입니다 / 입니까: How to Say "Is / Am / Are" Formally in Korean

You already know 이에요/예요 - the polite way to say "is/am/are" in Korean.

But spend any time watching Korean news, sitting in a formal meeting, or listening to official announcements, and you'll hear something different:

입니다.

Same meaning. Very different feel. This post explains what 입니다 is, when to use it, and how it works.

The Two Levels of "To Be" in Korean

Korean has two polite forms of the verb 이다 (to be):

Both are polite. The difference is how polite - and the context.

입니다 - Formal "Is / Am / Are"

입니다 is used after any noun, regardless of whether it ends in a consonant or vowel. Unlike 이에요/예요, there's only one form - no need to check the last letter.

💡 One form for all nouns - no consonant/vowel rule to worry about. That's one thing that makes 입니다 actually simpler than 이에요/예요.

입니까 - Formal Question "Is / Am / Are?"

To ask a question in formal speech, use 입니까 instead of 입니다.

When to Use 입니다

입니다 belongs to a formal speech level called 합쇼체. You'll encounter it in specific contexts:

✅ Use 입니다 for:

• Presentations and speeches
• Job interviews
• News broadcasts and announcements
• Military and official settings
• Formal written documents
• First meetings in professional contexts

✅ Stick with 이에요/예요 for:

• Everyday conversation
• Shopping, cafés, restaurants
• Talking with friends, acquaintances, strangers in casual settings
• Most situations as a beginner learner

💡 As a Korean learner, you're unlikely to need 입니다 in daily life. But you'll hear it constantly - in dramas, news, and formal situations - so knowing what it is matters.

Real Examples of 입니다 in Context

자기소개 (Self-introduction - formal)

안녕하십니까. 저는 김민준입니다. 오늘 발표를 맡은 사람입니다. Hello. I am Kim Minjun. I am the person in charge of today's presentation.

뉴스 앵커

오늘의 주요 뉴스입니다. This is today's top news.

직업 인터뷰

저는 5년 경력의 디자이너입니다. I am a designer with 5 years of experience.

Negative Form: 이/가 아닙니다

The negative of 입니다 follows the same logic as 이/가 아니에요:

Quick Summary

입니다 is one of the first formal speech patterns you'll encounter in Korean - and once you know it, you'll start noticing it everywhere.

📚 This Is Chapter 1 of the A1 Masterclass

입니다/입니까 is introduced alongside 이에요/예요 in Chapter 1: 안녕하세요? of the Today Korean A1 Masterclass, so you understand both the everyday and formal forms from the very beginning.

👉 See the full A1 curriculum