KOREAN LEVEL UP › Korean grammar › 이/그/저
Korean Grammar “이/그/저”: Meaning and Usage (TOPIK 1)
Explanation
여기 있는 이 책은 제 책이에요.
Korean demonstratives are “이” for things near the speaker, “그” for things near the listener or already mentioned, and “저” for things far from both. The book is right here (“여기”), so we say “이 책,” and the sentence means “This book here is my book.” “어느” (which) and “무슨” (what kind of) are question words and are not used in plain statements like this.
Pronouncing the example sentence
Example sentence: 여기 있는 이 책은 제 책이에요.
In natural speech, sounds link and shift across words. The table below reads each word separately, as it sounds when said on its own.
| Syllable | Letters (consonant + vowel + final) | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| 여기 | ||
| 여 | ㅇ+ㅕ | yeo |
| 기 | ㄱ+ㅣ | gi |
| 있는 | ||
| 있 | ㅇ+ㅣ+ㅆ | [인] in |
| 는 | ㄴ+ㅡ+ㄴ | neun |
| 이 | ㅇ+ㅣ | i |
| 책은 | ||
| 책 | ㅊ+ㅐ+ㄱ | [채] chae |
| 은 | ㅇ+ㅡ+ㄴ | [근] geun |
| 제 | ㅈ+ㅔ | je |
| 책이에요 | ||
| 책 | ㅊ+ㅐ+ㄱ | [채] chae |
| 이 | ㅇ+ㅣ | [기] gi |
| 에 | ㅇ+ㅔ | e |
| 요 | ㅇ+ㅛ | yo |
A ㅇ at the start of a syllable is silent; at the end of a syllable it sounds like “ng”.
Sound changes in this phrase
- Nasalization: a final ㄱ, ㄷ or ㅂ becomes ㅇ, ㄴ or ㅁ before ㄴ or ㅁ (and a ㄹ after ㅁ or ㅇ becomes ㄴ). 있는 → [인는]
- Linking: when a syllable ending in a consonant (patchim) is followed by a syllable that starts with a vowel, the consonant moves over to the next syllable. 책은 → [채근]
Politeness level of the example
Ends in -요. The everyday polite style, and a safe choice with shop staff, colleagues, strangers and anyone older than you.
Words in the example sentence
These words from the TOPIK vocabulary lists appear in the phrase (shown in dictionary form).
| Korean | Part of speech | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 있다 | verb | to exist, to have | TOPIK level 1 |
Practice
Test yourself before you move on. Tap an answer.
Question 1 Choose the word that fits the blank: 여기 있는 ____ 책은 제 책이에요.
Show the answer
Answer: 여기 있는 이 책은 제 책이에요.
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