Today we’re going to learn Korean grammar 이에요 예요 which act as Be verb like is, are, am. 이에요/예요 is used to give statements or to ask a question. 이에요/예요 attaches to a noun. The proceeding noun shows the state or property of the subject. ‘이에요/예요’ is used in an informal situation also. There shouldn’t be any space between the noun and 예요/이에요. Let’s look at how today’s Korean grammar 이에요/예요 is used in the sentences.
N 이에요/예요’ can be used to give a statement or tell the fact.
제 이름은 이광후예요. (My name is Lee Gwanghu.)
‘예요’ goes after the noun ‘이광후 (=Lee Gwanghu). It shows that 제 이름 (my name), which is the subject of the sentence, is Lee Gwanghu.
“저는 한국 사람이에요 (I am Korean.)
‘이에요’ goes after the noun ‘한국 사람 (Korean). It shows that 저(I), which is the subject of the sentence, is Korean.
N 이에요/예요 can be used to ask a question also.
When you want to ask a question, raise the intonation at the end of the sentence. For example, 민조 씨는 선생님이에요? ( Is Minjo a teacher?) with rising intonation, it becomes a question sentence.
민조 씨는 선생님이에요. (Minjo is a teacher.) with falling intonation becomes a statement or an answer.
When should we use 이에요 or 예요?
If a noun has the final consonant, like 한국 사람, (ㅁ = the final consonant), you should use ‘이에요’ after the noun. So, ‘한국 사람’ becomes ‘한국 사람이에요 (=be Korean)
My name is 김 종 운, the name 김종운 has a final consonant ㄴ so it becomes 제 이름은 김종운이에요.
if a noun does not has the final consonant, like ‘이광후 (Lee Gwanghu)’, you should use ‘예요’ after the noun. So, ‘이광후’ becomes ‘이광후예요 (=be Lee Gwanghu).
Korean grammar 이에요 예요 Practice
Let’s find out which one (이에요/예요) should be attached after nouns.
마이콜(Michael)
There is the final consonant: ㄹ. Then, we should use ‘이에요’ after 마이콜, So 마이콜이에요.
태국 사람 (Thai)
There is the final consonant: ㅁ. We should use ‘이에요’ after the noun. So it becomes ‘태국 사람이에요.
요리사 (=cook)
There is not final consonant in 사. ‘예요’ goes after the noun 요리사 (cook). So it becomes ‘요리사예요 (be a cook)’.
기자 (=journalist)
There is no final consonant in 자. ‘예요’ goes after the noun. So, 기자예요 (=be a journalist).
제 이름은 차루—-(…).
Which one should be in the blank?
‘루 (=Lu)’ does not have the final consonant, so 차루예요 is correct.
중국 사람 (…)
Which one should be in the blank?
중국 사람이에요
‘람’ has the final consonant: ㅁ. So, ‘이에요’ is correct.
직업은 가수 (…)
Which one should be in the blank?
가수 (singer)
‘수’ does not have the final consonant, so 가수예요 is correct.
이에요 예요 Examples
Let’s make a proper sentence using grammar ’N은/는’.
어느 나라 사람이에요? Where are you from?
저는 중국 사람이에요 = I am Chinese
저는 태국 사람이에요. = I am Thai.
저는 독일 사람이에요 = I am German.
누구예요? Who is/are/am —?
저는 박 나은이에요. ( I am Park Naun.)
제 이름은 박나은이에요. (My name is Park Naun.)
저는 가수예요. I am a singer.
제 직업은 가수예요. (My occupation is a singer.)
의사예요? —is a doctor?
형이에요? Is he your older brother?
Conclusion of Korean grammar 이에요/예요
Let’s summarise what we’ve learned. We’ve looked at two examples sentence:
1) 저는 한국 사람이에요. = I am Korean.
2) 제 이름은 이광후예요. = My name is Lee Gwanghu.
We used these two Korean sentences as an example to learn, ‘N이에요/예요’ grammar.
‘이에요/예요’ should be used after a noun. N 이에요/예요 can be used for either stating or asking the subject’s state.
If a noun has the final consonant, ‘이에요‘ goes after the noun. ‘한국 사람’ becomes ‘한국 사람이에요’.
If a noun does not have the final consonant, ‘예요‘ goes after the noun. ‘이광후’ becomes ‘이광후예요’. 요리사 – 요리사예요, 기자 – 기자예요.
