Grammar · Being and having

있어요 / 없어요, there is, I have

Pattern

[Thing] 이 / 가 있어요 / 없어요

있다 covers both 'there is' and 'to have', and 없다 is its opposite. The thing that exists takes 이/가 and the place takes 에. Several everyday words are built on the pair, such as 재미있어요 'it is fun' and 맛있어요 'it is tasty', with 없어요 opposites.

The mistake to avoid

For 'there is' and 'have', never put 안 in front of 있어요. The negative is always 없어요: 시간이 없어요, not 시간이 안 있어요.

Examples

Romanisation help

물 있어요?

mul isseoyo?

Is there any water?

시간이 없어요.

sigani eopseoyo.

I do not have time.

역 앞에 편의점이 있어요.

yeok ape pyeonuijeomi isseoyo.

There is a convenience store in front of the station.

한국에 친구가 있어요.

hanguge chinguga isseoyo.

I have a friend in Korea.