Korean Possession: How to Say 'I Have' and 'I Don't Have' with 있어요 and 없어요
Learn to express having and not having in Korean using 있어요 and 없어요. Master the key pattern for 'I don't have' and ask staff simple questions.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
In Korean, possession is expressed with the verbs 있어요 (isseoyo) and 없어요 (eopsseoyo). These mean 'to exist' or 'to be present'. To say 'I have a bike', you literally say 'A bike exists (for me)'. The direct answer to 'how do you say I don't have in Korean?' is 없어요 (eopsseoyo). This lesson teaches you to use these verbs with different subjects, ask questions, and handle common situations like shopping or checking items.
By the end, you can…
- say what I have and don't have using 있어요 and 없어요.
- ask someone if they have something and answer negatively.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
저는 자전거가 있어요.
I have a bicycle.
jeoneun jajeongeoga isseoyo.
Polite informal (해요체) style. 저는 means 'as for me'; 자전거가 is the subject marked by 가.
그녀는 차가 있어요.
She has a car.
geunyeoneun chaga isseoyo.
Polite informal (해요체) style. 그녀는 means 'as for her'; 차가 is the subject marked by 가.
저는 시간이 없어요.
I don't have time.
jeoneun sigani eopsseoyo.
Polite informal (해요체) style. 없어요 is the negative counterpart of 있어요. 시간이 is the subject marked by 이.
화장실이 있어요?
Is there a restroom? / Do you have a restroom?
hwajangsiri isseoyo?
Polite question. Rising intonation. Useful for asking staff in public places.
죄송하지만, 없어요.
Sorry, but we don't have it.
joesonghajiman, eopsseoyo.
Polite refusal or negative answer. Often used by staff when an item is unavailable.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is [topic] + [thing] + 이/가 + 있어요/없어요. The particle 이 or 가 marks the thing that exists or doesn't exist — it is the subject of the existence verb. Use 가 after a vowel and 이 after a consonant. For example, 자전거가 있어요 (I have a bicycle) and 시간이 없어요 (I don't have time). The topic (like 저는 or 그녀는) is optional if clear from context. To make a question, simply raise your intonation: 있어요? means 'Do you have...?' or 'Is there...?'.
When to use it
Use 있어요 to state that something exists or that you have it. Use 없어요 to state the opposite. This works for all subjects: 저는 (I), 너는 (you, informal), 우리는 (we), 그분은 (he/she, polite). For example, 우리는 질문이 있어요 (We have a question) and 그분은 돈이 없어요 (He/she doesn't have money). In shops or restaurants, you can ask 직원이 있어요? (Is there a staff member?) or 화장실이 없어요? (Is there no restroom?). Note that 없어요 is also used to mean 'not exist' in general, not just possession.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
저는 자전거가 있어요. 그런데 자전거 열쇠가 없어요.
I have a bicycle. But I don't have the bicycle key.jeoneun jajeongeoga isseoyo. geureonde jajeongeo yeolsoega eopsseoyo.아, 그래요? 저는 자전거가 없어요. 하지만 차가 있어요.
Oh, really? I don't have a bicycle. But I have a car.a, geuraeyo? jeoneun jajeongeoga eopsseoyo. hajiman chaga isseoyo.차가 있어요? 그럼, 주차장이 있어요?
You have a car? Then, is there a parking lot?chaga isseoyo? geureom, juchajangi isseoyo?네, 주차장이 있어요. 하지만 자전거는 없어요.
Yes, there is a parking lot. But there is no bicycle.ne, juchajangi isseoyo. hajiman jajeongeoneun eopsseoyo.A little context goes a long way
In Korean, 있어요 and 없어요 are very common in daily conversation. When speaking to strangers or in formal settings, use the polite -요 form. For close friends, you can drop -요 and say 있어 or 없어. The polite -요 form is a useful everyday starting point; some formal situations call for endings such as 있습니다 or 없습니다. Also, when asking staff for an item, it's common to start with 죄송하지만 (Sorry, but) to be courteous.
One thing to watch for
Using the subject particle 이/가 with the wrong noun or omitting it entirely, leading to confusion. For example, saying '저는 자전거 있어요' without 가.
Try this instead: While omitting the particle is sometimes acceptable in casual speech, it's clearer to include it. Say '저는 자전거가 있어요.' The particle 가 marks 자전거 as the subject of existence. Similarly, use 이 after a consonant: '시간이 없어요.'
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'I don't have a car' in polite Korean?
Show a sample answer
저는 차가 없어요.
This uses the subject particle 가 after 차 (car) and the negative verb 없어요. You could also say 저는 차가 없습니다 for more formal situations.
2Translate: 'Do you have a question?' (polite)
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질문이 있어요?
The subject particle 이 is used after 질문 (question) because it ends in a consonant. The question is formed by rising intonation.
3Fill in the blank: '그녀는 시간이 ____.' (She doesn't have time.)
Show a sample answer
없어요
없어요 is the correct negative verb. The sentence means 'As for her, time does not exist.'
Use 있어요 for 'have' and 없어요 for 'don't have'. Mark the possessed item with 이 or 가. Remember the polite forms and practice with different subjects.
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