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이다 and 있어요 — To Be in Korean
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Identity with 입니다/이에요, existence with 있어요/없어요, possession, and negation with 안 and 못.
입니다 vs 이에요
Identity has two polite gears: formal 입니다 (imnida — presentations, announcements) and everyday-polite 이에요/예요 (ieyo/yeyo — conversation). Consonant-ending nouns take 이에요 (학생이에요), vowel-ending take 예요 (의사예요 — is a doctor). Negative: 이/가 아닙니다 (학생이 아닙니다 — is not a student). Beginners: live in 이에요 — it fits nearly every conversation.
있어요 / 없어요 — existence
있어요 (isseoyo) means exists/have; 없어요 (eopseoyo) is its built-in negative: 고양이가 있어요 (there is a cat), 시간이 없어요 (there is no time). Possession: 저는 차가 있어요 (I have a car). Location: 책이 책상 위에 있어요 (the book is on the desk). Asking "do you have?": …있어요? — one word carries the whole question.
Negation: 안 vs 못
Two short negators split by CAN'T vs WON'T: 안 (an) for won't/don't — 안 먹어요 (I don't eat / won't eat). 못 (mot) for can't — 못 먹어요 (I can't eat it — allergy, diet, fullness). Both slot before the verb. Long-form equivalents (먹지 않아요/못해요) sound more formal. Mixing them up changes won't into can't — a meaningful difference.
Adjectives act like verbs
Korean adjectives conjugate like verbs: 좋아요 (is good), 좋았어요 (was good), 안 좋아요 (isn't good). 크다 (big) → 커요; 작다 (small) → 작아요. Attributive form adds ㄴ/는: 좋은 책 (a good book), 큰 집 (a big house). Past recollection: 맛있었어요! (it WAS delicious — said after the meal).
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| 입니다 (formal) | 저는 학생입니다 — I am a student |
| 이에요/예요 (daily) | 의사예요 — is a doctor |
| 있어요 / 없어요 | 고양이가 있어요 — there is a cat |
| possession | 저는 차가 있어요 — I have a car |
| 안 (won't) | 안 먹어요 — I don't eat |
| 못 (can't) | 못 먹어요 — I can't eat |