서
suh
seo
regular
서다
To say to stand politely in the present tense, use 서요 (suh-yoh) · seoyo. Below is the full conjugation of 서다 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 | 서요 suh-yoh seoyo | 섭니다 suhm-nee-dah seomnida | |
| Past | 섰어 suh-ssuh seosseo | 섰어요 suh-ssuh-yoh seosseoyo | 섰습니다 suh-sseum-nee-dah seosseumnida |
| Future | 설 거야 suhl guh-yah seol geoya | 설 거예요 suhl guh-yae-yoh seol geoyeyo | 설 겁니다 suhl guhm-nee-dah seol geomnida |
Example sentences
- casual present버스가 저기 서.The bus stops over there.
- polite present이 열차는 모든 역에 서요.This train stops at every station.
- formal present주말에는 이 앞에 장이 섭니다.Every weekend, a market sets up out front.
- casual past시계가 섰어.The clock has stopped.
- polite past한 시간 동안 줄을 섰어요.I stood in line for an hour.
- formal past그 가수는 처음으로 큰 무대에 섰습니다.The singer performed on a big stage for the first time.
- casual future나 맨 앞에 설 거야.I’m going to stand at the very front.
- polite future사진 찍을 때 제가 가운데에 설 거예요.I’ll stand in the middle for the photo.
- formal future택시는 건물 정문 앞에 설 겁니다.The taxi will stop in front of the main entrance.
- honorific -(으)세요한 줄로 서세요.Please form a single line.
How it’s used
서다 means both to stand and, for vehicles and machines, to stop. Common phrases include 줄을 서다 (to line up) and 무대에 서다 (to perform on stage). Being on your feet is 서 있다, and getting up from sitting is 일어서다 or 일어나다.
Common mistake
Using 서다 for the state of standing: ✗ 지금 서요 → ✓ 지금 서 있어요 (“I’m standing right now”).
Other useful forms
Honorific / Command Polite (-(으)세요)
서세요
suh-sae-yoh
seoseyo
Suggestion / Let's Polite (요)
서요
suh-yoh
seoyo
Question Polite (요)
서요?
suh-yoh-?
seoyo?
Connective "and" — (고)
서고
suh-goh
seogo
Conditional "if" — (면)
서면
suh-myuhn
seomyeon
Progressive (고 있어요)
서고 있어요
suh-goh ee-ssuh-yoh
seogo isseoyo
Want to (고 싶어요)
서고 싶어요
suh-goh shee-puh-yoh
seogo sipeoyo
Can / Able to ((으)ㄹ 수 있어요)
설 수 있어요
suhl soo ee-ssuh-yoh
seol su isseoyo
Because / So (아/어서)
서서
suh-suh
seoseo
Noun form — (기)
서기
suh-gee
seogi
Noun form — (음)
섬
suhm
seom