# 입니다 vs. 이에요/에요



## AccioJo

So I pretty much figured that they mean "to be" (Like the Japanese です） but when should I use 입니다 and when 이에요/에요？Are 이에요 and 에요 shorter , informal versions?Or is there a grammatical rule?


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## chifladoporlosidiomas

입니다 is the "formal style" version of "ida" (to be; coupla). It's primarily used when talking to a stranger, conducting business or official affairs (i.e. encounters with policemen, diplomats, etc), and when broadcasting on tv.  

이에요/에요 is the "polite style" of "ida". It's hard for me to say when to use this style because I rarely use it myself. But, from what I know,  use it when you're talking to someone who is the same age as you (usually 19-28) and you're not quite that well acquainted. You could also use this style when you first meet someone on the street or when answering the phone. It's pretty much a lesser/more "casual" version of the formal style.  *이에요 is used after nouns that end in a consonant and 에요 is used after nouns that end in a vowel.

When I used to study Korean, my friends and friends' parents would tell me that men use the formal style more than women in the work field (and in general) and women use the polite style more than men. Interestingly enough, they were right. I listened carefully (eavesdropping) and watched tv dramas (a good way to learn new vocab and be exposed to the language) and it was all correct. Men did (and do!) indeed use the formal style more than the polite and women vice-versa.


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## AccioJo

Thank you for the quick answer!I am now getting introduced to the language ,so when I watch Korean drama and variety shows I will listen carefully to hear how they use it!


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## Warp3

What chifladoporlosidiomas posted is correct (and, yes, I copied/pasted that name instead of retyping it...hehe).  However, just to clarify, the second "polite" form (the one that follows a vowel) is actually spelled 예요, not 에요. 

There are 7 speech levels in Korean (plus other honorifics, but that's a different topic), but only 3 of those are used very frequently.  The 3rd one (that wasn't noted above) is the casual "반말" speech level that is used among close friends or to someone much younger than you (and is very commonly used in pop songs).  이다 in this form is 이야 (following a consonant) or 야 (following a vowel).


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## wildsunflower

What chifladoporlosidiomas posted is correct, but not always. I use "입니다 and 이에요/에요" to my mother and her friends. Though, I use "이에요/에요" more than "입니다". My younger sister uses "반말" to our mother. To be honest, I don't like that.


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## 경상남도로 오이소

In the military you have to use "-입니다" "-합니다" etc to your superiors.

The fun trivia: Inferiors always have to end the sentence this way, when they want superiors to repeat something, they have to say "잘 못들었습니다?" instead of usual "네?" or "뭐라고요?"

When a soldier is on holiday and goes to a "normal" life and they still use the military terms people might think it strange


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