We’re going to learn 이 그 저 Korean grammar or ‘이거는, 그거는, 저거는. 명사-이에요/예요 grammar.
이거는, 그거는, 저거는 + 명사 = 이에요/예요
이거는 (=this), 그거는 (=that), 저거는 (=that thing over there) are used when you point out something. ‘이거는 그거는, 저거는’ indicate the nouns.
Korean conversation
Let’s look at today’s grammar in a conversation.
Minjo and Naun are having a conversation. There is a mobile phone in front of Minjo. The mobile phone is close to Minjo. 민조 씨 앞에 전화기가 있어요. 민조 씨와 가까이 있습니다.
Minjo does not know what this is. 민조 씨는 이게 뭔지 몰라요.So, she asks to Naun.그래서 질문을 합니다. What is this? “이거는 뭐예요.”?
Naunn replies: 나은씨가 대답합니다.
The mobile phone is far from Naun so, she replies, “That is mobile phone.” 나은 씨한테서는 멀리 있어요 그래서 이렇게 대답해요. “그거는 전화기예요.”
N/명사 = 이거는, 그거는, 저거는 + 이에요/ 예요.
이 그 저 Korean grammar rule
When do we use ‘이거는, 그거는 저거는?’ Let’s find out. There is ‘a speaker’ and ‘a listener.’
When an mobile phone is close to ‘a speaker’, you should use ‘이거는 (= this).’ You should say ‘this is a mobile phone.’ 이거는 전화기예요.
On the other hand, when the mobile phone is close to ‘a listener,’ and the mobile phone is far from ‘a speaker’ Then, you should use ‘그거는 (=that).’
You should say ‘that is a mobile phone.’그거는 전화기예요.
When the mobile phone is far from both ‘a speaker’ and ‘a listener.’ Then, you should use ‘저거는 ( = that thing over there).
‘That thing over there is a mobile phone.’ (※ 저거는: there is no equivalent word in English, so I translate ‘저거는’ as ‘that thing over there.’)
when something is close to ‘a speaker’, you should use ‘이거는 (=this).’
When something is close to ‘a listener’, you should use ‘그거는 (=that).’
When something is far from both ‘a speaker’ and ‘a listener’, ’ then you should use ‘저거는 ( ≑ that thing over there).
이 그 저 Korean grammar Practice
Let’s fill in ‘the underline’ using ‘이거는, 그거는 저거는.’
Practice 1
Minjo and Naun are having a conversation.민조 씨와 나은 씨가 대화를 합니다.
There is a strawberry just beside Minjo. 민조 씨 바로 옆에 딸기가 있어요.
Minjo is wondering about what this is. So, she asks to Naun.Naun, what is ‘……’? 그런데 민조 씨는 이것이 무엇인지 궁금합니다 그래서 나은 씨한테 질문합니다. 나은 씨 ‘…..’ 뭐예요?
What’s in ‘the underline’? ‘밑줄’에 무엇이 들어갈까요?
The strawberry is close to Minjo, close to ‘a speaker.’ So, we should use ‘이거는(=this).’
“Naun, what is this?” “나은 씨, 이거는 뭐예요?”
Naun replies, 나은 씨가 대답합니다.
‘……’ is a strawberry. ‘…..’ 딸기예요.
The strawberry is far from Naun and far from ‘a speaker.’ 나은 씨한테서는 멀리 있어요. ‘말하는 사람’과 멀리 있습니다.
Which one should we use? 무엇을 쓰죠?
“That is a strawberry.” “그거는 딸기예요.”
We should use ‘그거는 (=that).’ Because it is far from ‘a listener, and close to ‘a speaker.’’말하는 사람’한테서 멀리 있어요. ‘듣는 사람’과 가까이 있습니다.
“That is a strawberry.’ “그거는 딸기예요.”
Practice 2
There are scissors beside Naun. Naun wants to know how to say it in Korean. So, she asks to Minjo. “Minjo, what is ‘……’’ in Korean?” 이번에는 나은씨 옆에 가위가 있어요. 그런데 나은 씨는 이것을 한국어로 뭐라고 하는지 궁금해요. 그래서 민조 씨에게 질문합니다: “민조 씨, 한국어로 ‘……” 뭐예요?
