What is -이야/야? Ending?
The -이야/야? ending is a casual way to ask a question or make a statement in Korean. It is primarily used:
1. Among close friends or younger people.
2. To confirm or clarify information – Similar to English "Is it...?" or "Are you...?".Conjugation Rules
1. Nouns ending in a consonant + -이야?
Example: 학생 (student) → 학생이야? ("Are you a student?")
2. Nouns ending in a vowel + -야?
Example: 친구 (friend) → 친구야? ("Are you a friend?")
When and How to Use -이야/야?
1. Asking a casual question:
- 이게 네 차야? ("Is this your car?)
- 저 사람 누구야? ("Who is that person?")
2. Confirming or clarifying something:
- 이게 진짜야? ("Is this real?")
- 너의 선택이야? ("Is this your choice?")
- 너 학생이야? ("Are you a student?")
4. Expressing surprise or disbelief:
- 이게 뭐야? ("What is this?")
- 너 지금 장난이야? ("Are you joking right now?")
Differences from Similar Endings
| Ending | Usage | Politeness Level |
|---|---|---|
| -이야?/야? | Asking about a noun's identity | Casual |
| -니? | Informal question about actions or adjectives | Casual |
| -냐? | More direct, sometimes blunt | Informal |
| -입니까? | Formal question for nouns | Very polite |
| -인가요? | Polite but still informal | Polite |
Examples of -이야/야? in Use
1. 오늘이 네 생일이야?"Is today your birthday?"
2. 저건 네 가방이야?
"Is that your bag?"
3. 여기가 네 집이야?
"Is this your house?"
4. 네 강아지 이름이 토토야?
"Is your dog's name Toto?"
5. 이게 사실이야?
"Is this true?"
6. 너 정말 내 친구야?
"Are you really my friend?"
7. 그 사람이 너희 형이야?
"Is that person your older brother?"
8. 그게 네 최종 결정이야?
"Is that your final decision?"
9. 너 지금 어디야?
"Where are you now?"
10. 이 영화가 네가 말한 거야?
"Is this the movie you were talking about?"
Practice Sentences
Try translating these sentences into Korean using -이야/야?:
1. "Is this your phone?"2. "Are you a college student?"
3. "Is that your final answer?"
(Answers: 이거 네 전화야? / 너 대학생이야? / 그게 네 최종 답이야?)
Keywords for SEO
- -이야? grammar
- -야? ending
- How to use -이야/야? ending
- -이야/야? usage and examples
Tags
Grammar Lv2