American Learns Korean Day5: Saying “There is/There isn’t” with 있어요/없어요 (Beginner Speaking Drills)

American Learns Korean Day5 Topic: 있어요/없어요 for Existence + “Where is it?” (어디에)

Today you’ll train one of the most useful beginner patterns in Korean: 있어요 / 없어요.

You will use it in two main ways:

Existence (something exists / doesn’t exist)

커피 있어요. (There is coffee.)
커피 없어요. (There isn’t coffee.)
시간 있어요? (Do you have time?)

Location (where something is / isn’t)

화장실 어디에 있어요? (Where is the restroom?)
지하철역이 여기 있어요? (Is the subway station here?)

Your goal for American Learns Korean Day5 is not “knowing the grammar.”
Your goal is automatic speaking.

10 Core Sentences (Memorize These First)

이거 있어요? (Do you have this?/Is this available?)
없어요. (No, we don’t./It isn’t.)
있어요. (Yes, we do./It is.)
화장실 어디에 있어요? (Where is the restroom?)
여기 있어요. (It’s here.)
저기 있어요. (It’s over there.)
거기 없어요. (It’s not there.)
시간 있어요? (Do you have time?)
지금 있어요? (Are you here now?/Is it here now?)
근처에 편의점 있어요? (Is there a convenience store nearby?)

Note: 있어요/없어요 is polite and safe for beginners in most situations.

Class Script (Teacher ↔ Student)

Read this out loud. Do not aim for perfection—aim for flow.

Teacher: 편의점 있어요?
Student: 네, 있어요.
Teacher: 어디에 있어요?
Student: 저기 있어요.

Teacher: 화장실 있어요?
Student: 네, 있어요.
Teacher: 화장실 어디에 있어요?
Student: 여기 있어요.

Teacher: 물 있어요?
Student: 아니요, 없어요.
Teacher: 그럼 커피 있어요?
Student: 네, 있어요.

Keep your answers short. Short answers sound the most natural.

Drill 1: Substitution Drill (30 seconds)

Swap the noun and repeat fast.

Words: 물( water) / 커피(coffee) / 화장지(tissue) / 카드(card) / 충전기(charger) / 의자(chair) / 직원(staff) / 메뉴(menu)

Example pattern:

물 있어요? → 네, 있어요. / 아니요, 없어요.
충전기 있어요? → 네, 있어요. / 아니요, 없어요.

Drill 2: Location Drill (30 seconds)

Only use these answers: 여기/저기/거기 + 있어요(없어요)

편의점 어디에 있어요? → 여기 있어요.
화장실 어디에 있어요? → 저기 있어요.
직원 어디에 있어요? → 거기 없어요.

Real-Life Dialogues (5 Situations You Will Actually Use)

These are “copy and use” dialogues for American Learns Korean Day5.

1) At a café

A: 와이파이 있어요? (Do you have Wi-Fi?)
B: 네, 있어요. (Yes.)
A: 비밀번호 있어요? (Is there a password?)
B: 네. 여기 있어요. (Yes. It’s here.) (pointing to a sign/menu)

2) At a convenience store

A: 삼각김밥 있어요? (Do you have triangle kimbap?)
B: 네, 있어요.
A: 어디에 있어요? (Where is it?)
B: 저기 있어요. (pointing to the fridge)

3) Asking for a restroom

A: 화장실 어디에 있어요?
B: 저쪽에 있어요. (It’s that way.)
Tip: 저쪽 feels more like “in that direction.”

4) At work

A: 팀장님 지금 있어요? (Is the team leader here now?)
B: 지금 없어요. (Not right now.)
A: 언제 있어요? (When will they be here?)
B: 3시에 있어요. (At 3.)

5) Taxi note (what’s natural)

Instead of “Is there a way to the airport?” Korean usually sounds like:

공항 가요. 괜찮아요? (I’m going to the airport. Is that okay?)
공항 가 주세요. (Please take me to the airport.)
Use 있어요/없어요 most with items, places, facilities, time.

Common Confusion: 있어요 vs 계세요 (People + Politeness)

있어요/없어요: things, places, time, general existence
- 물 있어요. / 편의점 있어요. / 시간 있어요?
계세요/안 계세요: people (honorific/polite)
- 사장님 계세요? (Is the owner here?)
- 팀장님 안 계세요. (They’re not here.)

Simple rule for today:

Things/places/time → 있어요/없어요
People you should respect → 계세요/안 계세요

Pronunciation & Rhythm (Sound More Natural Fast)

Link the words smoothly, not word-by-word.

이거 있어요? → feels like “이거이써요?”
어디에 있어요? → “어디에이써요?”
여기 있어요. → “여기이써요.”

If you pronounce “있-” too sharply (like “it”), you sound robotic.
Your goal is smooth linking.

Drill 3: Instant Yes/No Drill (Reaction Speed)

Answer within 0.5 seconds.

물 있어요? → 네, 있어요. / 아니요, 없어요.
메뉴 있어요? → 네, 있어요. / 아니요, 없어요.
시간 있어요? → 네, 있어요. / 아니요, 없어요.
직원 있어요? → 네, 있어요. / 아니요, 없어요.

Speed matters more than long sentences.

Drill 4: Expanding Location with “쪽” (near/that direction)

You can stay with 여기/거기/저기, but “쪽” is very common.

여기 있어요. (It’s here.)
여기 쪽에 있어요. (It’s around here.)
저기 쪽에 있어요. (It’s over there / that direction.)
거기 쪽에 없어요. (It’s not around there.)

Today’s Mini Homework (5 minutes)

Write 10 sentences using 있어요/없어요 (phone memo is fine).
Write 5 sentences using “어디에 있어요?”
Choose 3 sentences and read them out loud 3 times each.
Use “시간 있어요?” once in real life (family/coworker).
Pick 5 of the core 10 sentences and say them with eyes closed.

Today’s 3 “Must-Use” Sentences

If you say these out loud today, Day5 is a win:

이거 있어요?
어디에 있어요?
시간 있어요?

American Learns Korean Day5 FAQ

Q1. Why is it “있어요” and not just “있다”?
Beginners should use 해요체 (있어요/없어요). It’s polite and widely safe.

Q2. What’s the difference between 여기/거기/저기?

여기: near me
거기: near you / a shared “that place”
저기: far from both of us

Q3. Can I use “지금 있어요?” for people?
With friends it can work, but polite Korean is 지금 계세요?

Americans learns korean – Day 4 (Review)

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