Talk To Me in Korean

Level 1 Lesson 7 : This, That, It / 이, 그, 저





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 canbe 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 thinghere” are strictly distinguished, and the same is true for “that” as well.

이[i]= this (near you)

그[geu] = the / that (near the other person)

저 [jeo] = that (over there)

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 word거[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 [geu-geot] or 저거 [geu-geo] = that thing over there