하다 verb becomes 해요, and it never becomes 하어요. This is true for 운동하다, 좋아하다 and all the rest. Learn 해요 as one fixed form.

❌ Mistake 5 — Forgetting to contract

✖ 커피를 마시요.
✔ 커피를 마셔요.
  keo-pi-reul ma-syeo-yo.

The stem 마시 plus 어요 becomes 마셔요. Learners often just add 요 to the stem, which gives 마시요. In the same way, 보다 is 봐요 and not 보아요 in everyday speech.