이에요
ieyo
The English phrase 'it is' can be translated into Korean. The default form is 이에요 (ieyo).
In Korean, various forms of 'it is' are used to identify or describe someone or something. 이에요 is a commonly used expression for 'it is' in informal situations.
Which one should you use?
입니다 is the standard formal way to say 'it is' in Korean. Additionally, if you wish to say 'there is' or 'it exists' in a formal context, you should use 있습니다.
How does it change in a sentence?
Use 이에요 if the preceding noun ends in a consonant, but use 예요 if the preceding noun ends in a vowel. To express the past tense ('was/were') politely, use 이었어요 if the noun ends in a consonant or 였어요 if the noun ends in a vowel.
How do you pronounce it?
ieyo
Did you know?
- While 이에요 identifies what something is, Korean uses an entirely different grammatical structure to say something 'is' an adjective, such as 'it is pretty'.
- When using 이에요 or 예요, you are actually attaching a particle to the noun rather than using a separate word for 'is'. This means the 'is' is grammatically fused to the subject itself.
- When using 이에요 to identify someone, you often omit the word 'I' and just say the name followed by the phrase. Saying 'John 이에요' is the natural way to say 'I am John'.
Examples in context
- 옷이 예뻐요.The clothes are pretty.
- 이것은 선물입니다.This is a gift.
- 식당은 여기 있습니다.The restaurant is here.
- 계획이 성공적으로 되었습니다.The plan turned out to be successful.
- 이 책이 좋아요.This book is good.
