Introducing Yourself and Asking Simple Questions

New Words and Phrases: Introducing Yourself and Asking Simple Questions

Here are practical phrases to say your name, where you are from, what you do, and to ask simple questions in polite Korean.

Language Pattern: Using 이에요/예요 and Basic Question Words

1. The polite "to be" pattern: 이에요 / 예요

In Korean, the basic polite way to say "am / is / are" is by adding 이에요 (i-e-yo) or 예요 (ye-yo) to a noun.

• Use 이에요 after a consonant.
• Example:
• 한국 사람 + 이에요 → 한국 사람이에요.

(han-guk sa-ram-i-e-yo) = "(I) am Korean."

• 학생 + 이에요 → 학생이에요.

(hak-ssaeng-i-e-yo) = "(I) am a student."

• Use 예요 after a vowel.
• Example:
• 마리아 + 예요 → 마리아예요.

(ma-ri-a-ye-yo) = "(I) am Maria."

You often start with 저는 (jeo-neun) meaning "I (as for me)".

• 저는 학생이에요.

(jeo-neun hak-ssaeng-i-e-yo) = "I am a student."

2. Turning statements into questions

In polite everyday Korean, you can make simple questions in two ways:

1. Use a question mark and rising intonation with 이에요/예요.

• 학생이에요?

(hak-ssaeng-i-e-yo?) = "Are (you) a student?"

• 한국 사람이에요?

(han-guk sa-ram-i-e-yo?) = "Are (you) Korean?"

The grammar stays the same as a statement; the voice rising at the end plus ? makes it a question.

1. Use question words like 뭐, 어디, 누구.

3. Basic question words

• 뭐 (mwo) = "what"
• 이름이 뭐예요?

(i-reum-i mwo-ye-yo?) = "What is (your) name?"

• 어디 (eo-di) = "where"
• 어디에서 왔어요?

(eo-di-e-seo wa-sseo-yo?) = "Where are you from?" (literally "From where came?")

• 누구 (nu-gu) = "who"
• 저 사람은 누구예요?

(jeo sa-ram-eun nu-gu-ye-yo?) = "Who is that person?"

4. Simple introduction pattern

You can combine these to make a short self‑introduction:

1. Say your name:

• 저는 마리아예요.

(jeo-neun ma-ri-a-ye-yo) = "I am Maria."

1. Say where you are from:

• 저는 미국 사람이에요.

(jeo-neun mi-guk sa-ram-i-e-yo) = "I am American."

1. Say what you do:

• 저는 학생이에요. / 저는 회사원이에요.

(jeo-neun hak-ssaeng-i-e-yo / jeo-neun hoe-sa-won-i-e-yo)

= "I am a student." / "I am an office worker."

Then you can ask a follow‑up question with the same pattern:

• OO 씨는요?

(OO ssi-neun-yo?) = "And you, OO?" (using the person’s name)

Example mini‑exchange:

• A: 저는 마리아예요. 저는 학생이에요.

(jeo-neun ma-ri-a-ye-yo. jeo-neun hak-ssaeng-i-e-yo.)

= "I am Maria. I am a student."

• B: 저는 민수예요. 저는 회사원이에요.

(jeo-neun min-su-ye-yo. jeo-neun hoe-sa-won-i-e-yo.)

= "I am Minsu. I am an office worker."

Practice Dialogue: Meeting Someone for the First Time

This conversation happens when two people meet for the first time at a language school. They introduce themselves and ask simple questions using the patterns from this module.

Check Your Understanding: Introductions and Questions

Choose the best answer based on what you learned about 이에요/예요 and basic question words.