읽어
eel-uh
ieo
regular
읽다
To say to read politely in the present tense, use 읽어요 (eel-uh-yoh) · ieoyo. Below is the full conjugation of 읽다 across the three tenses and three everyday speech levels.
Grammar note (regular): Regular verbs and adjectives conjugate predictably. Before 어-series suffixes, vowels may contract (가 + 아 → 가, 보 + 아 → 봐), but no consonant in the stem changes. If the final vowel of the stem is ㅏ or ㅗ, use 아; otherwise use 어. Consonant-final stems: 먹 + 어 → 먹어; vowel-final: 가 + 아 → 가.
Conjugation table
pron. = pronunciation guide · RR = Revised Romanization
| Tense | Casual (반말) | Polite (요) | Formal (합니다) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | 읽어요 eel-uh-yoh ieoyo | 읽습니다 eel-seum-nee-dah iseumnida | |
| Past | 읽었어 eel-uh-ssuh ieosseo | 읽었어요 eel-uh-ssuh-yoh ieosseoyo | 읽었습니다 eel-uh-sseum-nee-dah ieosseumnida |
| Future | 읽을 거야 eel-eul guh-yah ieul geoya | 읽을 거예요 eel-eul guh-yae-yoh ieul geoyeyo | 읽을 겁니다 eel-eul guhm-nee-dah ieul geomnida |
Example sentences
- casual present뭐 읽어?What are you reading?
- polite present저는 자기 전에 책을 읽어요.I read before going to bed.
- formal present요즘 사람들은 종이 신문을 잘 안 읽습니다.These days people rarely read print newspapers.
- casual past내 메시지 읽었어?Did you read my message?
- polite past그 책은 벌써 두 번 읽었어요.I’ve already read that book twice.
- formal past보내 주신 자료는 모두 읽었습니다.I’ve read all the materials you sent.
- casual future쉬는 동안 소설 한 권 읽을 거야.I’m going to read a novel during my time off.
- polite future오늘은 이 장까지 읽을 거예요.I’m going to read up to this chapter today.
- formal future다음 시간에는 시를 읽을 겁니다.In the next class we will read poetry.
- honorific -(으)세요큰 소리로 읽으세요.Please read it out loud.
How it’s used
읽다 means to read, whether books, messages or signs; to read something to someone is 읽어 주다: 책 읽어 줄게. Its ㄺ ending changes how it sounds: 읽다 is said [익따], 읽어요 [일거요], and 읽고 [일꼬].
Common mistake
Pronouncing 읽다 as it is spelled. Before a vowel both consonants are heard (읽어요 [일거요]), before most consonants only ㄱ is (읽습니다 [익씀니다]), and before ㄱ only ㄹ is (읽고 [일꼬]).
Other useful forms
Honorific / Command Polite (-(으)세요)
읽으세요
eel-eu-sae-yoh
ieuseyo
Suggestion / Let's Polite (요)
읽어요
eel-uh-yoh
ieoyo
Question Polite (요)
읽어요?
eel-uh-yoh-?
ieoyo?
Connective "and" — (고)
읽고
eel-goh
igo
Conditional "if" — (면)
읽으면
eel-eu-myuhn
ieumyeon
Progressive (고 있어요)
읽고 있어요
eel-goh ee-ssuh-yoh
igo isseoyo
Want to (고 싶어요)
읽고 싶어요
eel-goh shee-puh-yoh
igo sipeoyo
Can / Able to ((으)ㄹ 수 있어요)
읽을 수 있어요
eel-eul soo ee-ssuh-yoh
ieul su isseoyo
Because / So (아/어서)
읽어서
eel-uh-suh
ieoseo
Noun form — (기)
읽기
eel-gee
igi
Noun form — (음)
읽음
eel-eum
ieum