Lesson 01 · N은/는 N이에요/예요 & N입니다

START WITH ENGLISH

A is B

Most of you reading this lesson have probably just finished learning the Korean consonants and vowels. This may even be your first Korean grammar lesson. Don’t worry—we will take it one step at a time.

First, look at this English sentence.

But we cannot simply say “I student” in English. We need am to connect the two nouns. Korean also needs a grammatical form that connects A and B.

So, let’s begin with 이에요/예요.

POLITE NOUN ENDING

이에요/예요: polite “am/is/are”

이에요/예요 attaches to a noun and politely tells us what someone or something is. In an English A = B sentence, it performs a role similar to am/is/are.

Here is something very important. Before choosing 이에요 or 예요, we must check whether the noun ends in a final consonant. You will do this many times in Korean grammar, so learn the final sound of every new word carefully.

KOREAN SENTENCE HABIT

Why can 학생이에요 be a complete sentence?

You may be wondering, “If I only say 학생이에요, who is the student?”

Korean often leaves out the subject when it is already clear from the situation. Depending on the context, 학생이에요 can mean “I am a student,” “He or she is a student,” or “This person is a student.”

The meaning does not come from 이에요/예요 alone. It comes from the noun and the situation. But if we want to clearly say both A and B, we need a way to introduce A.

Now, let’s learn 은/는.

INTRODUCING A

은/는: “As for A…”

Technically, 은/는 is called a topic particle. You do not need to memorize that difficult term yet. For today, think of 은/는 as a small sign that says:

It often appears where English uses the subject. However, 은/는 is not exactly an English subject marker. We will talk about this again when we learn the real subject particles 이/가.

For now, remember: to clearly say A = B, put 은/는 after A.

PRACTICE 1

은/는 + 이에요/예요

Now it is your turn. Translate the English sentences into Korean. There is no pronunciation guide in the questions. Think first, write your answer, and say it aloud.

1. I am a student.
2. Minsu is a singer.
3. Yuki is a Japanese person.

SPEAKING SITUATION

When do we use 이에요/예요?

Korean grammar changes depending on your relationship with the listener and how formal the situation is. 이에요/예요 is polite, but conversational.

You can use it when you are:

• introducing yourself to a new classmate;
• talking politely with a teacher in an everyday class conversation;
• meeting someone for the first time in a relaxed setting;
• speaking with a shop employee or customer in an ordinary conversation.

But what if you are introducing yourself at work, giving a presentation, reading the news, or making an official announcement? Then we need a more formal form: 입니다.

FORMAL A = B

입니다

Here is the good news: 입니다 does not change after a consonant or a vowel. It is always 입니다.

PRACTICE 2

Use 입니다

Imagine that you are speaking in a formal situation. Translate the sentences using 입니다. Say each answer aloud before opening the answer box.

1. I am an office worker.
2. Sujin is a teacher.
3. James is an American person.