haru Korean › Grammar › Level 2B › 반말 ① -아/어 · -았/었어 · N이야/야
반말 ① -아/어 · -았/었어 · N이야/야 — casual speech ① — talking and asking between close friends
Casual speech ① — talking and asking between close friends. Korean grammar for upper beginner learners — Level 2B, lesson 10: 떡볶이 만들어 봤어요? (Have you made tteokbokki? — cooking and casual speech).
What it means
반말 is the casual way of speaking that Koreans use with close friends of about the same age, with younger people they know well, and inside the family (many children also speak 반말 to their parents). The rule is simple: take the polite -아/어요 form and drop 요. 가요 → 가, 먹어요 → 먹어, 공부해요 → 공부해; irregular verbs keep their shape (매워요 → 매워, 들었어요 → 들었어), and so do the tenses: 갔어요 → 갔어, 먹을 거예요 → 먹을 거야. A question is the same words with a rising tone: 뭐 해? 떡 샀어? Nouns are the one exception: 이에요/예요 becomes 이야 after a 받침 and 야 after a vowel (학생이야, 친구야, 뭐야?), and 아니에요 becomes 아니야. A few words change as well: 네 → 응 (or 어), 아니요 → 아니, 저 → 나, 제가 → 내가, 제 → 내, and 'you' is 너 — though friends often just use the name. To call a friend, add 야 after a vowel and 아 after a 받침: 유나야! 지민아! Never start 반말 yourself with strangers, teachers, colleagues or anyone older; wait until you hear 말 편하게 해요.
Forms
| Pattern | When | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -아/어 | 현재 — -아요/어요에서 요를 빼요 | 가요 − 요 → 가 |
| -았/었어 | 과거 — 요를 빼요 (미래: -(으)ㄹ 거야) | 갔어요 − 요 → 갔어 |
| N이야 · N야 | 명사 — 받침 O 이야 · 받침 X 야 | 학생이에요 → 학생이야 |
Key points
- 반말 ① = the -아/어요 style without 요: 가요 → 가 · 먹어요 → 먹어 · 했어요 → 했어 · 먹을 거예요 → 먹을 거야
- Nouns change: 이에요/예요 → 이야/야 (학생이야 · 친구야 · 뭐야?) · 아니에요 → 아니야. Use it with close friends, younger people you know well and family — not with strangers, teachers or older people.
Examples
- 가요 → 가. 먹어요 → 먹어. 공부해요 → 공부해.
- 갔어요 → 갔어. 먹었어요 → 먹었어. 먹을 거예요 → 먹을 거야.
- 학생이에요 → 학생이야. 친구예요 → 친구야. 아니에요 → 아니야.
- 뭐 해? — 숙제해. 떡 샀어? — 응, 샀어.
- 이거 뭐야? — 떡볶이 떡이야.
Where university textbooks teach it
This point also appears in: Seoul National University Korean 2B, lesson 10; Sogang University Korean 2B, lesson 3; Ewha Womans University Korean 2-2, lesson 15; Hongik University Korean 2B, lesson 11; Hanyang University Korean 2-1, lesson 6; Yonsei University Korean 2-1, lesson 8.
Also in this lesson
- 반말 ② -자 · -아/어라 · -니? — casual speech ② — let's …, do …! and the soft question -니?
- V-(으)ㄹ래요 — do you want to …? · I'll have … — choices and invitations
- N 중에서 — among … — picking one out of a group