When Vowels Meet
In Korean conjugation, efficiency is key. When a verb or adjective stem ends in a vowel, and the ending you attach starts with the exact same vowel, the two vowels merge into one.
We do not pronounce or write the same vowel twice in a row. This natural blending makes speaking smoother and faster.
The ㅏ + 아 Vowel Merge
If a stem ends in the vowel ㅏ (like 가다 or 사다), it takes the -아요 ending.
Because the stem ends in ㅏ and the ending starts with 아, the two identical vowels meet directly. Instead of writing 가아요, they merge.
Stem + Ending · Conjugated Form
가 + 아요 · 가요
사 + 아요 · 사요
자 + 아요 · 자요
The ㅓ + 어 Vowel Merge
The same rule applies to the ㅓ vowel. If a stem ends in ㅓ (like 서다 or 건너다), it takes the -어요 ending.
When the ㅓ of the stem meets the 어 of the ending, they merge into a single syllable.
Stem + Ending · Conjugated Form
서 + 어요 · 서요
건너 + 어요 · 건너요
Consonants Block the Merge
Why does 먹다 become 먹어요 and not 먹요?
Contraction only happens when two vowels touch directly. If the stem has a final consonant (받침) at the bottom, that consonant acts like a wall between the vowels.
In 먹다, the consonant ㄱ separates the ㅓ in the stem from the 어 in the ending. Because they do not touch, they cannot merge.
Common Mistake: Over-conjugating
Beginners often try to force the full -아요 or -어요 ending onto stems that already end in that vowel, creating awkward forms like 가아요 or 서어요.
Remember that these forms are incorrect in natural Korean. Trust the merge! If the vowels are the same and there is no final consonant, shrink them down.