What’s in ‘the underline’? ‘밑줄’에 무엇이 들어갈까요?
They are close to Naun which means they are close to ‘a speaker,’ 나은 씨와 가까워요. ‘말하는 사람’과 가까워요.So, ‘this’ should be used. 그래서 ‘이거는’을 사용합니다. (By the way, scissors are treated as a singular noun in Korean)
“Minjo, how to say these things in Korean.” Minjo replies, “민조 씨, 한국어로 이거는 뭐예요?” 민조 씨가 대답합니다.
“…….’ are scissors.—-가위에요.
They are far from Minjo. They are far from ‘a speaker.’ So, what’s in ‘the underline’? 민조 씨한테서는 멀리 있어요. ‘말하는 사람’과 멀리 있어요 그래서 밑줄에 무엇을 쓰죠?
“Those are scissors.” “그거는 가위에요.”
Practice 3
This time, there is a slice of pizza far from both Minjo and Naun. Naun is wondering about what that is. So, she asks to Minjo
“Minjo, what is ‘……’? “민조씨, ‘…..’ 뭐예요?”
What should be in ‘……..?” …..에 무엇이 들어 가야되죠?
A slice of pizza is far from both ‘a speaker’ and ‘a listener.’ ‘말하는 사람’한테서도, ‘듣는 사람’한테서도 멀리 있습니다.
So, we should use ‘저거는 (= that thing over there).
“Minjo, what is that thing over there?” Minjo replies: 민조 씨가 대답합니다.
‘…..’ 피자에요. “…….’ is a slice of a pizza.”
What should be in ‘….’? ……. 무엇이 들어가야 되죠?
민조 씨한테서도 멀고, 나은 씨한테서도 멀리에 있습니다. A slice of pizza is far from both Minjo and Naun. So, we should be use ‘저거는 ( = that thing over there)
That thing over there is a slice of pizza. 저거는 피자에요.
Practice 4
Let’s make sentences using ‘이거는, 그거는, 저거는. 이번에는 ‘이거는, 그거는, 저거는’을 사용해서 문장을 만들어 보겠습니다.
There is a pencil beside Minjo. 민조 씨 옆에 연필이 있습니다.
Naun is wondering about how to say it in Korean. So, she asks, 나은 씨는 민조 씨 옆에 있는 물건을 한국어로 어떻게 말하는지 궁금합니다 그래서 이렇게 물어요.
Minjo, how do I say that in Korean? 민조씨, 그거는 한국어로 뭐예요?
Minjo replies: A pencil is called ‘연필’ in Korean.
How would you say? 어떻게 대답해야 할까요?
The pencil is beside Minjo, and she replies, “This is 연필 (=a pencil).” 민조 씨 옆에 있지요. 그리고 민조 씨가 대답합니다. “이거는 연필이에요.”
Practice 5
In this time, something is far from both Minjo and Naun.
Minjo asks to Naun: “What is that one over there?” 민조 씨가 물어봅니다 : “저거는 뭐예요?”
The thing they are pointing out is a rainbow. Then, what should Naun reply? 민조 씨와 나은 씨가 가리키고 있는 거는 무지개입니다.
The rainbow is far from both Minjo and Naun. So, Naun replies: “That thing over there is a rainbow.”
그러면, 나은 씨가 어떻게 대답해야하죠? 민조 씨에게도 나은 씨에게도 모두 멀리 있어요. 나은 씨가 대답합니다 : 저거는 무지개예요.”가 됩니다.
이 그 저 Korean grammar Conclusion
Today, we’ve learned ‘이거는, 그거는, 저거는 명사-이에요/예요’
When something is close to ‘a speaker’, you should use ‘이거는 (this).’
When something is close to ‘a listener,’ you should use ‘그거는 (that).’
When something is far from both ‘a speaker’ and ‘a listener’, you should use ‘저거는 (≑ that thing over there).’
We’ve learned some example: 예문으로
‘This is a mobile phone.’ ‘이거는 전화기예요.’ 👩📳
‘That is a mobile phone.’그거는 전화기예요. 👩☞ 🙎’📳
‘That thing over there is a mobile phone.’ 저거는 전화기예요.👩☞ ☞☞☞ 📳 ←←←← 🙎
