Learn Korean (TTMIK)

Lesson 6

After studying with this lesson, you will be able to say “This is ABC.” and also ask “Is this ABC?” and “What is this?” in polite/formal Korean.

 i-e-yo / ye-yo

In the previous lesson, you learned how i-e-yo and ye-yo can be placed after a noun to express the meaning of “It is ABC” or “I am DEF.”

Review / Example

chaek + i-e-yo = chaek-i-e-yo  (It’s a book.)

jeo + ye-yo = jeo-ye-yo (It’s me.)

** i-e-yo and ye-yo have a similar role to that of the English verb “to be”.

Final consonant + i-e-yo

No final consonant (Only vowel) + ye-yo

i-geo = this, this one

i (“this”) + geot (“thing”) = i-geot --> i-geo

i-geo is originally i-geot and it is a combination of i (“this”) and geot

(“thing”) but it is often used as just i-geo for the ease of pronunciation.

Sample Sentences

i-geo chaek-i-e-yo = This is a book.

i-geo ka-me-ra-ye-yo = This is a camera

i-geo keo-pi-ye-yo = This is coffee.

i-geo sa-jeon-i-e-yo = This is a dictionary.

i-geo mwo-ye-yo? = What is this?

In Lesson 5, we introduced the question, mwo-ye-yo? and it means “What is

it?” You can add i-geo in front of it to ask “What is this?”

i-geo mwo-ye-yo? = What is this?

i-geo haen-deu-pon-i-e-yo = This is a cellphone.

i-geo mwo-ye-yo? = What is this?

i-geo mul-i-e-yo = This is water.

i-geo mwo-ye-yo? = What is this?

i-geo keo-pi-ye-yo = This is coffee.

Do you remember how to say “No”?

i-geo keo-pi-ye-yo? = Is this coffee?

a-ni-yo. i-geo mul-i-e-yo = No. This is water.

Do you remember how to say “Yes, that’s right”?

 i-geo keo-pi-ye-yo? = Is this coffee?

ne. ma-ja-yo. i-geo keo-pi-ye-yo = Yes, that’s right. This is coffee.