Lesson 02 · N이/가 있어요·없어요 & N이/가 아니에요
Hello, everyone! I’m Hyeju, your Korean teacher.
Today, we’ll learn how to say what exists, what does not exist, and what something is not in Korean.
교실에 컴퓨터가 있어요.
gyosire keompyuteoga isseoyo.
There is a computer in the classroom.
TODAY’S LEARNING GOALS
What will you learn today?
- Choose 이 or 가 by checking the final sound.
- Use 있어요 and 없어요 to talk about existence and possession.
- Use N이/가 아니에요 to say that something is not N.
HYEJU LANGUAGE LAB · ENGLISH EXPLANATIONS
Watch Lesson 2 with Hyeju
Learn the vocabulary and grammar with English explanations, then review the examples and try the practice below.
START WITH ENGLISH
There is a computer in the classroom
First, look at this English sentence.
There is a computer in the classroom.
place = the classroom · thing = a computer
the classroom = 교실 · computer = 컴퓨터
In Korean, we usually introduce the place first. Then we mark the thing that exists with 이/가 and finish the sentence with 있어요.
BUILD THE KOREAN SENTENCE
교실 + 에 + 컴퓨터 + 가 + 있어요
교실에 컴퓨터가 있어요.
gyosire keompyuteoga isseoyo.
There is a computer in the classroom.
Let’s begin with the small particle attached to 컴퓨터: 가.
SUBJECT PARTICLE
이/가: mark the thing we are identifying
이/가 is called a subject particle. In this lesson, it marks the person or thing that exists, does not exist, or is being identified.
Just like 은/는 from Lesson 01, the correct form depends on the final sound of the noun.
책 → 책이
chaek → chaegi
book + subject particle
의자 → 의자가
uija → uijaga
chair + subject particle
책 ends in the final consonant ㄱ, so we use 이. 의자 ends in 자 with no final consonant, so we use 가.
받침 O → 이
받침 X → 가
final consonant → 이 · no final consonant → 가
EXISTENCE AND ABSENCE
있어요 and 없어요
Use 있어요 when someone or something exists. Use 없어요 when someone or something does not exist or is not present.
isseoyo
there is / there are · have
eopseoyo
there is not / there are not · do not have
컴퓨터가 있어요.
keompyuteoga isseoyo.
There is a computer. / I have a computer.
컴퓨터가 없어요.
keompyuteoga eopseoyo.
There is no computer. / I don’t have a computer.
Korean often leaves out information that is already clear. Without a place or topic, 컴퓨터가 있어요 can mean either “There is a computer” or “I have a computer.”
WHERE DOES IT EXIST?
Use 에 after the location
When you say where a person or thing exists, place 에 after the location. For this lesson, you can think of 에 as a location marker meaning “in” or “at.”
장소에 + N이/가 + 있어요/없어요.
jangso-e + N-i/ga + isseoyo/eopseoyo.
There is / is not N in a place.
교실에 책상이 있어요.
gyosire chaeksangi isseoyo.
There is a desk in the classroom.
집에 소파가 없어요.
jibe sopaga eopseoyo.
There is no sofa at home.
책상 위에 공책이 있어요.
chaeksang wie gongchaegi isseoyo.
There is a notebook on the desk.
Use 에 with 있어요 and 없어요 to show where something exists. Use 에서 when an action happens in a place. We will study that difference in detail later.
TALKING ABOUT POSSESSION
How do I say “I have…”?
Korean uses 있어요 and 없어요 not only for existence, but also for possession. Start with 저는 to introduce yourself as the topic, and mark the object with 이/가.
저는 + N이/가 + 있어요/없어요.
jeoneun + N-i/ga + isseoyo/eopseoyo.
I have / do not have N.
저는 연필이 있어요.
jeoneun yeonpiri isseoyo.
I have a pencil.
저는 지우개가 없어요.
jeoneun jiugaega eopseoyo.
I don’t have an eraser.
LOOK AT THE TWO PARTICLES
저 + 는 · 연필 + 이 · 있어요
저는 introduces “me” as the topic. 연필이 marks the thing that I have.
NEGATIVE NOUN SENTENCE
N이/가 아니에요: “is not N”
In Lesson 01, we used 이에요/예요 to say what someone or something is. To say that someone or something is not a noun, use N이/가 아니에요.
A은/는 + B이/가 + 아니에요.
A-eun/neun + B-i/ga + anieyo.
A is not B.
책 → 책이 아니에요
chaegi anieyo
is not a book
의자 → 의자가 아니에요
uijaga anieyo
is not a chair
이것은 제 책이 아니에요.
igeoseun je chaegi anieyo.
This is not my book.
저것은 텔레비전이 아니에요.
jeogeoseun tellebijeoni anieyo.
That is not a television.
민수는 선생님이 아니에요.
Minsuneun seonsaengnimi anieyo.
Minsu is not a teacher.
The correct spelling is 아니에요, not 아니예요.
