여기 / 거기 / 저기 (yeogi/geogi/jeogi): Here / There

Level: TOPIK 1. Korean splits “here” and “there” into three place words, one for each distance. 여기 (yeogi) is “here” near you, 거기 (geogi) is “there” near the person you are talking to, and 저기 (jeogi) is “over there” far from you both. The matching question word is 어디 (eodi), “where”.

The rule

A place word names a location on its own — it works like the English nouns “here” and “there”, not like “this” or “that” before a noun. Korean picks the word by who is nearest the place:

• 여기 (yeogi) — near the speaker (“here”). 여기 앉으세요 (yeogi anjeuseyo) = “Sit here”.
• 거기 (geogi) — near the listener, or a place already mentioned (“there”). 거기 날씨는 어때요? (geogi nalssineun eottaeyo?) = “How is the weather there (where you are)?”
• 저기 (jeogi) — far from you both (“over there”). 저기 보세요 (jeogi boseyo) = “Look over there”.
• 어디 (eodi) — the question word (“where”). 화장실은 어디예요? (hwajangsireun eodiyeyo?) = “Where is the toilet?”

These four line up exactly with the determiners 이 / 그 / 저 (i / geu / jeo), “this / that / that over there”. The difference: 이 / 그 / 저 (i / geu / jeo) sit before a noun, while 여기 / 거기 / 저기 (yeogi / geogi / jeogi) stand alone as a place.

Forms

Two related sets follow the same 이 / 그 / 저 (i / geu / jeo) split: the more formal “place” nouns 이곳 / 그곳 / 저곳 (igot / geugot / jeogot), and the direction words 이쪽 / 그쪽 / 저쪽 (ijjok / geujjok / jeojjok), “this way / that way / that way over there”.

Example sentences

Each sentence was written for this lesson, with romanisation.

Common mistakes

• ❌ 여기 사람 (yeogi saram) for “this person” → ✅ 이 사람 (i saram). 여기 (yeogi) means “here” (a place); for “this + noun” use the determiner 이 (i).
• ❌ 저기 가방 (jeogi gabang) for “that bag over there” → ✅ 저 가방 (jeo gabang). 저기 (jeogi) is the place “over there”, not a word to put before a noun.
• ❌ 저기 (jeogi) for a spot next to the listener → ✅ 거기 (geogi). Near the listener is 거기 (geogi); 저기 (jeogi) is only for far from you both.
• ❌ 여기 사진을 찍어요 (yeogi sajineul jjigeoyo) for “I take photos here” → ✅ 여기에서 사진을 찍어요 (yeogieseo sajineul jjigeoyo). Add 에서 (eseo) for the place an action happens.
• ❌ 어디 집이에요? (eodi jibieyo?) → ✅ 집이 어디예요? (jibi eodiyeyo?). 어디 (eodi) usually comes right before the copula at the end, as in 집이 어디예요? (jibi eodiyeyo?), not at the front.

A short conversation

— 지금 어디예요? (Jigeum eodiyeyo?) — “Where are you now?” — 여기 카페에 있어요. (Yeogi kape-e isseoyo.) — “I’m here at a cafe.” — 거기 커피 맛있어요? (Geogi keopi masisseoyo?) — “Is the coffee good there?” — 네. 저기 창가 자리도 좋아요. (Ne. Jeogi changga jarido joayo.) — “Yes. That window seat over there is nice too.”

Usage notes

• They take particles directly. As place nouns, they attach particles with no extra word: 여기에 (yeogie, “to here”), 거기에서 (geogieseo, “at/from there”), 저기까지 (jeogikkaji, “as far as over there”).
• 거기 (geogi) does double duty. It covers both “near the listener” and “the place we both already know”, just like 그 (geu) for things.
• 여기요 / 저기요 (yeogiyo / jeogiyo) call for attention. In a shop or restaurant these polite phrases mean “excuse me / over here”.
• More formal and directional sets. Writing often uses 이곳 / 그곳 / 저곳 (igot / geugot / jeogot); for directions use 이쪽 / 그쪽 / 저쪽 (ijjok / geujjok / jeojjok).

Compared with 이 / 그 / 저 (i / geu / jeo)

The place words run exactly parallel to the determiners you met in 이 / 그 / 저 (i / geu / jeo): 여기 (yeogi) ↔ 이 (i), 거기 (geogi) ↔ 그 (geu), 저기 (jeogi) ↔ 저 (jeo). The rule of thumb: use 이 / 그 / 저 (i / geu / jeo) before a noun (“this book”), and 여기 / 거기 / 저기 (yeogi / geogi / jeogi) on their own for a place (“here”). Once the three-way distance clicks in one set, the other follows the same logic; browse the Korean grammar section for more.

Quick recap before you practise.

Practice

Quiz

Recap cheat-sheet

Next

• Review the matching determiners: 이 / 그 / 저 (i / geu / jeo)
• Back to the Korean grammar section
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