Chapter 6 -
How to Introduce Yourself in Korean: Understanding -입니다 and 은/는
Learning Korean becomes much easier when you start recognizing common grammar patterns that appear in almost every conversation. If you've already learned Korean consonants and vowels (한글 자음과 모음), the next step is learning how to make simple sentences.
In this lesson, we'll learn two essential Korean grammar points:
-입니다 (imnida)
은/는 (eun/neun)
These grammar patterns allow you to introduce yourself, identify people and things, and talk about the topic of a sentence. They are among the first grammar points taught in Korean language courses because they are used every day.
Let's get started.
What is -입니다?
-입니다 is the polite form of the verb 이다, which means "to be."
Unlike English, Korean does not use separate words like "am," "is," or "are." Instead, Korean attaches 이다 directly to a noun.
Formula
Noun + 입니다
This grammar is used to:
Introduce yourself
Identify a person
Identify an object
Describe a person's role or occupation
State what something is
Examples
이것은 제 책상입니다.
(Igeoseun je chaeksang-imnida.)
This is my desk.
이것 = this thing
제 = my
책상 = desk
저는 학생입니다.
(Jeoneun haksaeng-imnida.)
I am a student.
저 = I (humble form)
학생 = student
이 아이가 제 딸입니다.
(I ai-ga je ttal-imnida.)
This child is my daughter.
아이 = child
딸 = daughter
여기가 우리 집입니다.
(Yeogiga uri jib-imnida.)
This is our house.
여기 = here
집 = house
그분은 의사입니다.
(Geubuneun uisa-imnida.)
That person is a doctor.
의사 = doctor
Why Do Koreans Use -입니다?
Korean has different speech levels depending on who you are speaking to.
-입니다 is a polite and formal ending. It is commonly used:
In classrooms
At work
During introductions
When speaking to strangers
In presentations
As a beginner, learning -입니다 first is a great choice because it is polite and safe in most situations.
Introducing Yourself with -입니다
One of the most common sentences beginners learn is:
저는 민수입니다.(Jeoneun Minsoo-imnida.)
I am Minsoo.
You can replace the name with your own:
저는 Sarah입니다.
I am Sarah.
저는 Michael입니다.
I am Michael.
This is often the first sentence Korean learners use when introducing themselves.
What are 은/는?
Now let's learn another important grammar point.
은/는 are topic particles.
A topic particle tells the listener what the sentence is about.
In English, we usually understand the topic from word order. In Korean, particles help identify it clearly.
When to Use 은 and 는
The choice depends on whether the noun ends with a consonant (받침) or a vowel.
| Ending of Noun | Particle |
|---|---|
| Consonant (받침) | -- 은 |
| Vowel | -- 는 |
Examples
학생 + 은 = 학생은
학생 ends with the consonant ㄴ.
학생은 한국 사람입니다.
The student is Korean.
저 + 는 = 저는
저 ends with the vowel ㅓ.
저는 학생입니다.
I am a student.
Example Sentences with 은/는
서울은 한국의 수도입니다.
(Seoureun Hangug-ui sudo-imnida.)
Seoul is the capital city of Korea.
서울 = Seoul
수도 = capital city
저는 한국 사람입니다.
(Jeoneun Hanguk saram-imnida.)
I am Korean.
민정 씨는 선생님입니다.
(Minjeong ssineun seonsaengnim-imnida._
Ms. Minjeong is a teacher.
존슨 씨는 미국 사람입니다.
(Jonseun ssineun Miguk saram-imnida.)
Mr. Johnson is American.
Understanding the Difference
Let's compare.
저는 학생입니다.
저는 = As for me...
학생입니다 = am a student
저는 = As for me...
학생입니다 = am a student
Natural translation:
I am a student.
서울은 한국의 수도입니다.
서울은 = As for Seoul...
한국의 수도입니다 = is Korea's capital city
서울은 = As for Seoul...
한국의 수도입니다 = is Korea's capital city
Natural translation:
Seoul is the capital city of Korea.
Notice how 은/는 introduces the topic and 입니다 explains what that topic is.
Together they create very simple Korean sentences.
Sentence Pattern You Can Use Right Away
Formula
Noun + 은/는 + Noun + 입니다
Examples
저는 학생입니다.
I am a student.
민수 씨는 의사입니다.
Mr. Minsoo is a doctor.
이것은 책입니다.
This is a book.
서울은 한국의 수도입니다.
Seoul is the capital city of Korea.
Grammar Practice
Try filling in the blanks.
1. Complete the Sentence
Example
저는 하천우 (입니다).
저는 최영수 ( )
저는 인도 사람 ( )
존슨 씨는 선생님 ( )
Answers
저는 최영수입니다.
저는 인도 사람입니다.
존슨 씨는 선생님입니다.
저는 최영수입니다.
저는 인도 사람입니다.
존슨 씨는 선생님입니다.
Practice 은/는
Choose the correct particle.
Example
존슨 씨 (은/는) 선생님입니다.
Answer: 존슨 씨는 선생님입니다.
Questions
저 (은/는) 김유진입니다.
천우 씨 (은/는) 중국 사람입니다.
민정 씨 (은/는) 선생님입니다.
선생님 이름 (은/는) 존슨입니다.
저 (은/는) 김유진입니다.
천우 씨 (은/는) 중국 사람입니다.
민정 씨 (은/는) 선생님입니다.
선생님 이름 (은/는) 존슨입니다.
Answers
저는 김유진입니다.
천우 씨는 중국 사람입니다.
민정 씨는 선생님입니다.
선생님 이름은 존슨입니다.
저는 김유진입니다.
천우 씨는 중국 사람입니다.
민정 씨는 선생님입니다.
선생님 이름은 존슨입니다.
Common Beginner Mistakes
Mistake 1
❌ 저은 학생입니다.
✅ 저는 학생입니다.
Because "저" ends in a vowel, use 는.
Mistake 2
❌ 학생는 한국 사람입니다.
✅ 학생은 한국 사람입니다.
Because "학생" ends in the consonant ㄴ, use 은.
Mistake 3
❌ 저는 학생.
✅ 저는 학생입니다.
Korean sentences usually need a verb ending. Here, 입니다 completes the sentence.
Cultural Nuance
When introducing yourself in Korea, people often say:
저는 ○○입니다.
rather than simply saying their name.
For example:
안녕하세요. 저는 민수입니다.
Hello. I am Minsoo.
This sounds polite and natural.
In schools, workplaces, meetings, and language exchanges, introducing yourself this way is considered respectful and professional.
As your Korean improves, you'll learn more casual versions such as:
저는 민수예요.
and
난 민수야.
But for beginners, -입니다 is the best place to start.
To Conclude -
Today we learned two essential Korean grammar points:
-입니다
Used to mean "am," "is," or "are."
은/는
Topic particles used after nouns.
은 → after consonants
는 → after vowels
These two grammar points are the foundation of simple Korean sentences. Once you master them, you'll be able to introduce yourself, talk about people, and identify everyday objects with confidence.
In the next lesson, we'll continue building practical Korean conversation skills that you can use in real-life situations from day one.
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