imnida, imnika, yeyo/iyeyo

[maknaelove]

Hey everyone! Im just a little bit confused about these words... In the audio, I have noticed that the speakers use imnida when they refer to themselves and uses imnika when they refer to the person they are talking to.

Is this right? And what do we use when we refer to things???

And I know that we use yeyo/iyeyo when we use the standard way. But is it like the ímnida' and 'imnika' that changes when we refer to ourselves and also changes towards the people we are talking to???


Thank you so much. I hope somebody can answer my question...... Thanks again!

[trutherous]

Hey everyone! Im just a little bit confused about these words... In the audio, I have noticed that the speakers use imnida when they refer to themselves and uses imnika when they refer to the person they are talking to.

Is this right? And what do we use when we refer to things???

And I know that we use yeyo/iyeyo when we use the standard way. But is it like the ímnida' and 'imnika' that changes when we refer to ourselves and also changes towards the people we are talking to???

You are a little off, but I understand your confusion:

Firstly, these polite verb forms are used for both people and things. There is an honorific particle '시' that when added makes these verbs exclusively deal with other people but I don't want to confuse you so I will not get into that.

imnida 입니다 = "it is" (declarative) is a statement and would normally be used when answering questions or stating a fact.

imnika 입니까 = "is it?" (interrogative) forms a question and would naturally be asked of the other party.

Ex:
이름이 무엇입니까? ireumi muosimnka? -lit. "Name-(is) what is it?" = What is your name?
제 이름은 John Doe입니다. Jae ireumun John Doe imnida. lit. "My name-(is) John Doe it is." = My name is John Doe.

About a thing:
누구의(whose) 차(car) 입니까(is it)? Nugue cha imnika? Whose car is that?
제(my) 차(car) 입니다(it is). Jae cha imnida. It's my car.
Cindy의(Cindy's) 차(car) 입니다(it is). Cindye cha imnida. It's Cindy's car.

by the way, 의 at the end of a noun makes the noun possessive:
제(Jae) is a contraction of 저의(Jo-e) = "my" referring to oneself in the humble expression
내(Nae) is a contraction of 나의(Na-e) ="my" referring to oneself normally
So Cindy의 is like adding ('s) to Cindy, showing that Cindy is the owner of the car.

(by the way, sorry I don't romanize Korean properly)

Anyway, I am very happy to see you making use of the resources here at KoreanClass101 - please continue to do so. Let's make these forums a lively happy place.

George - fellow student

[maknaelove]

Wow George! You're really great! You've helped me a lot and you've answered 2 of my questions already!

thanks George.....!


kamsahamnida!

[maknaelove]

Im sorry but I have another question.... how do we use yeyo/iyeyo when we refer to ourselves and when we refer to other people and things???

because I want to learn how to speak in standard way....

Im really sorry I have a lot of questions....



thanks again!

[timandyou]

안녕하세요 everyone~~!!
What a great question!! thanks again.

Here is my answer for that question (my answer is not absolute rule).

To make my point easy, I will put a number of examples first.
나는 학생이에요 (나는 학생예요)
이것은 차이에요 (이것은 차예요)
그는 선생님이에요 (그는 선생님예요)
저것은 컴퓨터이에요 (저것은 컴퓨터예요)

Basically, in writing and speaking, 이에요 is right (most times, I think)
when trying to say fast, or more politer, you might say 예요 more.
One more thing thgough, (I don't know if it is grammar rule or not) if there is 받침 before 이에요/예요, then 이에요 is better to use. if there is no 밭침 before 이에요/예요, then 예요 is better to use.

I hope this could help you.
thanks all,
cheers,

[trutherous]

First of all, never be sorry for having questions.

Im sorry but I have another question.... how do we use yeyo/iyeyo when we refer to ourselves and when we refer to other people and things???

because I want to learn how to speak in standard way....

timandyou has answered this question already but I would like to add an additional few notes:

You probably already know that this indicates a statement by speaking it flatly, and can also indicate a question by simply by raising the intonation as you would in English:

좋은 책이에요? choeun checkiyeyo? Is it a good book?
좋은책이에요. choeun checkiyeyo. It is a good book.

I wouldn't really call the "yeyo/iyeyo" verb form "standard" but a sort of middle level of polite speech very common in Seoul. For more formal speech patterns imnida /imnika is frequently used, and still seems to be quite common in other parts of Korea, such as I noticed in Busan last year.

Korean language has a very complex tiering of levels of respect, basically the language is divided into two major divisions, formal 'Jondaemal' (존댓말) and the informal/intimate (or sometimes rude) level 'Panmal' (반말). However, it's not quite as simple as that, because within the formal level there are subtle sub-divisions created by using (or not) respect forms that elevate the respect level of the other party, and there are ways of referring to oneself that put one in a lower social position, taken together they almost create a middle, middle-high, or very high level of respect. If you want to speak "standard" Korean then you really want need to become familiar with how all these work, how to address an elder or social superior (pastor, priest, teacher, government official etc.), how to speak with casual social acquaintances (what you probably now think of as 'standard'), and how and when to use the intimate level with close friends and family, and with young children you should almost always use the intimate level, otherwise it is really awkward communication.

[maknaelove]

wow!!!!

now my question is answered!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


THANK YOU SO MUCH! im so happy!

wee~~~!

KAMSAHAMNIDA to both of you!

have a nice day!

[timandyou]

Thanks George~~!!
You are a good helper for everyone here.
I appreciate you a lot!

[donmamah_229622]

hello, does "yeyo" and "nida" have the same meaning? instead of saying, for example, "moksumnida", can we say "moksumyeyo"? please answer thanks.

[community.korean]

Hi donmamah,

'Yeyo' and 'Ipnida' both come at the end of the sentence. 'Yeyo' is more informal and usually a spoken expression, 'Ipnida' is more formal. Both are usually used after a noun. 먹다(mok-da) is a verb, however, so you would write it as 먹어요(informal) and 먹습니다(formal).

Lyn
Team KoreanClass101.com