Unit 22: Please do (-(으)세요)¶

In Unit 9, we learned 주세요 to say "Please give me." But what if you want to politely tell someone to do an action, like "Please go," "Please read," or "Please wait"?

For this, we use the imperative ending: -(으)세요.

1. How to conjugate -(으)세요¶

Just like the future tense, the conjugation depends on whether the verb stem ends in a vowel or a consonant.

Rule 1: Verb stem ends in a VOWEL -> + 세요¶

If the verb stem ends in a vowel, you simply attach 세요.

가다 (to go). Stem = 가. -> 가 + 세요 = 가세요 (ga-se-yo). = Please go.
하다 (to do). Stem = 하. -> 하 + 세요 = 하세요 (ha-se-yo). = Please do.
오다 (to come). Stem = 오. -> 오 + 세요 = 오세요 (o-se-yo). = Please come.

Rule 2: Verb stem ends in a CONSONANT -> + 으세요¶

If the verb stem ends in a consonant, you add the cushion vowel 으 before 세요.

읽다 (to read). Stem = 읽. -> 읽 + 으세요 = 읽으세요 (il-geu-se-yo). = Please read.
앉다 (to sit). Stem = 앉. -> 앉 + 으세요 = 앉으세요 (an-jeu-se-yo). = Please sit.

Rule 3: The ㄹ exception¶

If the verb stem ends in the ㄹ consonant, the ㄹ is dropped completely, and you treat it as if it ended in a vowel by adding 세요.

팔다 (to sell). Stem = 팔. -> (Drop ㄹ) 파 + 세요 = 파세요 (pa-se-yo). = Please sell.
만들다 (to make). Stem = 만들. -> (Drop ㄹ) 만드 + 세요 = 만드세요 (man-deu-se-yo). = Please make.

2. Examples in Context¶

내일 일찍 오세요. = Please come early tomorrow.
이거 보세요. = Please look at this.
한국어 공부하세요. = Please study Korean.
여기 앉으세요. = Please sit here.

Summary¶

Vowel stem: + 세요 (가세요)
Consonant stem: + 으세요 (읽으세요)
ㄹ stem: Drop ㄹ + 세요 (만드세요)