있다/없다: rules, examples & exercises | Korean Grammar A1

있다/없다

A1 — 동사

있다 (to exist/have) and 없다 (to not exist/not have) — existence and possession

Can express existence and possession using 있다/없다 with correct particle usage

있다 (to exist/have) and 없다 (to not exist/not have) — existence and possession

Examples

시간이 있어요. — I have time.
돈이 없어요. — I don't have money.
책상 위에 책이 있어요. — There is a book on the desk.
오빠가 있어요? — Do you have an older brother?

동사A1

있다/없다 (Existence & Possession)

있다 (to exist/have) and 없다 (to not exist/not have)

Learning Goal

Can express existence and possession using 있다/없다 with correct particle usage

Exam Skills:듣기읽기

Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?

시간이 있어요.

I have time.

돈이 없어요.

I don't have money.

책상 위에 책이 있어요.

There is a book on the desk.

오빠가 있어요?

Do you have an older brother?

Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?

있다/없다 — Existence & Possession

있다 and 없다 are two of the most important words in Korean. They express both existence (there is/isn't) and possession (have/don't have).

Polite forms:

Dictionary	Polite (해요체)	Meaning
있다	있어요	there is / have
없다	없어요	there isn't / don't have

Pattern 1 — Existence (there is/isn't):

Korean	Meaning
여기에 고양이가 있어요.	There is a cat here.
여기에 고양이가 없어요.	There is no cat here.

Pattern 2 — Possession (have/don't have):

Korean	Meaning
저는 시간이 있어요.	I have time.
저는 돈이 없어요.	I don't have money.

Key rule: The thing that exists or is possessed takes 이/가 (subject marker), NOT 을/를. This is because 있다 means 'X exists' — X is the subject, not the object.

Location with 에: Use 에 to mark where something exists: 책상 위에 책이 있어요. (There is a book on the desk.)

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

Practice Exercises

Learners use 을/를 instead of 이/가 with 있다 (*물을 있어요), or translate 'have' literally with a possessive construction. 🇬🇧 English speakers: English 'have' takes a direct object ('I have a book'), so speakers use 을/를 (*책을 있어요). But Korean 있다 means 'exists', so the book is the SUBJECT: 책이 있어요. 🇩🇪 German speakers: German 'haben' also takes accusative ('Ich habe ein Buch'), same trap. Think of 'Es gibt ein Buch' (there exists a book) — 책이 있어요.

Common Error Patterns

Used 을/를 instead of 이/가 with 있다/없다

있다 means 'X exists', so X is the SUBJECT (이/가), not the object (을/를): 시간이 있어요, NOT *시간을 있어요

Used 안 + 없다 (double negative)

없다 is already negative. Don't add 안: 없어요 (not *안 없어요)

시간이 있어요.

I have time.

Possession: 시간 (time) + 이 (subject, after consonant) + 있어요 (exists/have). Literally: 'Time exists (for me).'

돈이 없어요.

I don't have money.

없다 is the direct opposite of 있다: 돈 (money) + 이 (subject) + 없어요 (doesn't exist). No need for 안 or other negation — 없다 IS the negative.

책상 위에 책이 있어요.

There is a book on the desk.

Location existence: 책상 위 (on the desk) + 에 (location) + 책 (book) + 이 (subject) + 있어요 (exists). Location comes before the subject.

오빠가 있어요?

Do you have an older brother?

Asking about family: 오빠 (older brother, used by females) + 가 (subject) + 있어요? (exists?). Questions use the same form — just rising intonation.

Practice in course

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

A1 Course

← Back to topics

Put it into practice

Try a free exercise from the course

Frequently asked questions

When is 있다/없다 used?: 있다 and 없다 are two of the most important words in Korean. They express both existence (there is/isn't) and possession (have/don't have).
How is 있다/없다 formed?: Key rule: The thing that exists or is possessed takes 이/가 (subject marker), NOT 을/를. This is because 있다 means 'X exists' — X is the subject, not the object. Location with 에: Use 에 to mark where something exists: 책상 위 에 책 이 있어요. (There is a book on the desk.)
What are common mistakes with 있다/없다?: Learners use 을/를 instead of 이/가 with 있다 (*물을 있어요), or translate 'have' literally with a possessive construction. 🇬🇧 English speakers: English 'have' takes a direct object ('I have a book'), so speakers use 을/를 (*책을 있어요). But Korean 있다 means 'exists', so the book is the SUBJECT: 책이 있어요. 🇩🇪 German speakers: German 'haben' also takes accusative ('Ich habe ein Buch'), same trap. Think of 'Es gibt ein Buch' (there exists a book) — 책이 있어요. 🇷🇺 Russian speakers: Russian 'У меня есть книга' (lit. 'at me exists book') is very close to Korean 저는 책이 있어요.