COMMON MISTAKES
Compare with similar grammar
LESSON 1
이에요/예요
이것은 지도예요.Says what something IS. 있어요 says that something EXISTS, or that you HAVE it.
Review Lesson 1 →LESSON 23
위·아래·옆 + 에 있어요
가방이 책상 위에 있어요.Adds position words like 위, 아래 and 옆 to say exactly where something is.
Look ahead: Lesson 23 →LESSON 15
안 / -지 않아요
오늘은 학교에 안 가요.아니에요 negates nouns (“is not N”). Verbs are negated with 안 or -지 않아요.
Look ahead: Lesson 15 →LESSON 22
은/는 (contrast)
시간은 있어요. 그런데 돈은 없어요.Using 은/는 instead of 이/가 adds contrast: “Time, I have. Money, I don’t.”
Look ahead: Lesson 22 →| Pattern | Meaning | Negative | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 이/가 있어요 | There is / I have | 이/가 없어요 | 시간이 있어요 |
| 이에요/예요 | It is N | 이/가 아니에요 | 학생이에요 |
| 에 있어요 | It is (located) at… | 에 없어요 | 집에 있어요 |
Common mistakes
MISTAKE 1 · OBJECT PARTICLE
저는 연필을 있어요. ✕
저는 연필이 있어요. ✓
With 있어요/없어요, mark the thing with 이/가.
MISTAKE 2 · LOCATION PARTICLE
교실에서 컴퓨터가 있어요. ✕
교실에 컴퓨터가 있어요. ✓
Use 에 for the location of existence.
MISTAKE 3 · NOUN NEGATION
제 책 안이에요. ✕
제 책이 아니에요. ✓
Use N이/가 아니에요, not 안 + 이에요/예요.
PRACTICE
The negative of 있어요 is its own word, 없어요. Don’t say 안 있어요.
“I am not a student” uses 아니에요. 없어요 means something doesn’t exist or you don’t have it.
있어요 and 없어요 take 이/가, not 을/를.
The place with 에 comes before 있어요. Korean puts the verb last.
Now it’s your turn
Translate each sentence into Korean. Think first, say your answer aloud, and then open the answer box.
- There is a computer in the classroom.
- There is no sofa at home.
- I have a pencil.
- I don’t have an eraser.
- This is not my notebook.
- Minsu is not a teacher.
Check the answers and pronunciation
- 교실에 컴퓨터가 있어요.
gyosire keompyuteoga isseoyo. - 집에 소파가 없어요.
jibe sopaga eopseoyo. - 저는 연필이 있어요.
jeoneun yeonpiri isseoyo. - 저는 지우개가 없어요.
jeoneun jiugaega eopseoyo. - 이것은 제 공책이 아니에요.
igeoseun je gongchaegi anieyo. - 민수는 선생님이 아니에요.
Minsuneun seonsaengnimi anieyo.
SPEAKING CHALLENGE
교실에 뭐가 있어요?
gyosire mwoga isseoyo?
What is in the classroom?
Look around and answer with two sentences.
TODAY’S KEY POINT
Lesson 02 review
- Final consonantN + 이
- No final consonantN + 가
- ExistenceN이/가 있어요
- AbsenceN이/가 없어요
- Location장소 + 에
- Noun negationN이/가 아니에요
장소에 ______이/가 있어요/없어요.
jangso-e ______-i/ga isseoyo/eopseoyo.
A은/는 ______이/가 아니에요.
A-eun/neun ______-i/ga anieyo.
Now describe your room or classroom and leave your sentence in the comments!
RELATED VOCABULARY
Review the 12 words from Vocabulary Lesson 02
Review words such as 책, 공책, 컴퓨터, 침대, and 냉장고, and then use them to make your own 있어요, 없어요, and 아니에요 sentences.
Mini practice · six questions
All sentences below are new. Try each one before opening the answer.
- Fill in the blank미안해요. 오늘은 시간이 ______. (없다)
Check answer
미안해요. 오늘은 시간이 없어요.
없다 → 없어요. “Sorry, I don’t have time today.”
- Fill in the blank · particle지갑___ 가방 안에 있어요.
Check answer
지갑이 가방 안에 있어요.
지갑 ends in ㅂ, a consonant, so it takes 이. “My wallet is in the bag.”
- Choose the better form저는 일본 사람(이 없어요 / 이 아니에요).
Check answer
이 아니에요
You are saying what you are NOT, so use 아니에요.
- Choose the better form교실에 학생(이 / 을) 많이 있어요.
Check answer
이
있어요 takes 이/가, so 학생이.
- Find and fix the mistake저는 동생이 안 있어요.
Check answer
저는 동생이 없어요.
Use 없어요, not 안 있어요. “I don’t have a younger sibling.”
- Say it in KoreanDo you have a pen?
Check answer
펜이 있어요?
The question has the same form as the statement. Just raise your voice at the end.
M.A. in Korean Language Education · Certified Korean language teacher
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