geongangi jungyohaeyo.

Health is important.

Breakdown of geongangi jungyohaeyo.

• ~이: subject particle
• 중요하다: important
• 건강: health

Questions & Answers about geongangi jungyohaeyo.

Why is 이 attached to 건강 in 건강이 중요해요?

The 이 here is the subject particle:
• Nouns ending in a consonant take 이 as the subject marker.
• If 건강 ended in a vowel, you’d use 가 (e.g. 아이 → 아이가).

What part of speech is 중요해요, and how is it related to 중요하다?

중요해요 is the polite present form of the descriptive verb (형용사) 중요하다 (“to be important”). In Korean:
• Descriptive verbs end in -다 in the dictionary form.
• They behave like verbs in conjugation but carry adjectival meaning.

How do you get 중요해요 from 중요하다?

1. Drop the dictionary ending -다: 중요하-
2. Change 하 to 해 (regular 하-verb change)
3. Add the polite ending -요
   Result: 중요하
   • 해
     • 요 = 중요해요

What level of politeness is -요, and can I use 건강이 중요합니다 instead?

• The -요 ending (해요체) is polite/casual speech used in everyday conversation with strangers or acquaintances.
• -습니다 ending (합니다체) is more formal/polite and often used in presentations, news broadcasts, or when speaking to superiors.
So 건강이 중요합니다 is the formal equivalent.

Why is 중요해요 a complete sentence even though there’s no 이다 or other “to be” verb?

In Korean, descriptive verbs like 중요하다 already mean “to be important.” You don’t need 이다 because 중요하다 itself functions as the “be” verb.

What’s the difference between 건강이 중요해요 and 건강은 중요해요?

• 건강이 중요해요 uses the subject marker 이, simply stating “Health is important.”
• 건강은 중요해요 uses the topic marker 은, which can imply contrast or emphasis (e.g. “As for health, it’s important, but …”).

Can you omit the particle and say 건강 중요해요?

Standard Korean requires a case particle. Omitting 이/가 (or 은/는) makes the sentence ungrammatical in most contexts. You would always say 건강이 중요해요.

How can I express past or future tense with this sentence?

• Past: 건강이 중요했어요 (“Health was important”)
 – 중요해요 → stem 중요하- + 었 + 어요
• Future: 건강이 중요할 거예요 (“Health will be important”)
 – use modifier 중요할 + 거예요

How do I say “Health is very important” in Korean?

You can add adverbs before 중요해요:
• 정말 중요해요 – “really important”
• 매우 중요해요 – “very important”
• 아주 중요해요 – “quite/very important”