What is “요”?

“요” is a politeness particle used at the end of a sentence or phrase in Korean to show respect to the listener. It is mainly used in spoken language (conversation) and makes sentences sound polite and friendly.

1. Usage

1) Ending a Sentence Politely

“요” is attached to the end of a sentence to make it polite. It works with verb endings or descriptive statements.

• 진짜 이상한 일이네요. (That’s really an odd thing.)
• 점심 뭐 먹을까요? (What should we eat for lunch?)
• 그 영화 정말 재미있었어요. (That movie was really fun.)
• 지금 도서관에 있어요. (I’m at the library right now.)
• 친구 만나러 가요. (I’m going to meet a friend.)

2) Politeness with Nouns and Other Words

“요” can also attach directly to nouns, adverbs, or particles to make the response polite. This is common in casual or friendly conversations.

• A: 몇 시에 만날까요? → B: 세 시요. (At three o’clock.)
• A: 뭐 먹고 싶어요? → B: 저는 떡볶이요. (I want tteokbokki.)
• A: 어디예요? → B: 학교요. (I’m at school.)
• A: 지금 뭐 하고 있어요? → B: 책 읽고 있어요. (I’m reading a book.)

Special Case: “이요”

When the preceding noun ends with a consonant (받침), “이요” is used instead of “요” to make it sound smoother.

• A: 이건 누구 책이에요? → B: 선생님 책이요. (It’s the teacher’s book.)
• A: 이 물건은 얼마예요? → B: 오천 원이요. (It’s 5,000 won.)
• A: 어디까지 갈 거예요? → B: 서울역이요. (To Seoul Station.)

Key Notes

• “요” is most commonly used in spoken Korean to be polite.
• It is often added at the end of sentences, verbs, or nouns in everyday conversations.

3. Practice Quiz

Fill in the blanks with “요” or “이요” where appropriate:

1. 친구 만나러 _____(가다).
   (I’m going to meet a friend.)
2. 오늘 저녁에 영화 _____(보다)?
   (Do you want to watch a movie tonight?)
3. A: 이름이 뭐에요?
   (What’s your name?)
   → B: 민수____. 
    (It’s Minsu.)
4. 지금 어디_____?
   (Where are you now?)
5. A: 이 물건은 얼마예요?
   (How much does this cost?)
    → B: 오천 원_____.
   (It’s 5,000 won.)
   

4. Answers 

• 친구 만나러 가요. 
• 오늘 저녁에 영화 볼래요? 
• 민수요.
• 지금 어디예요? 
• 오천 원이요.