1 · The basic sentence
This, that, that over there: 이/그/저
the three demonstratives
Three words where English has two: near me, near you or already known, and over there.
Korean has three demonstratives where English has two. 이 is “this”, near the speaker; 그 is “that”, near the listener; 저 is “that over there”, away from both. They stand directly before a noun, like English “this” and “that”: 이 책 (this book), 그 가방 (that bag, by you), 저 건물 (that building over there).
With 것 (thing) they make pronouns: 이것(this one)그것(that one)저것(that one over there) In speech they shorten to 이거, 그거, 저거, and fuse with particles: 이건 (from 이것은), 이게 (from 이것이), 이걸 (from 이것을). Places are 여기 (here), 거기 (there, by you) and 저기 (over there); directions, a little more polite, are 이쪽, 그쪽 and 저쪽.
그 has a second job that English gives to “that” and “the”: it points back to something already mentioned or known to both, even if it is nowhere near. 어제 그 식당 is “that restaurant yesterday, the one we mean”. 저 is only for things you could point at.
Two traps. 저 as a demonstrative and 저 meaning “I” are the same syllable; the noun after it tells them apart: 저 사람is “that person over there”저는is “I” And a person is never called 그것: for people Korean says 이 사람, 그 사람, 저 사람, or politely 이분, 그분, 저분.
The form
| this, near me | 이 책, 이것, 여기 |
| that, near you | 그 책, 그것, 거기 |
| that, over there | 저 책, 저것, 저기 |
| spoken short forms | 이거, 이건, 이게, 이걸 |
| people, politely | 이분, 그분, 저분 |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is about
이 is near the speaker, 그 near the listener, 저 away from both.
저 건물이 우체국이에요.That building over there is the post office.
Before a noun they stand alone; with 것 they become pronouns.
이것은 얼마예요?How much is this one?
In speech 것 shortens to 거 and fuses with particles: 이건, 이게, 이걸.
이게 제일 맛있어요.This one is the tastiest.
그 also points back to something already mentioned or known to both.
어제 본 그 영화 어땠어요?How was that film you saw yesterday?
Places are 여기, 거기 and 저기.
여기 앉으세요.Please sit here.
A closer look
Near the listener, or known to both
The two jobs of 그 meet in conversation. Pointing at the pen in your friend’s hand, you say 그 펜; talking about a pen your friend mentioned an hour ago, you say 그 펜 as well. In both cases the thing belongs to the listener’s side of the conversation — either in their hand or in their head.
English “it” has no single equivalent. Where English says “it”, Korean either leaves the word out or uses 그거: 그거 어디에서 샀어요?, “where did you buy it?”.
How to spot it
- 이
- 그
- 저
- 이것
- 여기
- 거기
- 저기
Example sentences
이 가방은 제 거예요.This bag is mine.
그 펜 좀 빌려 주세요.Could you lend me that pen, please?
저 사람이 누구예요?Who is that person over there?
저기가 화장실이에요.The toilet is over there.
거기 날씨는 어때요?What is the weather like where you are?
이거 하나 주세요.One of these, please.
8 more example sentences
이 음식 이름이 뭐예요?What is this dish called?
그 얘기는 처음 들어요.That is the first I’ve heard of it.
저 산 이름 알아요?Do you know the name of that mountain over there?
그거 어디에서 샀어요?Where did you buy that?
저쪽으로 가세요.Please go that way.
이분은 우리 회사 사장님이세요.This is the president of our company.
여기가 제 고향이에요.This is my home town.
이걸로 할게요.I’ll take this one.
Worth knowing (1)
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On the phone
On the phone, the other end of the line is 거기 and your own end is 여기: 거기 꽃집이에요?, “is that the flower shop?”, and 여기는 서울이에요, “I’m in Seoul”.
여보세요, 거기 꽃집이에요?Hello, is that the flower shop?
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
For a person, 그것, “that thing”, is rude. Use 그 사람, or the polite 그분 for someone you respect — and then the verb takes the honorific too.
Near me i, near you or already known geu, over there jeo — and never “thing” for a person.
Your turn
10 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.