chinguga sigani eobseoyo.

친구가 시간이 없어요.chinguga sigani eobseoyo.
My friend doesn’t have time.
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Questions & Answers about chinguga sigani eobseoyo.

Why is the subject particle 가 used after 친구 in 친구가 시간이 없어요?
In Korean, 가 (or 이) marks the subject—the person or thing performing the action or in this case “lacking” something. Here, 친구가 tells us “the friend” is the one who doesn’t have time. If you replaced it with the topic particle 는 (친구는), you’d shift the nuance (see next question).
What’s the difference between 친구가 시간이 없어요 and 친구는 시간이 없어요?
  • 친구가 시간이 없어요 = “My friend doesn’t have time.” It simply states who lacks time, presenting the friend as new or focal information.
  • 친구는 시간이 없어요 = “As for my friend, he doesn’t have time.” It’s topicalizing “friend” and hints at contrast (e.g. maybe someone else does have time).
Why is 시간 marked with 이/가 instead of 을/를?
The verb 없다 means “to not exist” or “to not have,” and it’s an intransitive verb—it doesn’t take a direct object. The thing that doesn’t exist (in this case 시간) is treated as the subject, so it takes 이/가, not the object marker 을/를.
What does 없다 mean, and how is it different from 안 있다?
  • 없다 literally means “to not exist” or “to not have.” Used for possession or availability: 시간이 없어요 = “time doesn’t exist(for someone),” i.e. “doesn’t have time.”
  • 안 있다 uses the verb 있다 (“to exist/be present”) plus the adverb 안 (“not”). It more often describes absence from a place (“he’s not here”) rather than possession.
What level of politeness is the -어요 ending in 없어요, and how could I change it?
  • 없어요 is the polite informal style (하십시오체 → 해요체), suitable for everyday conversation with strangers or colleagues.
  • More formal: 없습니다 (합니다체).
  • More casual/intimate: 없어 (해체).
Why does the verb 없다 come at the end of the sentence?
Korean follows Subject–Object–Verb (SOV) word order. Verbs (and adjectives) always appear at the end of a clause or sentence. That’s why 시간이 없어요 ends with 없어요.
Can I omit 친구가 if the context is clear?
Yes. Korean often drops subjects when they’re obvious. If you’re already talking about your friend, you can simply say 시간이 없어요 and listeners will understand “(my friend) doesn’t have time.”
How would I say “I don’t have time” instead of talking about my friend?

You can either:

  • Add the pronoun: 저는 시간이 없어요 (“As for me, I don’t have time.”)
  • Omit it (common in conversation): 시간이 없어요.
How do I make the sentence more formal, for example in a business email?

Use the formal ending -습니다:
친구가 시간이 없습니다.
Or if you’re speaking about yourself: 제가 시간이 없습니다.