있다
itda[it̚t͈a̠]
The Korean phrase for "there is" is 있다 (itda).
있다 is used to say that someone or something exists or is located in a particular place. Additionally, this verb is used to express possession, such as saying "I have" in English. If you want to emphasize that something truly exists, you can use the phrase 진짜로 있다 to mean "really exist" or "truly there".
Which one should you use?
To express the negative "there is not", use 없습니다.
How does it change in a sentence?
The dictionary form 있다 is typically changed to 있어요 in polite, everyday conversation. In casual speech, it becomes 있어 and in formal speech, it becomes 있습니다.
How do you pronounce it?
itda
Did you know?
- The phrase 있다 can be used to mean 'wait a moment' in casual conversation, as if telling someone to 'stay' in their current state of existence.
- In Korean, 있다 serves as both a verb meaning 'to exist' and an auxiliary verb that creates the progressive tense, similar to 'ing' in English.
- When used as an adjective to describe a person as 'capable' or 'wealthy', 있다 refers to the 'existence' of status or money.
Examples in context
- 내 방에 TV가 있다.There is a television in my room.This sentence shows how to say a television is in a room using 있다.Tatoeba #11105768 by intertime, translation #251759 by CK
- 방 안에 텔레비전이 있다.There is a television in the room.This sentence shows how to say a television is inside a room using 있다.Tatoeba #11106756 by intertime, translation #44247 by CK
- 그 모든 문제의 해답이 있다.There is a solution to every problem.This sentence shows how to say a solution exists for every problem using 있다.Tatoeba #5989206 by mistake101, translation #5985233 by Adelpa
- 방에 책이 있습니다.There is a book in the room.
- 도서관에 사람들이 있습니다.There are people in the library.
- 학교에 학생들이 있다.There are students at school.
- 방에 책이 없습니다.There is no book in the room.
- 거기에 정말로 카페가 있다.There really is a café over there.
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hyun-woo and Su-bin are looking for a restroom in a mall.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo여기 근처에 화장실이 있다고 들었어.yeogi geuncheoe hwajangshiri itdago deureosseo.I heard there is a restroom near here.
- 수빈 Su-bin어디에 있는데?eodie inneunde?Where is it?
- 현우 Hyeon-woo저기 편의점 옆에 있다.jeogi pyeonijeom yeope itda.There is one next to the convenience store over there.
- 수빈 Su-bin알았어, 같이 가자.arasseo, gachi gaja.Okay, let's go together.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 있다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
