Korean grammar '-이에요/예요.'

1. Explanation

 : '-이에요/예요' is used in conjugation with nouns in Korean. And it functions to define or describe the noun. It's similar to the role of the 'be verb' in English. Also you should choose between '-이에요' and '-예요.'. The choice of form depends on the noun. Nouns end with a final consonant, it conjugates with '-이에요'. On the other hand words end with a vowel, it conjugates with '-예요'. Let's look at example together.

 

*Source : National Institute of the Korean Langugae

2. Examples

 저는 학생이에요. (I'm a student.)

 *학생 student

  1) A word '학생' is a noun

  2) It ends with a consonant 'ㅇ'

  3) It conjugates with '-이에요.'

  4) 학생이에요.

 

 그녀는 선생님이에요. (She is a teacher.)

 *선생님 teacher 

  1) A word '선생님' is a noun

  2) It ends with a consonant 'ㅁ'

  3) It conjugates with '-이에요.'

  4) 선생님이에요.

 

 저는 한국 사람이에요. (I'm Korean.)

 *한국 사람 Korean

  1) A word '사람' is a noun

  2) It ends with a consonant 'ㅁ'

  3) It conjugates with '-이에요.'

  4) 사람이에요.

 

 제 친구는 인도네시아인이에요. (My friend is Indonesian.)

 *인도네시아인 Indonesian

  1) A word '인도네시아인' is a noun

  2) It ends with a consonant 'ㄴ'

  3) It conjugates with '-이에요.'

  4) 인도네시아인이에요.

 

 선생님은 미국인이에요. (Teacher is American.)

 *미국인 American

  1) A word '미국인' is a noun

  2) It ends with a consonant 'ㄴ'

  3) It conjugates with '-이에요.'

  4) 미국인이에요.

 

 그의 이름은 지민이에요. (His name is Jimin.)

 *지민 a name of a person

  1) A word '지민' is a noun

  2) It ends with a consonant 'ㄴ'

  3) It conjugates with '-이에요.'

  4) 지민이에요.

 

 강아지예요. (It's a puppy.)

 *강아지 puppy

  1) A word '강아지' is a noun

  2) It ends with a vowel 'ㅣ'

  3) It conjugates with '-예요.'

  4) 강아지예요.

 

 오빠는 간호사예요. (My older brother is a nurse.)

 *간호사 nurse 

  1) A word '간호사' is a noun

  2) It ends with a vowel 'ㅏ'

  3) It conjugates with '-예요.'

  4) 간호사예요.

    

 나비예요. (It's a butterfly.)

 *나비 butterfly 

  1) A word '나비' is a noun

  2) It ends with a vowel 'ㅣ'

  3) It conjugates with '-예요.'

  4) 나비예요.

 

 언니는 엔지니어예요. (My oldersister is an engineer.)

 *엔지니어 engineer 

  1) A word '엔지니어' is a noun

  2) It ends with a vowel 'ㅓ'

  3) It conjugates with '-예요.'

  4) 엔지니어예요.

 

 저는 아미예요. (I'm an ARMY.)

 *아미 a name of a fan of the BTS 

  1) A word '아미' is a noun

  2) It ends with a vowel 'ㅏ'

  3) It conjugates with '-예요.'

  4) 아미예요.

 

 

3. Practice

 It's summer.  

 여름 (이에요/예요). ( *여름 summer )

 

 He's my father.

 아버지 (이에요/예요). ( *아버지 father )

 

 He is my friend.

 그는 제 친구 (이에요/예요). ( *친구 friend )

 

 She is a doctor.  

 그녀는 의사 (이에요/예요). ( *의사 doctor ) 

 

 She is a football player.  

 축구선수 (이에요/예요). ( *축구선수 football player )  

 

 He is a singer.

 그는 가수 (이에요/예요). ( *가수 singer )

 

 She is Indian.

 그녀는 인도 사람. (이에요/예요) ( *인도사람 Indian )  

  

4. Vocabulary

 저 I / 학생 student / 그녀 she / 선생님 teacher / 한국 사람 Korean / 제 my / 친구 friend / 인도네시아인 Indonesian / 미국인 American / 그 he / 이름 name / 강아지 puppy / 오빠 older brother (female->male) / 간호사 nurse / 나비 butterfly / 언니 older sister / 엔지니어 engineer / 여름 summer / 아버지 father / 친구 friend / 의사 doctor / 축구선수 football player / 가수 singer / 인도 사람 Indian 

 

5. Answer

 여름이에요. / 아버지예요. / 친구예요. / 의사예요. / 축구선수예요. / 가수예요. / 인도 사람이에요.