이다 and 아니다
"Is" and "is not" between two nouns.
To say what something is, Korean joins 이다 "to be" to the noun. In everyday polite speech it is 이에요 after a consonant and 예요 after a vowel.
- jeoneun haksaengieyo.I'm a student.
- igeon keopiyeyo.This is coffee.
- yeogiga seoullyeogieyo.This is Seoul Station.
| After a consonant | After a vowel | |
|---|---|---|
| Polite | 학생이에요 haksaengieyo | 의사예요 uisayeyo |
| Formal | 학생입니다 haksaengimnida | 의사입니다 uisaimnida |
| Casual | 학생이야 haksaengiya | 의사야 uisaya |
| Past, polite | 학생이었어요 haksaengieosseoyo | 의사였어요 uisayeosseoyo |
The same forms ask a question with a rising voice: 학생이에요? "Are you a student?" (Speech levels explains polite, formal and casual.)
Is not: 아니다
"Is not" is a verb of its own, 아니다, and the noun before it takes the subject particle 이/가:
| Form | Example | |
|---|---|---|
| Polite | 아니에요 anieyo | 학생이 아니에요 haksaengi anieyo I'm not a student |
| Formal | 아닙니다 animnida | 의사가 아닙니다 uisaga animnida I'm not a doctor |
| Casual | 아니야 aniya | 내 거 아니야 nae geo aniya it's not mine |
| Past | 아니었어요 anieosseoyo | 학생이 아니었어요 he wasn't a student |
아니요 aniyo, its form for "no", answers a question (Questions).
이다 only joins nouns
이다 says what something is. To say how something is, use an adjective, which needs no "is" (Verbs and adjectives); to say where something is, use 있다 (There is and having).
- jibi keoyo.The house is big.
- jibe isseoyo.I'm at home.
Cards from this guide
8 cardsEach card asks about one thing this guide teaches, and its back gives the answer with why and an example. They're reviewed with the rest of the Nouns and sentences cards.
How do you say 'I'm a student' with 학생 (student)?
저는 학생이에요.
이에요 or 예요 after 의사 (doctor)?
예요: 의사예요.
What is the formal form of 학생이에요 (I'm a student)?
학생입니다 (haksaengimnida).
How do you say 'It's not coffee' with 커피?
커피가 아니에요.
How do you say 'I'm not a student'?
학생이 아니에요.
How do you say 'He was a doctor' with 의사 (doctor)?
의사였어요 (uisayeosseoyo).
Does 'The house is big' use 이다?
No: 집이 커요, with the adjective 크다 'to be big'.
What's the casual form of 친구예요 (it's a friend)?
친구야 (chinguya).