의 (ui): Possessive Particle

Level: TOPIK 1. A particle is a short ending added to a noun to show its job. 의 (ui) is the possessive particle: added to a noun, it means “of” or “’s”. 친구의 책 (chinguui chaek) = “my friend’s book”.

The rule

의 (ui) attaches to a noun to mark it as the owner or source of the next noun. The order is [owner] 의 (ui) [thing]: 선생님의 가방 (seonsaengnim-ui gabang) = “the teacher’s bag”, 한국의 역사 (hanguk-ui yeoksa) = “the history of Korea”.

Two things surprise beginners. First, pronunciation: in this possessive role the letter 의 (ui) is normally said like 에 (e), so 친구의 (chinguui) sounds close to “chingu-e”. We still romanise it ui, following Revised Romanization. Second, three everyday pronouns shrink before the particle: 저의 (jeoui) becomes 제 (je), 나의 (naui) becomes 내 (nae), and 너의 (neoui) becomes 네 (ne). So “my book” is 제 책 (je chaek), not 저의 책 (jeoui chaek).

Korean also drops 의 (ui) very often in speech, especially between people who belong together: 우리 엄마 (uri eomma) = “our mum”, 우리 학교 (uri hakgyo) = “our school”. Keeping the particle there sounds stiff.

The three shrink-forms

What 의 (ui) links

Example sentences

Each sentence was written for this lesson, with romanisation.

1. 제 책이에요.
   Je chaek-ieyo.
   It's my book.
   저의 (jeoui) shrinks to 제 (je)
2. 내 친구예요.
   Nae chingu-yeyo.
   This is my friend.
   나의 (naui) shrinks to 내 (nae)
3. 선생님의 가방이에요.
   Seonsaengnim-ui gabang-ieyo.
   It's the teacher's bag.
4. 친구의 생일이에요.
   Chinguui saeng-il-ieyo.
   It's my friend's birthday.
5. 한국의 역사를 공부해요.
   Hanguk-ui yeoksareul gongbuhaeyo.
   I study the history of Korea.
6. 동생의 방이에요.
   Dongsaeng-ui bang-ieyo.
   It's my younger sibling's room.
7. 그의 이름을 몰라요.
   Geu-ui ireumeul mollayo.
   I don't know his name.
8. 그녀의 차예요.
   Geunyeo-ui cha-yeyo.
   It's her car.
9. 회사의 전화번호예요.
   Hoesa-ui jeonhwabeonho-yeyo.
   It's the company's phone number.
10. 어머니의 사랑은 커요.
    Eomeoni-ui sarang-eun keoyo.
    A mother's love is great.
11. 이것은 누구의 우산이에요?
    Igeoseun nuguui usan-ieyo?
    Whose umbrella is this?
    ask with 누구의 (nuguui)
12. 네 가방이 어디 있어요?
    Ne gabang-i eodi isseoyo?
    Where is your bag?
    너의 (neoui) shrinks to 네 (ne)
13. 학생의 책상이에요.
    Haksaeng-ui chaeksang-ieyo.
    It's the student's desk.
14. 나라의 수도는 서울이에요.
    Nara-ui sudoneun Seoul-ieyo.
    The country's capital is Seoul.
15. 아버지의 시계예요.
    Abeoji-ui sigye-yeyo.
    It's my father's watch.
16. 우리 엄마는 선생님이에요.
    Uri eommaneun seonsaengnim-ieyo.
    Our mum is a teacher.
    의 (ui) dropped: 우리 엄마 (uri eomma)
17. 제 방은 작아요.
    Je bang-eun jagayo.
    My room is small.
18. 제 거예요.
    Je geo-yeyo.
    It's mine.
    제 것 (je geot) = 'mine'

Common mistakes

• ❌ 저의 책 (jeoui chaek) in speech → ✅ 제 책 (je chaek). 저의 (jeoui) contracts to 제 (je).
• ❌ 나의 가방 (naui gabang) in speech → ✅ 내 가방 (nae gabang). 나의 (naui) contracts to 내 (nae).
• ❌ saying 의 (ui) as a full “ui” in the possessive → ✅ in this role 의 (ui) is normally pronounced like 에 (e).
• ❌ 우리의 엄마 (uriui eomma) → ✅ 우리 엄마 (uri eomma). With close relationships Koreans usually drop 의 (ui).
• ❌ 누구 우산 (nugu usan) for “whose umbrella” → ✅ 누구의 우산 (nuguui usan). Possession adds 의 (ui): 누구의 (nuguui), “whose”.

A short conversation

— 이것은 누구의 가방이에요? (Igeoseun nuguui gabang-ieyo?) — “Whose bag is this?” — 제 가방이에요. (Je gabang-ieyo.) — “It’s my bag.” — 그럼, 저것은요? (Geureom, jeogeoseun-yo?) — “Then what about that one?” — 친구의 거예요. (Chinguui geo-yeyo.) — “It’s my friend’s.”

