-아요/어요

-아요/어요 is the everyday polite ending: add it to a verb or adjective stem to speak politely to almost anyone, about the present or habits.

문장 끝·말투Endings & speech style

Han: The last vowel of 먹- is ㅓ, not ㅏ or ㅗ, so it must take 어요; 아요 is only for stems ending in ㅏ/ㅗ (e.g. 좋아요, 살아요).

Examples

저는 매일 아침 커피를 마셔요.I drink coffee every morning.

우리 같이 점심 먹어요!Let's have lunch together!

오늘 날씨가 정말 좋아요.The weather is really nice today.

지금 어디에 가요? — 도서관에 가요.Where are you going now? — I'm going to the library.

-아요/어요vs이에요/예요-아요/어요 does not attach to nouns; 이에요/예요 is for nouns, -아요/어요 for verbs and adjectives: 저는 학생이에요 vs 저는 공부해요.

V/A stem (last vowel ㅏ/ㅗ)+아요

V/A stem (other vowels)+어요

하다 → 해요

가다 → 가요, 보다 → 봐요, 먹다 → 먹어요, 마시다 → 마셔요, 공부하다 → 공부해요

For regular stems, choose by the last vowel of the stem: ㅏ or ㅗ takes 아요, all other vowels take 어요, and every 하다 word becomes 해요. Vowels merge: 가+아요 → 가요 (not 가아요), 오+아요 → 와요, 마시+어요 → 마셔요.
Some stems are irregular: ㅡ drops (바쁘다 → 바빠요, 쓰다 → 써요), ㅂ becomes 우 (춥다 → 추워요), ㄷ becomes ㄹ (듣다 → 들어요), and 르 doubles ㄹ (모르다 → 몰라요). The vowel rule is then applied to the changed stem.
The same form works as a statement, question, suggestion or request; only intonation and context show which one (가요. / 가요? / 같이 가요!).
It is polite but not formal: in news, speeches, presentations and official announcements use -ㅂ니다/습니다; with close friends drop 요 (반말).

Wrong: ~~저는 점심에 비빔밥을 먹아요.~~

Right: 저는 점심에 비빔밥을 먹어요.

The last vowel of 먹- is ㅓ, not ㅏ or ㅗ, so it must take 어요; 아요 is only for stems ending in ㅏ/ㅗ (e.g. 좋아요, 살아요).

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