Lesson 7
In this lesson, you will learn how to say “this”, “that”, and “it” in Korean. In English, the words “this” and “that” can be used on their own (as pronouns) and to modify other words (as adjectives), but in Korean, the words for “this”, “that”, and “it” change their forms depending on whether they are pronouns or adjectives.
For example, you can say “this is my car” and “this car is mine” in English. The word “this” plays two different roles here: as a pronoun and as a word which 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”.
이 = this (near the speaker)
이 커피 [i keo-pi] = this coffee
이 컴퓨터 [i keom-pyu-teo] = this computer
이 아이스크림 [i a-i-seu-keu-rim] = this ice-cream
이 호텔 [i ho-tel] = this hotel
이 택시 [i taek-si] = this taxi
이 버스 [i beo-sseu] = this bus
이 카메라 [i ka-me-ra] = this camera
이 피자 [i pi-ja] = this pizza
저 = that (far from both)
* If you know how to say “I” in polite/formal Korean, it is the same thing. It sounds the same. However, you do not have to worry about being confused, because “저” is a modifier which modifies a different word, so it is always followed by a noun. The word for “I”, “저”, is followed by particles, verbs, etc. They are used in completely different contexts.
저 마이크 [jeo ma-i-keu] = that microphone over there
저 테이블 [jeo te-i-beul] = that table over there
저 레스토랑 [jeo re-seu-to-rang] = that restaurant over there
그 = the / that (near the listener)
* “그 [geu]” and “저 [jeo]” are both used for referring to something that is far away from the speaker. However, “그” is used when you are talking to the other person and the object is near that other person and far away from you. “저” is used for referring to something that is far away from both you and the other person.
Since 이, 그, and 저 can only work as modifiers in Korean, when you want to use “this”, “that”, or “it” as pronouns, either 거 [geo] or 것 [geot] need to follow 이, 그, or 저.
거 = 것 = thing, item, stuff, fact
Therefore:
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] = that (over there)
저 + 것 = 저것 [jeo-geot] or 저거 [jeo-geo] = that thing over there
* You must not use either 거 or 것 when you point at a person.
Q: What if you do not see that thing, that object or that person in your sight? What if it is not there? How do you refer to it?
A: It is very simple. Just use the word “그” or “그것”.
You can form various expressions using 이, 그, or 저 along with other words.
사람 [sa-ram] = 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