Lesson 04 · V-ㅂ니까/습니까?
Hyeju’s Beginner Korean Grammar Class · Lesson 04
V-ㅂ니까/습니까?
In Lesson 03, you learned how to make formal statements with -ㅂ니다/습니다. Now let’s turn those statements into polite, formal questions.
HYEJU LANGUAGE LAB · ENGLISH EXPLANATIONS
Watch Lesson 4 with Hyeju
Learn the vocabulary and grammar with English explanations, then review the examples and try the practice below.
Do You Remember Lesson 03?
In the previous lesson, we made a formal statement:
The sentence order stays the same. We only change the final ending and use question intonation.
Today’s Grammar
-ㅂ니까/습니까? is attached to a verb stem to make a polite, formal present-tense question. You often hear it in announcements, interviews, workplaces, news programs, and formal lessons.
🌿 Hyeju’s Note
English often changes the word order or adds do/does to form a question. Korean does not. Keep the same basic sentence order and change the ending.
You study Korean. → 한국어를 공부합니다.
Do you study Korean? → 한국어를 공부합니까?
How to Choose the Ending
Use -ㅂ니까?
When the verb stem ends in a vowel, add ㅂ니까? to the final syllable.
Use -습니까?
When the verb stem ends in a consonant, add 습니까?.
The Important 하다 Pattern
Many useful Korean verbs end in 하다. In formal questions, 하다 becomes 합니까?.
| Dictionary form | Formal statement | Formal question |
|---|---|---|
| 공부하다 | 공부합니다. | 공부합니까? |
| 숙제하다 | 숙제합니다. | 숙제합니까? |
| 질문하다 | 질문합니다. | 질문합니까? |
| 대답하다 | 대답합니다. | 대답합니까? |
Statement vs. Question
| Verb | Statement | Question |
|---|---|---|
| 가다 · to go | 학교에 갑니다. | 학교에 갑니까? |
| 마시다 · to drink | 커피를 마십니다. | 커피를 마십니까? |
| 먹다 · to eat | 밥을 먹습니다. | 밥을 먹습니까? |
| 읽다 · to read | 책을 읽습니다. | 책을 읽습니까? |
| 공부하다 · to study | 한국어를 공부합니다. | 한국어를 공부합니까? |
Part 1 · Yes/No Questions
A question without a question word can usually be answered with 네 (yes) or 아니요 (no).
A 한국어를 공부합니까?
B 네, 한국어를 공부합니다.
A 커피를 마십니까?
B 아니요, 커피를 마시지 않습니다.
The negative answer previews Lesson 05. For now, focus on recognizing the question and answering positively with -ㅂ니다/습니다.
Part 2 · Questions with Question Words
Put the question word where the unknown information belongs. Korean does not move the question word to the beginning automatically.
How to Answer
| Question | Answer | English |
|---|---|---|
| 무엇을 공부합니까? | 한국어를 공부합니다. | I study Korean. |
| 어디에서 공부합니까? | 집에서 공부합니다. | I study at home. |
| 언제 숙제합니까? | 저녁에 숙제합니다. | I do my homework in the evening. |
| 왜 한국어를 공부합니까? | 한국 드라마를 좋아합니다. | I like Korean dramas. |
⚠️ Common Mistakes
1. Do not add 습니까 after every stem.
가다 → 가습니까? → 갑니까?
2. Do not keep 다 from the dictionary form.
먹다 → 먹다습니까? → 먹습니까?
3. Do not copy English word order.
“What do you study?” → 무엇을 공부합니까?
4. Remember the question mark and rising question intonation.
공부합니다. = statement · 공부합니까? = question
Compare with similar grammar
LESSON 5
-아/어요?
어디에 가요?The everyday version. The statement and the question look the same; only your intonation changes.
Look ahead: Lesson 5 →LESSON 24
-(으)ㄹ까요?
같이 갈까요?Not a plain question: it suggests something or asks the listener’s opinion, like “Shall we…?”
Look ahead: Lesson 24 →LESSON 44
-지요/죠?
내일 시간이 있지요?Checks something you think the listener already knows: “…, right?”
Look ahead: Lesson 44 →| Pattern | Use | Style | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| -ㅂ니까/습니까? | Plain question | Formal | 갑니까? 먹습니까? |
| -아/어요? | Plain question | Everyday polite | 가요? 먹어요? |
| -(으)ㄹ까요? | Suggestion, asking an opinion | Everyday polite | 갈까요? |
| -지요? | Checking shared information | Everyday polite | 있지요? |
Common mistakes
가 ends in a vowel, so use ㅂ니까: 갑니까?
먹 ends in a consonant, so use 습니까.
When you answer, use the statement form (입니다, -습니다), not the question form.
Stems ending in ㄹ drop the ㄹ: 만들다 → 만듭니까?
Mini practice · six questions
All sentences below are new. Try each one before opening the answer.
- Fill in the blank내일 회사에 ______? (오다)
Check answer
내일 회사에 옵니까?
오 ends in a vowel → 옵니까. “Are you coming to the office tomorrow?”
- Fill in the blank · final consonant주말에 무엇을 ______? (읽다)
Check answer
주말에 무엇을 읽습니까?
읽 ends in a consonant → 읽습니까. “What do you read on weekends?”
- Choose the better form(면접에서) 한국어를 얼마나 (공부했습니까 / 공부했어?)
Check answer
공부했습니까
In a job interview you need the formal style, so -습니까 fits. 공부했어? is casual speech.
- Choose the better formA: 커피를 마십니까? B: 네, 커피를 (마십니다 / 마십니까).
Check answer
마십니다
B is answering, so use the statement form 마십니다.
- Find and fix the mistake지금 어디에 살습니까?
Check answer
지금 어디에 삽니까?
살다 is an ㄹ-stem: drop the ㄹ → 삽니까?
- Say it in Korean (formal)Do you know Minsu?
Check answer
민수 씨를 압니까?
알다 is an ㄹ-stem, so it becomes 압니까?
Today’s Key Point
- Vowel-ending stem + ㅂ니까?: 가다 → 갑니까?
- Consonant-ending stem + 습니까?: 먹다 → 먹습니까?
- 하다 → 합니까?: 공부하다 → 공부합니까?
- Use the same basic sentence order as a statement.
- Answer formally with -ㅂ니다/습니다.
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