Existance with '있다' and '없다'

01

Expressing Location (To Be)

To say that something or someone is present at a specific place, use 있다 (it·dait·dait·dait·ta). Conversely, to say they are not there, use 없다 (ŏp·taeop·daŏp·taep·ta). In this construction, the location is marked by the particle 에 (eeeey), which indicates "at" or "in".

The structure is: Subject + Place + 에 (eeeey) + 있다 (it·dait·dait·dait·ta) / 없다 (ŏp·taeop·daŏp·taep·ta).

• 저는 집에 있어요.

  chŏ·nŭn chi·be iss·ŏ·yo.jeo·neun ji·be iss·eo·yo.chŏ·nŭn chi·be iss·ŏ·yo.ce·nun ci·pey iss·e·yo.

  I am at home.

• 친구가 학교에 없어요.

  chʰin·gu·ga hak·gyo·e ŏp·sŏ·yo.chin·gu·ga hak·gyo·e eop·seo·yo.ch'in·gu·ga hak·gyo·e ŏp·sŏ·yo.chin·ku·ka hak·kyo·ey ep·se·yo.

  My friend is not at school.

• 책이 책상 위에 있어요.

  chʰæ·gi chʰæk·sang wi·e iss·ŏ·yo.chae·gi chaek·sang wi·e iss·eo·yo.ch'ae·gi ch'aek·sang wi·e iss·ŏ·yo.chay·ki chayk·sang ui·ey iss·e·yo.

  The book is on the desk.

02

Expressing Possession (To Have)

Korean does not have a direct equivalent to the English verb "to have". Instead, possession is expressed by saying that an object "exists" relative to a person. Literally, the sentence "I have a car" translates to "As for me, a car exists."

The structure is: Owner + 은/는 (ŭn/nŭneun/nŭnŭn/nŭnun/nŭn) + Object + 이/가 (i/ga) + 있다 (it·dait·dait·dait·ta) / 없다 (ŏp·taeop·daŏp·taep·ta).

• 저는 차가 있어요.

  chŏ·nŭn chʰa·ga iss·ŏ·yo.jeo·neun cha·ga iss·eo·yo.chŏ·nŭn ch'a·ga iss·ŏ·yo.ce·nun cha·ka iss·e·yo.

  I have a car.

• 돈이 없어요.

  to·ni ŏp·sŏ·yo.do·ni eop·seo·yo.to·ni ŏp·sŏ·yo.to·ni ep·se·yo.

  I do not have money.

• 언니가 있어요?

  ŏn·ni·ga iss·ŏ·yo?eon·ni·ga iss·eo·yo?ŏn·ni·ga iss·ŏ·yo?en·ni·ka iss·e·yo?

  Do you have an older sister?

03

Descriptive Verbs with 'Itda' and 'Eopda'

Many common descriptive verbs (adjectives) are formed by combining a noun with 있다 (it·dait·dait·dait·ta) or 없다 (ŏp·taeop·daŏp·taep·ta). These words describe whether a certain quality exists or does not exist within the subject.

• 재미있다 (chæ·mi·it·dajae·mi·it·dachae·mi·it·dacay·mi·it·ta) - to be interesting/fun (literally: fun exists)
• 재미없다 (chæ·mi·ŏp·tajae·mi·eop·dachae·mi·ŏp·tacay·mi·ep·ta) - to be boring (literally: fun does not exist)
• 맛있다 (ma·sit·dama·sit·dama·sit·dama·sit·ta) - to be delicious (literally: taste exists)
• 맛없다 (ma·dŏp·tama·deop·dama·dŏp·tama·tep·ta) - to be tasteless/bad tasting
• 멋있다 (mŏ·sit·dameo·sit·damŏ·sit·dame·sit·ta) - to be cool/stylish (literally: style exists)

• 이 영화는 재미있어요.

  i yŏng·hwa·nŭn chæ·mi·iss·ŏ·yo.i yeong·hwa·neun jae·mi·iss·eo·yo.i yŏng·hwa·nŭn chae·mi·iss·ŏ·yo.i yeng·hwa·nun cay·mi·iss·e·yo.

  This movie is interesting.

• 그 사과는 맛없어요.

  kŭ sa·gwa·nŭn ma·dŏp·sŏ·yo.geu sa·gwa·neun ma·deop·seo·yo.kŭ sa·gwa·nŭn ma·dŏp·sŏ·yo.ku sa·kwa·nun ma·tep·se·yo.

  That apple tastes bad.

04

Honorific Forms

When speaking about a person of higher status (like a teacher, boss, or grandparent) being in a location, the standard 있다 (it·dait·dait·dait·ta) is replaced by the honorific verb 계시다 (kye·shi·dagye·shi·dakye·shi·dakyey·shi·ta). However, if you are talking about that person possessing something, you use the honorific form 있으시다 (i·ssŭ·shi·dai·sseu·shi·dai·ssŭ·shi·dai·ssu·shi·ta).

• 선생님이 교실에 계세요.

  sŏn·sæng·ni·mi kyo·shi·re kye·se·yo.seon·saeng·ni·mi gyo·shi·re gye·se·yo.sŏn·saeng·ni·mi kyo·shi·re kye·se·yo.sen·sayng·ni·mi kyo·shi·ley kyey·sey·yo.

  The teacher is in the classroom. (Location)

• 선생님이 차가 있으세요.

  sŏn·sæng·ni·mi chʰa·ga i·ssŭ·se·yo.seon·saeng·ni·mi cha·ga i·sseu·se·yo.sŏn·saeng·ni·mi ch'a·ga i·ssŭ·se·yo.sen·sayng·ni·mi cha·ka i·ssu·sey·yo.

  The teacher has a car. (Possession)