As you have just observed, 있어요 is in one way more limited than its English counterpart: it is equivalent to be (am, are, is) in only one of its meanings.At the same time, 있어요 is too broad in scope for a single English equivalent. It is the normal Korean way of expressing possession, as conveyed by English has (have) and has got (have got):
- 돈이 있어요?
either Is there money (in some place)? or Have you [any] money? - 여자친구가 없어요.
either There aren’t any girlfriends. or I haven’t got a girlfriend.
These two meanings seem quite distinct to people who are accustomed to English vocabulary patterns, but Koreans do not ordinarily draw the distinction. The context usually makes it clear which English translation is more suitable in each instance.
It is not unknown for a Korean sentence of this type to have two subjects, one naming the possessor of an object, the other naming the object possessed, as follows:
- 내가 애기가 있어요.
I have a baby.
Another kind of sentence that might have two subjects, you recall, is a negative copula sentence: 그것이 내 것이 아니에요 That isn’t mine.
But it is more usual in such cases for the possessor to be expressed as a topic, and the things possessed as a subject:
- 그 사람은 가방이 있어요?
Has he a satchel/bag? - 우리는 텔레비젼이 없어요.
We haven’t a television. - 만호는 종이가 없어요.
Manho hasn’t got any paper.
More examples:
- 성냥이 있어요? – 있어요.
Have you got a match? (Yes), I have. - 돈이 없어요.
I haven’t any money. - 나는 가방이 없어요.
I haven’t got a briefcase.