Learn Korean: Noun + 이다.

Let’s take a look at the Korean sentence pattern Noun + 이다. We use this to express what someone is or what something is. The predicate must be a noun. In the sentence I am an astronaut, the predicate astronaut is a noun.

이다 is the equivalent of the English be-verb. The be-verb has three forms in present tense: is, are, and am. We use is when the subject is singular and we use are when the subject is plural. Am, on the other hand, is only used when the subject is I.

In Korean, there is no subject-verb agreement which means 이다 is used whether the subject is singular or plural. However, 이다 is only a dictionary form and it must be conjugated in an actual sentence.

Its formal form is 입니다. It is attached to nouns that end in either vowel or consonant. We say 저는 학생입니다 (I am a student) and 저는 남자입니다 (I am a man). 학생 ends in a consonant and 남자 ends in a vowel.

Its polite form is 예요 or 이에요. 예요 is used when the noun ends in a vowel as in 저는 남자예요 (I am a man). 이에요 is used when the noun ends in a consonant as in 저는 학생이에요 (I am a student).

Its casual form is 야 or 이야. 야 is used when the noun ends in a vowel as in 나는 남자야 (I am a man). 이야 is used when the noun ends in a consonant as in 저는 학생이야 (I am a student). Notice that the casual form of I (나) is used.

It also has past tense forms (was, were). Formally, we say 였습니다 or 이었습니다. Politely, we say 였어요 or 이었어요. Casually, we say 였어 or 이었어. The first forms are attached to nouns that end in a vowel as in 남자였습니다 / 남자였어요 / 남자였어 (I was a man). The second forms are attached to nouns that end in a consonant as in 학생이었습니다 / 학생이었어요 / 학생이었어 (I was a student).

판다는 동물입니다.

Panda is an animal.

저는 김 사장님 비서예요.

I am Mr. Kim's secretary.

유코가 일본 사람이야.

Yuko is Japanese (person).