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KOREAN VERB

있다

to be there, to have

  • #2 most used
  • Existence verb

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present

현재 · now and habits: polite, formal and casual speech

Form Polite Formal Casual
AffirmativeI am there
NegativeI am not there

Past

과거 · finished actions: 갔어요, 갔습니다, 갔어

Form Polite Formal Casual
AffirmativeI was there
NegativeI was not there

Future

미래 · plans and guesses: -(으)ㄹ 거예요

Form Polite Formal Casual
AffirmativeI will be there
NegativeI won’t be there

Honorific

높임말 · to or about an elder: the -시- forms

Form Polite Formal
PresentI am there (respectfully)
PastI was there (respectfully)
FutureI will be there (respectfully)

Connectives

연결 어미 · and, so, if, because, but: joining two sentences

  1. And (-고) being there, and…, and…
  2. So, and then (-아/어서) being there, and…, so…
  3. If, when (-(으)면) if I am there
  4. Because (-(으)니까) because I am there
  5. But (-지만) I am there, but…

Requests and commands

명령형 · -(으)세요, -(으)십시오, the casual form, -지 마세요

  1. Please (-(으)세요) please be there
  2. Formal request (-(으)십시오) please be there (formal)
  3. Plain command be there! (casual)
  4. Please don’t please don’t be there

How to use 있다

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present

    저는 지금 명동에 있어요.

    I'm in Myeongdong right now.

  2. Past

    어제는 하루 종일 집에 있었어요.

    Yesterday I was at home all day.

  3. Future

    내일 오후에는 사무실에 있을 거예요.

    Tomorrow afternoon I'll be in the office.

  4. Honorific

    어머니는 지금 부엌에 계세요.

    Mother is in the kitchen right now.

  5. Connectives

    시간이 있으면 같이 영화를 봐요.

    If you have time, let's watch a movie together.

  6. Requests and commands

    여기 잠깐만 계세요.

    Please stay here a moment.

Good to know

  • An elder who is somewhere is 계시다, but a thing an elder has takes 있으시다: 시간 있으세요?

Where you hear 있다

The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.

Korean · Beginner Level 1

  • 여기 있어요. Here you are.
  • 어제 집에 있었어요. I was at home yesterday.
  • 내일 학교에 있을 거예요. I'll be at school tomorrow.

Korean · Beginner Level 2

  • 여기 있어요. Here you are.
  • 어제 집에 있었어요. I was at home yesterday.
  • 내일 학교에 있을 거예요. I'll be at school tomorrow.
4
A cafe in Hongdae

Beginner Level 1 · 네, 잠시만요. 여기 있어요.

Needs a subscription 24
Lunch with Min-jun

Beginner Level 1 · 있어요? · 이모, 자리 있어요? · 네, 있어요. 여기 앉으세요. · 이모, 물 있어요?

Needs a subscription 28
Till the end of November

Beginner Level 1 · 네. 삼 주 있어요.

Needs a subscription 1
Till spring

Beginner Level 2 · 일라이 씨, 봄까지 여기 있어요?

Free 2
The bank

Beginner Level 2 · 외국인 등록증 있어요? · 여권도 있어요? · 통장하고 카드 여기 있어요.

Free 3
The phone

Beginner Level 2 · 이거 인기 있어요.

Needs a subscription 6
The staff meeting

Beginner Level 2 · 있습니다. · 이번 달에 축제가 있습니다.

Needs a subscription 10
Telling the family

Beginner Level 2 · 있었어 · 사람이 많이 있었어? · 오백 명 있었어요. · 어제 학교에 있었어요.

Needs a subscription 11
Kimchi-making day: the cabbage

Beginner Level 2 · 옮기고 있어요. · 옮기고 있어요, 할머니!

Needs a subscription 15
A winter coat

Beginner Level 2 · 장갑 있어요?

Needs a subscription 18
A cold

Beginner Level 2 · 열이 있어요?

Needs a subscription 19
The pharmacy

Beginner Level 2 · 어제부터요. 열도 조금 있어요.

Needs a subscription

And 80 more lessons.

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: existence verb.