How to Ask If an Apartment Is Furnished in Korean
Learn to ask 'Is it furnished?' in Korean, name common furniture items, and understand what a listing includes when apartment hunting.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
When you look for a place to live in Korea, one of the first questions you need to ask is whether the apartment comes with furniture. In Korean, this is not a single word but a short question built from a few useful pieces. In this lesson you will learn the key question 가구 있어요? (gagu isseoyo?), how to name common pieces of furniture, and how to ask what exactly is provided. You will also learn how to answer yes and no, and how to check whether appliances such as a refrigerator or washing machine are included. All phrases use polite everyday speech, which is appropriate with landlords, real estate agents, and new acquaintances.
By the end, you can…
- ask whether an apartment is furnished using 가구 있어요?
- name common furniture items such as 침대, 책상, and 소파
- ask whether specific appliances are included
- understand and give simple yes/no answers about furnishings
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
가구 있어요?
Is there furniture? / Do you have furniture?
ga-gu i-sseo-yo
The basic question. 가구 means furniture, and 있어요? asks whether something exists or is present. Use it with landlords or agents.
침대 있어요?
Is there a bed?
chim-dae i-sseo-yo
Replace 가구 with any item to ask about it. 침대 means bed. This pattern works for almost any object.
냉장고도 있어요?
Is there a refrigerator too?
naeng-jang-go-do i-sseo-yo
The particle 도 means 'also' or 'too'. Use it when you have already asked about one item and want to add another.
뭐가 있어요?
What is there? / What do you have?
mwo-ga i-sseo-yo
An open question to ask what furnishings or appliances are provided. Useful when you do not want to list items one by one.
가구는 없어요.
There is no furniture.
ga-gu-neun eop-seo-yo
The negative answer. 없어요 means 'there is not'. The particle 는 marks 가구 as the topic, often contrasting with something else.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is [item] + 있어요? to ask whether something is present, and [item] + 없어요 to say it is not. For example, 세탁기 있어요? (se-tak-gi i-sseo-yo) means 'Is there a washing machine?' and 세탁기 없어요 (se-tak-gi eop-seo-yo) means 'There is no washing machine.' You can also use the particle 도 to mean 'also': 에어컨도 있어요? (e-eo-keon-do i-sseo-yo) means 'Is there an air conditioner too?' This lets you build a checklist of furniture and appliances quickly. Note that 있어요? literally asks whether something exists or is present, so it covers both 'there is' and 'I/you have' depending on context.
When to use it
Use these questions when viewing an apartment, talking with a landlord, or messaging a real estate agent. 가구 있어요? is neutral and polite, so it works in most situations. If you want to be more formal with an older landlord, you can say 가구 있으세요? (ga-gu i-sseu-se-yo), but 있어요? is safe and common. When you ask about several things, keep the same pattern: 책상 있어요? (chaek-sang i-sseo-yo) 'Is there a desk?' and 소파 있어요? (so-pa i-sseo-yo) 'Is there a sofa?'
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
이 아파트에 가구 있어요?
Is there furniture in this apartment?i a-pa-teu-e ga-gu i-sseo-yo네, 침대하고 책상이 있어요.
Yes, there is a bed and a desk.ne, chim-dae-ha-go chaek-sang-i i-sseo-yo냉장고도 있어요?
Is there a refrigerator too?naeng-jang-go-do i-sseo-yo아니요, 냉장고는 없어요.
No, there is no refrigerator.a-ni-yo, naeng-jang-go-neun eop-seo-yoA little context goes a long way
In Korea, many apartments and one-room units are rented without furniture, so asking 가구 있어요? is a normal and practical question. Some listings include large appliances such as a refrigerator, washing machine, or air conditioner even when there is no furniture. It is polite to ask clearly rather than assume, and landlords usually answer directly.
One thing to watch for
Using an overly formal or bookish form like '가구는 있습니까?' in casual conversation, or assuming 있어요 always means 'to have' regardless of context.
Try this instead: For everyday polite speech, use 가구 있어요? This pattern asks whether something exists or is present. To say 'I have furniture,' you would say 가구가 있어요 (ga-gu-ga i-sseo-yo), adding the subject particle 가. Keep the question form simple: 가구 있어요?
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask 'Is there a bed?' in polite Korean?
Show a sample answer
침대 있어요?
침대 means bed, and 있어요? asks whether it is present. You could also say 침대가 있어요? with the subject particle, but the shorter form is very common in speech.
2A landlord says '냉장고는 없어요.' What does this mean?
Show a sample answer
There is no refrigerator.
냉장고 means refrigerator, and 없어요 means 'there is not.' The particle 는 marks it as the topic, often implying contrast with other items that may be present.
3How would you ask 'Is there an air conditioner too?' after asking about a washing machine?
Show a sample answer
에어컨도 있어요?
에어컨 means air conditioner, and 도 means 'also' or 'too.' This adds the item to your checklist. You could also ask 에어컨 있어요? without 도, but 도 makes the 'too' meaning clear.
Use [item] + 있어요? to ask if something is furnished, and [item] + 없어요 to say it is not. Start with 가구 있어요? and add 도 for 'too' as you check each item.
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