Making Polite Requests
-(으)세요 is commonly used to give a polite instruction or make a polite request.
The notation shows two selectable forms. In the regular pattern taught here, choose -세요 after a vowel-final verb stem and -으세요 after a consonant-final stem other than ㄹ.
Vowel Stems: Add -세요
If the verb stem ends in a vowel (meaning it has no final consonant), simply attach -세요 .
Examples
가다 → 가 + 세요 = 가세요
오다 → 오 + 세요 = 오세요
주다 → 주 + 세요 = 주세요
Non-ㄹ Consonant-Final Stems: Choose -으세요
If the verb stem ends in a consonant other than ㄹ, select -으세요 . The 으 is part of the selected ending form rather than a sound added freely for easier pronunciation.
Examples
먹다 → 먹- + -으세요 → 먹으세요
읽다 → 읽- + -으세요 → 읽으세요
앉다 → 앉- + -으세요 → 앉으세요
Common Mistake: Mixing the Forms
A common beginner mistake is choosing a form without checking how the stem ends.
For 먹다 , the stem 먹- ends in a consonant other than ㄹ, so choose -으세요 : 먹으세요 , not 먹세요 .
For 가다 , the stem 가- ends in a vowel, so choose -세요 : 가세요 , not 가으세요 .
Boundary: ㄹ-Final Stems
This lesson covers vowel-final stems and consonant-final stems other than ㄹ.
Stems ending in ㄹ follow a separate pattern, so do not apply the basic -으세요 rule to them yet. Their form changes are covered in the separate Irregular Conjugation course.