Let's Learn Korean/ Hangul!! (한국어 / 한글을 배우자 !!) LEVEL1 [COMPLETE]

Lesson 7

In this lesson, you can learn how to say “this” “that” and “it” in Korean.

In English, the words “this” and “that” can be used both on their own and to modify words.

Example)

In English you can say “This is my car.” and also “This car is mine.” So the word “this” here can be used as a pronoun and also as a word that modifies “car.”

In Korean, however, words for “this” as a modifier and “this” as “this item here” or “this thing here” are strictly distinguished, and the same is true for “that” as well.

이 [i] = this (near you) - Generally, when you are referring to something near yourself , you use the word 이 [i].

그 [geu] = the / that (near the other person) -
Generally, when you are referring to
something farther away from you and
closer to the other person you are talking to, you use the word 그 [geu].

저 [jeo] = that (over there) - Generally, when you are referring to something far away from both you and the other person you are talking with, you use the word 저 [jeo].

Yes, this 저 has the pronounciation as the word for “I” in formal Korean.

Since 이, 그, and 저 in Korean can only work as modifiers, when you want to say ‘this’ ‘that’ or ‘it’ as pronouns, you have to add the word 거 [geo] or 것 [geot] after these words.

거 [geo] = 것 [geot] = thing, item, stuff, fact

So...

이 [i] = this

이 + 것 = 이것 [i-geot] or 이거 [i-geo] = this thing, this item, this one

그 [geu] = the, that

그 + 것 = 그것 [geu-geot] or 그거 [geu-geo] = the thing, the item, that one, it

저 [jeo] = the, that, that ... over there

저 + 것 = 저것 [jeo-geot] or 저거 [jeo-geo] = that thing over there

You can form various expressions using 이, 그, or 저 along with other words.

(Example)

사람 [sa-ram] means a person

이 사람 [i sa-ram] = this person, this man here, this lady here, he, she

그 사람 [geu sa-ram] = the person, that person, he, she

저 사람 [jeo sa-ram] = that person over there, he, she