The Essentials: Identity and the Present Moment
Chapter in 30 Seconds
Unlock the power of Korean communication by mastering identity, existence, and the friendly present tense.
- Extract verb stems to serve as the foundation for all future conjugations.
- Identify yourself and objects using the essential copula '이다' (ida).
- Express possession and location using the versatile '있다' (itda) and '없다' (eopda) markers.
学べること
Hey friend! Ready to kick off an exciting journey into the world of Korean? In this chapter, you'll take your very first and most crucial steps, preparing you for any basic conversation. No more worrying about how to say I am so-and-so or
This is a book! First up, you'll learn how to find the verb stems (어간); it's like finding the master key to the Korean language, unlocking countless doors for future conjugations. Then, we'll introduce you to
이다, which is Korean for am, is, are, essential for introducing yourself or identifying objects. For example, you can say I am Sarah or This is a student.Next, you'll master
있다 and 없다, your go-to words for expressing to have/not to haveand
to be/not to be (somewhere).Imagine you're at a Korean cafe and want to say
I have coffee or "I don't have water" – super useful, right? And the most important part: you'll discover the magic 요 ending. This little particle is your politeness glue, making your sentences friendly and respectful in 90% of daily interactions. By the end of this chapter, you'll combine all these skills to form polite present tense sentences (아/어/여요). This means you'll be able to introduce yourself, describe things, talk about what you have or where you are, and do it all with natural, polite Korean! Get ready to be amazed by what you'll achieve. Let's start!
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動詞の語幹の見分け方 (어간)最後に付いている «다» を取るだけで、魔法のベース «語幹» が見つかります！
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韓国語の連結詞（コピュラ）：～です (이다)「이다」は名詞にくっついて「〜です」を表す魔法の言葉！ «입니다» «예요» «이에요» を使い分けよう。
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存在と所有 (있다/없다)「ある・いる・持ってる」なら «있다» 、「ない・いない・持ってない」なら «없다» を使いましょう！
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丁寧語の基本：魔法の「ヨ」 (-ayo/eoyo)日常会話の90%はこの「요（ヨ）」でOK！「丁寧だけど親しみやすい」魔法の言葉 «아요/어요» を使いこなしましょう。
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現在形：丁寧な「ヨ」体 (아/어/여요)「아/어/여요」は、日常会話で一番よく使う「魔法のステッカー」です。語尾につけるだけで、丁寧でフレンドリーな印象になりますよ！ «아/어/여요» «丁寧» «日常会話»
Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
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By the end you will be able to: Introduce yourself and describe items in your immediate surroundings using polite present tense.
チャプターガイド
Overview
I am [your name]or
This is a [thing],and even express possession or location. This is crucial for navigating everyday interactions in Korea, from introducing yourself to ordering food. Get ready to master the core structures that form the backbone of the Korean language, focusing on clarity, politeness, and practical application.
am, is, are that lets you identify anything. Next, 있다 and 없다 will become your best friends for expressing to have or to be (somewhere), and their opposites.magic 요 ending, your secret weapon for polite speech, culminating in the popular 아/어/여요 present tense conjugation. These elements combined will unlock a world of conversational possibilities.How This Grammar Works
to be (am, is, are). Unlike English, 이다 attaches directly to a noun. For example, if you want to say This is a book,you'd combine 책 (book) with 이다 to form 책이다.
to have or to exist/to be (somewhere).없다 is its opposite, meaning
not to have or not to exist/not to be (somewhere).These are incredibly useful for expressing possession or location. For instance, 커피가 있어요 (I have coffee / There is coffee) or 시간이 없어요 (I don't have time).
magic 요 endingis your politeness glue. In A1 Korean, almost every sentence you form will end with -요. It transforms a casual statement into a polite one, suitable for most daily interactions with strangers or those older than you.
- 1If the verb stem ends with a bright vowel (ㅏ or ㅗ), add -아요. (e.g., 가다 -> 가 + 아요 -> 가요 - I go)
- 2If the verb stem ends with a dark vowel (anything else, like ㅓ, ㅜ, ㅡ, ㅣ), add -어요. (e.g., 먹다 -> 먹 + 어요 -> 먹어요 - I eat)
- 3If the verb stem ends in 하다, it changes to 해요. (e.g., 공부하다 -> 공부해요 - I study)
Common Mistakes
- 1✗ Wrong: 저는 학생이다. (I am a student.)
