Saying "to be" with 이다
How do you say that someone or something is something in Korean?
Introducing your name with 이다
Section titled “Introducing your name with 이다”이에요 and 예요 both come from the verb 이다, which means to be. The version you use depends on the final letter of the word before it:
이에요is used after a consonant.예요is used after a vowel.
Examples:
저는 이안이에요.
I am Ian.
저는 사라예요.
I am Sarah.
저는 comes from 저 (meaning I or me) and the topic marker 는.
Using 이에요 and 예요
Section titled “Using 이에요 and 예요”Since 이다 means “to be,” we can also use it to describe other things.
Examples:
이거 바나나예요.
This is a banana.
이거 커피예요.
This is coffee.
이거 means “this thing”. There are other ways to say “this”, depending on the context.