Starting last week, our full Korean grammar series has officially begun!
Previously, we looked at the three basic verb styles in Korean:
- 합니다 (hamnida) style
- 해요 (haeyo) style
- 한다 (handa) style
We covered them in this article:
Korean Grammar Basics: Understanding the Three Korean Speech Styles — 합니다, 해요, 한다
In today’s lesson, we’ll focus on 입니다, the 합니다-style form of 이다, which works similarly to the English verb “to be.”
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1. How to Make Statements and Questions with “Noun + 입니다” (to be)
The pattern “Noun + 입니다” is extremely simple—
you just attach 입니다 to a noun.
In Korean, you can include the subject, but you don’t have to.
(If you want to include it, you can use noun + 는/은. We’ll cover subjects in future lessons!)
Affirmative sentence: Noun + 입니다 (“~ is / ~ am”)
Just attach 입니다 (imnida) to the noun. That’s it!
Examples:
1. 저는 한국인입니다.
(jeoneun hangugin-imnida)
I am Korean.
2. 이것은 케이크입니다.
(igeoseun keikeu-imnida)
This is a cake.
You can also drop the subject:
한국인입니다。（I’m Korean.）
케이크입니다。（It’s a cake.）
Korean works similarly to Japanese in this way.
Question sentence: Noun + 입니까? (“~ is?” / “Is it ~?”)
To make a question, simply change the ending to 입니까?
1. 한국인입니까?
(hangugin-imnikka?)
Are you Korean?
2. 이것은 케이크입니까?
(igeoseun keikeu-imnikka?)
Is this a cake?
Raising your intonation at the end makes it sound more natural.
💡 Quick Tips
- 입니다 → 입니까? (just change the ending to make a question)
- Often used in polite or formal situations
2. Why Korean Sounds Natural Without a Subject
Korean is unlike English, where the subject + verb structure is fixed,
Korean allows flexible word order:
- “I do.”
- “Do, I.”
Both can be understood depending on context.
3. Related Grammar｜Difference Between 입니다 and 이에요/예요
If you’ve studied Korean before, you may already know:
- 케이크입니다
- 케이크예요
Both mean “It’s a cake.”
But:
- 입니다 is formal
- 이에요/예요 is polite but less formal (used more in daily conversations)
A fun side note:
During an online lesson, I spoke only in the 합니다 style, and my teacher said:
“Why are you talking in the hamnida style the whole time?
It sounds like the military. Please use the haeyo style.”
So in everyday conversation, the 해요 (haeyo) style is generally preferred.
4. Practice Exercises
A. Make sentences using “Noun + 입니다.”
Try writing your own Korean sentences!
- My name is Yuna.
Hint: 이름 / 유나 - I am a student.
Hint: 학생 - This is coffee.
Hint: 이것 / 커피 - That is a book.
Hint: 저것 / 책 - My bias is Lisa.
Hint: 제 최애 / 리사 (BLACKPINK)
B. Translation Practice (Korean → English)
Translate the following:
- 저는 미국인입니다.
Hint: 미국인 (American) - 이것은 사과입니다.
Hint: 사과 (apple) - 제 이름은 수아입니다.
Hint: 이름 / 수아 (Korean name)
5. Answers
A. Sentence Writing Answers
- 제 이름은 유나입니다.
（je ireumeun yuna-imnida）
→ My name is Yuna. - 저는 학생입니다.
（jeoneun hakssaeng-imnida）
→ I am a student. - 이것은 커피입니다.
（igeoseun keopi-imnida）
→ This is coffee. - 저것은 책입니다.
（jeogeoseun chaek-imnida）
→ That is a book. - 제 최애는 리사입니다.
（je choe-aeneun lisa-imnida）
→ My bias is Lisa.
B. Translation Answers
- 저는 미국인입니다.
（jeoneun migugin-imnida）
→ I am American. - 이것은 사과입니다.
（igeoseun sagwa-imnida）
→ This is an apple. - 제 이름은 수아입니다.
（je ireumeun sua-imnida）
→ My name is Sua.
6. Summary
Today we practiced building basic sentences using Noun + 입니다.
This form is polite and often used in formal situations.
In the next lesson, we’ll learn 이에요 / 예요, which you will hear much more often in everyday conversation.
Once you master both forms, your self-introductions—and even your bias introductions—will sound much more natural!
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