Korean · TOPIK Band 1 · Chapter 4

저는 학생이에요I'm a student

Jeoneun haksaeng-ieyo

Talk about jobs and roles. Lock in the 이에요 (after a consonant) vs 예요 (after a vowel) split using job words, and learn the possessive 의 (저의 → 제). Learn to introduce your own occupation and ask about someone else's.

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학생이에요?— Are You a Student?

  1. Jieun마ma이i클keul씨ssi는neun학hak생saeng이i에e요yo?Michael, are you a student?
  2. Michael네ne,저jeo는neun학hak생saeng이i에e요yo.지ji은eun씨ssi는neun학hak생saeng이i에e요yo?Yes, I'm a student. Jieun, are you a student?
  3. Jieun아a니ni요yo,저jeo는neun회hoe사sa원won이i에e요yo.No, I'm an office worker.
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직업이 뭐예요?— What's Your Job?

  1. Jieun민min수su씨ssi,직jig업eob이i뭐mwo예ye요yo?Minsu, what's your job?
  2. Minsu저jeo는neun한han국gug어eo선seon생saeng님nim이i에e요yo.I'm a Korean teacher.
  3. Jieun아a,선seon생saeng님nim이i에e요yo?Oh, you're a teacher?
  4. Minsu네ne.제je친chin구gu는neun의ui사sa예ye요yo.Yes. My friend is a doctor.
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학hak생saeng

nounstudent

선seon생saeng님nim

nounteacher

회hoe사sa원won

nounoffice worker

의ui사sa

noundoctor

직jig업eop

nounjob, occupation

한han국gug어eo

nounKorean (language)

하ha다da

verbto do

너neo

pronounyou (casual)

당dang신sin

pronounyou (formal/distant)

우u리ri

pronounwe, our

저jeo희hui

pronounwe, our (humble)

의ui (e)

particle(possessive particle)

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이에요 / 예요 — locking it in with jobs

Explanation

Practise the rule from chapter 3 with job names: 이에요 after a noun ending in a consonant, 예요 after one ending in a vowel. 학생, 회사원, 선생님 end in a consonant → 이에요; 의사 ends in a vowel → 예요. To state a job, Korean needs no "을/를" and no article — just "noun + 이에요/예요".

Examples

  • 저는 회사원이에요.I'm an office worker.
  • 제 친구는 의사예요.My friend is a doctor.
  • 저jeo는neun한han국gug어eo선seon생saeng님nim이i에e요yo.I'm a Korean teacher.
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The possessive 의 (저의 → 제)

Explanation

의 links two nouns as "A의 B" (A's B) — possessor + possessed. The possessive 의 is pronounced like [에]. 저의 shortens to 제, 나의 to 내. In close relationships (especially with 우리) the 의 is often dropped entirely: 우리 친구, 우리 선생님.

Examples

  • 제 이름은 마이클이에요.My name is Michael.
  • 선생님의 이름이 뭐예요?What is the teacher's name?
  • 우리 친구는 의사예요.Our friend is a doctor. (의 dropped)
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한글 복습: w 모음과 ㅢ— Hangul Review: w-Vowels and ㅢ

Writing a vowel that starts with ㅗ or ㅜ together with another vowel creates a "w" glide.

  • ㅘwalike "wa" in "watt" — e.g. 사과 (apple) · ㅗ + ㅏ
  • ㅝwolike "wo" in "won" — e.g. 뭐 (what) · ㅜ + ㅓ
  • ㅙwaelike "we" in "wet" — e.g. 왜 (why) · ㅗ + ㅐ
  • ㅞwelike "we" in "wet" (rare) · ㅜ + ㅔ
  • ㅚoenow ≈ "we" in "wet" — e.g. 회사 (company), 외국 (foreign) · ㅗ + ㅣ
  • ㅟwilike "wee" — e.g. 위 (above) · ㅜ + ㅣ

ㅢ is pronounced three ways: (1) at the start of a word, "의" [ui] — 의사. (2) elsewhere, usually "이" [i] — 회의 sounds like [회이]. (3) as the possessive 의 (저의 B), "에" [e]. For now, get (1) exactly right; just recognise the rest.

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