when to use 에/예요

[gn0dab4032]

Recently, this conjugation has come up a in a lot of words,but the book I'm using to study has never mentioned what it is for. I know it's not one of the four main respect levels, or one of the four types of sentence. so what is it?

i.e.

잼스는 캐나다 사람이에요

also, am I wrong in assuming the 이 after 사람 is to make it as the subject of the sentence, like the 이/가 particle?

thanks.

[timandyou]

Hello gn0dab4032,
This is Tim from KoreanClass101.com.

I think you know English well.
So... let's compare Korean with English.

you worte,
잼스는 캐나다 사람이에요
"James is Canadian." Or "James is Canada person."

When you study Korean, please split the Korean sentence into like this...

Subject + Verb
Subject + Complement (noun) + Verb
Subject + Object (noun) + Verb

Those three are the basic structure both in Korean and English, right?

Your example 잼스는 캐나다 사람이에요 "James is Canadian." Or "James is Canada person." is a structure of Subject + Complement (noun) + Verb

Okay! For the Subject, "James", English doesn't need anything but itself but, Korean is DIFFERENT! Korean needs PARTICLES (은/는) or (이/가) after the subject, 잼스, "James".
In this case above, we need 는. (Because the syllable ends in an vowel - jaem-seuuuuuuuuuuu - ending in an vowel sound)!!!
therefore, it becomes 잼스+는 = 잼스는!

Okay now for the complement, "Canadian or Canada person" 캐나다 사람.
It doesn't need any particle. If it is OBJECT, you need Particles (을/를) but, in this case, this "Canadian' is not Object but Complement right?
Therefore, itself "Canadian or Canada person" 캐나다 사람 is fine!

Last about the verb 이에요 (i-e-yo) "is"
I'd prefer to say 입니다 (imnida) "is/am/are" instead.
이에요 comes from 입니다. But the basic form is 입니다. so I will teach you 입니다 instead. (If I try to teach you 이에요, it takes TOO MUCH TIME)
Simply, 입니다 = 이에요, got it?

So... finally your sentence,
잼스는(subject) "James" 캐나다 사람 (complement) "Canadian / Canada person" 입니다 (verb) "is/am/are'. = 잼스는 캐나다 사람 입니다. "James is Canadian".

Remember! "이"에요 is VERB! In 이에요, "이" is NOT a particle.
That's why I want to teach you 입니다 instead!
You will learn and will know the difference between 입니다 and 이에요 eventually if you keep studying Korean. For now, what you need to know is 입니다 = 이에요 "is/am/are"

I hope my explanation is clear for you to understand.
I really recommend you to give yourself a listen to Absolute Beginner Season 2 Lesson 3 & Lesson 4. If you like those lessons, please keep listening further.
I made them - Absolute Beginner Season2. I am sure those lessons will help you understand Korean and enjoy learning Korean SO MUCH!
Thanks,
cheers,

Tim