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있어요 (i-sseo-yo) is the polite present tense form of the verb 있다 (it-da), which means “to be” or “to exist.” It can translate to “I am,” “you are,” “he/she is,” or “they are” in English, depending on the context. It also indicates the existence of something or state possession, such as “I have” or “you have.”
있다 Conjugation in Polite Present Tense:
Verb → 있다 (it-da)
Verb Stem → 있 (it)
Last Vowel → 이 (i)
Verb Ending Used → 어요 (eo-yo)
Polite Present Tense → 있 + 어요 = 있어요 (i-sseo-yo)
Korean Verb Conjugation Rules for Polite Present Tense
아요: Used if the last vowel in the verb stem is ㅏ or ㅗ.
어요: Used if the last vowel in the verb stem is anything other than ㅏ or ㅗ.
여요: Used only for 하다 verbs.