- 1✗ Wrong: 저는 커피예요. (I am coffee.)
I am Sarah, This is a book). When you want to express possession (
I have coffee), you should use 있다 with the particle -이/가. Confusing these two is a common A1 Korean error.- 1✗ Wrong: 저는 자요. (I sleep.) (Intended from «자다»)
Real Conversations
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Quick FAQ
Why is politeness so important in Korean grammar and conversation?
Politeness is deeply ingrained in Korean culture, reflecting respect for age, social status, and unfamiliarity. Using polite forms like the -요 ending is essential for smooth and respectful communication, especially when interacting with strangers or elders.
What's the difference between 이에요 and 예요?
Both mean am/is/are in polite form. You use 이에요 when the preceding noun ends in a consonant (e.g., 학생이에요 - I am a student), and 예요 when it ends in a vowel (e.g., 의사예요 - I am a doctor).
Can 있다 also mean 'to be located' in A1 Korean?
Absolutely! 있다 means both to have and
to exist/to be located.For example, 집에 있어요 means
I am at homeor
It is at home.
Is -아요/어요 always the most polite way to speak?
For A1 Korean learners, the -아요/어요 form (often called polite informal or «해요체») is the most common and versatile polite ending for daily interactions. While there are more formal levels (like the -습니다/ㅂ니다 form), -아요/어요 will serve you well in 90% of situations, making it a perfect starting point.
Cultural Context
重要な例文 (8)
ヒントとコツ (4)
1秒ルール
スペースは空けないで！
이다 の間には絶対にスペースを入れません。韓国語では一つの単語のように扱います。 «학생 이에요» ではなく «학생이에요» が正解です。助詞のひっかけに注意！
「ヨ」を取るだけの裏ワザ
重要な語彙 (6)
Real-World Preview
Cafe Order
Review Summary
- Verb - 다
- Noun + 이에요/예요
- Noun + 이/가 있어요/없어요
- Stem + 아/어/여 + 요
- Subject + Object + Verb-요
よくある間違い
You cannot use the dictionary form -다 for polite speech. You must conjugate it to -이에요.
You need the subject marker '가' and the polite conjugation '있어요'.
Do not add -다 after the polite -요 ending. It is either/or.
このチャプターのルール (5)
Next Steps
You have done amazing work today! Take a moment to celebrate these first real steps into the Korean language.
Write 5 sentences about items you have on your desk.
クイック練習 (10)
「私は学生です」という正しい文章を選んでください。
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 韓国語の連結詞（コピュラ）：～です (이다)
「食べる」(먹다) の正しい活用はどれ？
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 現在形：丁寧な「ヨ」体 (아/어/여요)
正しい文章を選んでください：
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 存在と所有 (있다/없다)
Find and fix the mistake:
저는 방 있어요.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 存在と所有 (있다/없다)
`자다` (寝る) の語幹は何ですか？
자다 から 다 を取ります。残った 자 が正解です。frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 動詞の語幹の見分け方 (어간)
저는 가수___.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 韓国語の連結詞（コピュラ）：～です (이다)
저는 매일 커피를 ___ (마시다).
마시다 は母音 ㅣ で終わります。 ㅣ と 어요 が合体すると ㅕ になるので、 마셔요 が正解です。frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 丁寧語の基本：魔法の「ヨ」 (-ayo/eoyo)
`보다`（見る）の正しい活用はどれ？
보다 は明るい母音 ㅗ を持っているので 아요 がつきます。現代の会話では 보 + 아요 が合体して 봐요 と言います。frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 丁寧語の基本：魔法の「ヨ」 (-ayo/eoyo)
学生が `공부하다` の語幹は `공부` だと言っています。これは正しいですか？
다 だけです。 공부하다 の場合は 공부하 が語幹になります。frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 動詞の語幹の見分け方 (어간)
Find and fix the mistake:
친구를 만나아요. (友達に会います。)
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 現在形：丁寧な「ヨ」体 (아/어/여요)
Score: /10
よくある質問 (6)
이다 は「正体（何であるか）」を、있다 は「場所（どこにあるか）」を表します。 «저는 학생이에요.»（私は学生です）と «저는 집에 있어요.»（私は家にいます）のように使い分けます。이다 を使います。 «저는 한국어 공부하는 학생이에요.»이/가 、「猫はいないけど犬はいる」と比較するなら 은/는 です。 «저는 강아지는 있고 고양이는 없어요.»
