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What is 가다?
가다 means “to go” in Korean.
How to Conjugate 가다 in the Informal Polite Present Tense
Let’s break it down step by step.
Step 1. Find the verb stem:
First, we take the base form of the verb, 가다, and remove the -다 ending to find the stem.
Base form: 가다
Stem: 가 [ga]
Step 2. Check the stem’s vowel:
The last vowel in the stem 가 is ㅏ [a], so we’ll need to follow the conjugation rule for stems with ㅏ or ㅗ as the final vowel. For these, you add -아요 [a-yo].
Step 3. Add the appropriate ending:
Now, attach -아요 to the stem 가.
가 + -아요 = 가아요
Step 4. Simplify for natural pronunciation:
In Korean, certain sounds are blended for smoother pronunciation. Because of this, 가아요 [ga-a-yo] becomes 가요 [ga-yo].
So, 가다 in the informal polite present tense is 가요. And 가요 means I go, You go, He/She goes, They go or I am going, You are going, He/She is going, They are going.
Example Sentences:
집에 가요. (I’m going home.)
학교에 가요. (They are going to school.)
