[Korean grammar]Difference between “좋아요” and “좋아해요”

Are you curious about the difference between “좋아요” and “좋아해요”? Before we find out, let me explain “-아요/어요”

1. ~아요/어요

-아요/어요 is a polite sentence ending. It is attached to a verb(action verb or stative verb) and is mostly used used in informal or casual settings.

ex) 밥을 먹어요 / 불고기가 맛있어요 / 날씨가 좋아요

1.1 Form

• When the last vowel of the verb stem is either ‘ㅏ’ or ‘ㅗ’, ‘-아요’ is attached to the verb stem. -> 살다 + 아요 : 살아요
• When the last vowel of the verb stem is a vowel other than ‘ㅏ’ or ‘ㅗ’, -어요’ is attached. -> 재미있다 + 어요 : 재미있어요
• For ‘하다’ ending verbs, 여요 is attached making ‘하여요’ which then becomes contracted to ‘해요’ -> 사랑하다 + 여요 : 사랑하여요 -> 사랑해요

• When the verb stem ends in ‘ㅏ’ or ‘ㅓ’, two repeated vowels are contracted to one -> 가다 + 아요 : 가요 (not 가아요) / 서다 + 어요 : 서요(not 서어요)
• When the verb stem ends in ‘ㅡ’ , the vowel ‘ㅡ’ is dropped. -> 쓰다 + 어요 : 써요
• Vowel contraction also occurs when ‘-아요/어요’ is attached to the verb stem ending in ‘ㅣ’,’ㅗ’,’ㅜ’ -> 기다리다 + 어요 : 기다려요

<Practice> Make the form with 아요/어요

1. 다니다
2. 편하다
3. 놀다
4. 들어가다
5. 신나다
6. 사용하다
7. 바꾸다

Answer practice.

1. 다녀요
2. 편해요
3. 놀아요
4. 들어가요
5. 신나요
6. 사용해요
7. 바꿔요

** 아요/어요 ending is used for all sentence types : statements, question, suggestions and commands by changing the intonation the type of sentence can be differentiation.

ex) 가요 (statements)

가요? (questions)

가요! (commands)

2. Difference between “좋아요” and “좋아해요”

좋아요 = 좋다 + 아요

좋아해요 = 좋아하다 + 여요

좋다 means ‘good,find,nice’

좋아하다 means ‘like, love, enjoy’

So, the meaning is different between “좋아요” and “좋아해요” depends on what the simple form of the verb is.