이/그/저

Category
Basic Grammar
Teaser
Keyword #
This, That, The
Lesson
1
 
3 Sentence Summary of This Lesson:
  • 이 (this) is used for objects close to you in the same space
  • 그 (the/that) refers to things previously mentioned or known to both speakers
  • 저 (that) indicates objects visible but far away in the same area
 
This is a simple lesson on ‘이’, ‘그’ and ‘저’.
 
They simply mean ‘This’, ‘The (thing)’, and ‘That’. They are used the same way as in English.
 
  • To use ‘이’, the object or person you are talking about must be in the same space and close to you.
 
  • With ‘그’, you are talking about ‘the’ person or thing that you might have mentioned last time or that the listener also knows about.
 
  • To use ‘저’, the object or person you are talking about must be in the same area as you, but far away.
 
Let’s look at some examples.
 
이: 저는 이 커피가 좋아요. (I like this coffee.)
 
그: 그 사람은 몇 살이에요? (How old is that/the person?)
*The translation would naturally be ‘that’, but technically it’s ‘the person’, since it is about a person who’s not in the same room or space at the point of speaking.
 
저: 저 아파트에 살아요. (I live in that apartment building.)
*The two people having the conversation are in the same space, looking at the apartment building from afar.
 
 
Try the following exercise.
Complete the following sentences with 이/그/저 to match the sentences in English.
 
  1. ___ 사과가 좋아요. ___ 사과는 안 좋아요.
      2. This apple is good. The apple (you are holding) is not good.
Answer
이, 그
 
  1. ___ 사람이 말했어요.
      2. That person said it.
Answer
저
 
  1. ___ 그림을 샀어요.
      2. I bought the painting.
Answer
그
 
 
  1. ___ 물은 깨끗한 물이에요.
      2. This water is clean water.
Answer
이
 
  1. ___ 책을 읽었어요. ___ 책도 읽을 거예요. ___ 책은 안 읽을 거예요.
      2. I’ve read this book. I will read the book (you mentioned) too. I won’t read that book.
Answer
이, 그, 저
 
  1. ___ 내용이 이해가 안 가요.
      2. I don’t understand this (content).
Answer
이
 
  1. ___ 날씨가 딱 좋아요.
      2. This weather is just perfect.
Answer
이
 
  1. 주말에도 ________ / ________ . (쉬다)
Answer
쉴 수 있어요 / 쉴 수 없어요
못 쉬어요
 
  1. 글을 ________ / ________ . (쓰다)
Answer
쓸 수 있어요 / 쓸 수 없어요
못 써요
 
  1. 주사가 ________ / ________ . (아프다)
Answer
아플 수 있어요 / 아플 수 없어요
‘못’ cannot be used with adjectives/descriptive verbs.
 
 
 
 
 
* For more practice exercises, visit the ‘Practice Hub’.
 
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