Formal Business Tense: 습니다 / 습니까

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🎧 Iru Helper Note — Open the

Korean Helper Widgets page and compare $$\color{purple}{\text{가요}}$$ [ga-yo] with $$\color{purple}{\text{갑니다}}$$ [gam-ni-da].

🌈 The Big Picture

• Statement: $$\color{purple}{\text{-습니다 / -ㅂ니다}}$$ [seum-ni-da / m-ni-da]

• Question: $$\color{purple}{\text{-습니까 / -ㅂ니까}}$$ [seum-ni-kka / m-ni-kka]

🧩 Core Pattern

• $$\color{purple}{\text{먹다}}$$ [meok-da] → $$\color{purple}{\text{먹습니다}}$$ [meok-seum-ni-da]

• $$\color{purple}{\text{읽다}}$$ [ik-da] → $$\color{purple}{\text{읽습니다}}$$ [ik-seum-ni-da]

• $$\color{purple}{\text{가다}}$$ [ga-da] → $$\color{purple}{\text{갑니다}}$$ [gam-ni-da]

• $$\color{purple}{\text{공부하다}}$$ [gong-bu-ha-da] → $$\color{purple}{\text{공부합니다}}$$ [gong-bu-ham-ni-da]

🛠️ How They Work

📚 Cross-check note

⚠️ Pitfalls to Dodge

• ❌ $$\color{purple}{\text{가습니다}}$$ [ga-seum-ni-da] → ✅ $$\color{purple}{\text{갑니다}}$$ [gam-ni-da]

• ❌ $$\color{purple}{\text{먹ㅂ니다}}$$ [meok-m-ni-da] → ✅ $$\color{purple}{\text{먹습니다}}$$ [meok-seum-ni-da]

• ❌ Question intonation only → ✅ use $$\color{purple}{\text{습니까 / ㅂ니까}}$$ [seum-ni-kka / m-ni-kka]

Try this exercise

Instructions

Convert each dictionary form into a formal statement. Fill the blank, say it aloud, then check the Answer toggle.

1. 가다 → ____

[ga-da→____] — to go

Answer

갑니다 — vowel-ending stem, so add $$\color{purple}{\text{ㅂ니다}}$$.

2. 먹다 → ____

[meok-da→____] — to eat

Answer

먹습니다 — consonant-ending stem, so add $$\color{purple}{\text{습니다}}$$.

3. 보다 → ____

[bo-da→____] — to see

Answer

봅니다 — vowel-ending stem.

4. 읽다 → ____

[ik-da→____] — to read

Answer

읽습니다 — consonant-ending stem.

5. 마시다 → ____

[ma-si-da→____] — to drink

Answer

마십니다 — vowel-ending stem.

6. 공부하다 → ____

[gong-bu-ha-da→____] — to study

Answer

공부합니다 — 하다 stem takes $$\color{purple}{\text{ㅂ니다}}$$.

7. 있다 → ____

[it-da→____] — to exist/have

Answer

있습니다 — consonant-ending stem.

8. 없다 → ____

[eop-da→____] — to not exist/not have

Answer

없습니다 — consonant-ending stem.

9. 사다 → ____

[sa-da→____] — to buy

Answer

삽니다 — vowel-ending stem.

10. 하다 → ____

[ha-da→____] — to do

Answer

합니다 — 하다 becomes 합니다.

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Vocabulary Box

• $$\color{purple}{\text{습니다}}$$ [seum-ni-da] → statement ending after consonant stems

• $$\color{purple}{\text{ㅂ니다}}$$ [m-ni-da] → statement ending after vowel stems

• 가다 → to go

• 먹다 → to eat

• 보다 → to see

• 읽다 → to read

• 마시다 → to drink

• 공부하다 → to study

• 있다 → to exist / have

• 없다 → to not exist / not have

• 사다 → to buy

• 하다 → to do

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