Usage notes

• The shrink-forms are the normal spoken words. 제 (je) and 내 (nae) are what you will hear; the full 저의 (jeoui) and 나의 (naui) feel formal or written.
• Pronounced like 에 (e). As the possessive particle, 의 (ui) is usually said [e], the same sound as 에 (e); the “ui” spelling is a Revised Romanization convention.
• Drop it between close nouns. 우리 집 (uri jip) “our home”, 우리 학교 (uri hakgyo) “our school” and 우리 엄마 (uri eomma) “our mum” normally leave 의 (ui) out.
• 것 (geot) becomes 거 (geo) after it. “Mine” is 제 것 (je geot), often shortened to 제 거 (je geo) in speech.

Compared with 와/과 (wa/gwa)

• Do not confuse the possessive 의 (ui) with the “and / with” particle 와/과 (wa/gwa). 의 (ui) joins an owner to a thing — 친구의 책 (chinguui chaek), “my friend’s book” — while 와/과 (wa/gwa) joins two nouns as equals — 친구와 저 (chinguwa jeo), “my friend and I”. One shows belonging; the other adds items together. See the and / with particles 와/과 (wa/gwa).

Quick recap before the quiz.

Practice

Practice

Possessive particle practice

Try each one, then press Check. No sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere — it all runs in your browser.

1 Which is the natural spoken way to say 'my book'?

저의 책 (jeoui chaek) 제 책 (je chaek) 나 책 (na chaek) 책의 저 (chaek-ui jeo)

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제 책 (je chaek) — 저의 (jeoui) shrinks to 제 (je): 제 책 (je chaek).

2 Type the romanised possessive particle for the blank: 친구__ 책 (chingu__ chaek), 'my friend's book'.

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Hint: Added to the owner noun.

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ui — 친구의 책 (chinguui chaek): 의 (ui) marks the owner.

3 Build: 'the teacher's bag'.

가방 (gabang)선생님 (seonsaengnim)의 (ui)

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Show answer

선생님 (seonsaengnim) 의 (ui) 가방 (gabang) — 선생님의 가방 (seonsaengnim-ui gabang): owner + 의 (ui) + thing.

4 Match each pronoun with its possessive shrink-form.

• 저 (jeo) Match for 저 (jeo) — choose — 내 (nae)네 (ne)누구의 (nuguui)제 (je)
• 나 (na) Match for 나 (na) — choose — 내 (nae)네 (ne)누구의 (nuguui)제 (je)
• 너 (neo) Match for 너 (neo) — choose — 내 (nae)네 (ne)누구의 (nuguui)제 (je)
• 누구 (nugu) Match for 누구 (nugu) — choose — 내 (nae)네 (ne)누구의 (nuguui)제 (je)

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• 저 (jeo) → 제 (je)
• 나 (na) → 내 (nae)
• 너 (neo) → 네 (ne)
• 누구 (nugu) → 누구의 (nuguui)

저 (jeo), 나 (na), 너 (neo) shrink to 제 (je), 내 (nae), 네 (ne); 누구 (nugu) keeps 의 as 누구의 (nuguui).

5 Which sounds most natural for 'our mum'?

우리의 엄마 (uriui eomma) 우리 엄마 (uri eomma) 엄마의 우리 (eomma-ui uri) 우리에 엄마 (urie eomma)

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Show answer

우리 엄마 (uri eomma) — Between close nouns Koreans drop 의 (ui): 우리 엄마 (uri eomma).

Quiz

Check yourself

Possessive particle quiz

12 questions · pick an answer and you'll see straight away if it's right.

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1. 1What does 의 (ui) mark?

   A The subject B Possession ('of' / 's') C The object D The location
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   Possession ('of' / 's') — 의 (ui) is the possessive particle: 친구의 책 (chinguui chaek), 'my friend's book'.

2. 2What is the spoken form of 저의 (jeoui)?

   A 제 (je) B 저이 (jeoi) C 저가 (jeoga) D 조 (jo)
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   제 (je) — 저의 (jeoui) shrinks to 제 (je).

3. 3What is the spoken form of 나의 (naui)?

   A 나이 (nai) B 내 (nae) C 네 (ne) D 나가 (naga)
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   내 (nae) — 나의 (naui) shrinks to 내 (nae).

4. 4How is the possessive 의 (ui) normally pronounced?

   A like 이 (i) B like 에 (e) C like 오 (o) D like 우 (u)
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   like 에 (e) — In the possessive role 의 (ui) is usually said like 에 (e).

5. 5Which order is correct for 'the teacher's bag'?

   A 가방의 선생님 (gabang-ui seonsaengnim) B 선생님의 가방 (seonsaengnim-ui gabang) C 선생님 가방의 (seonsaengnim gabang-ui) D 의 선생님 가방 (ui seonsaengnim gabang)
   Show answer

   선생님의 가방 (seonsaengnim-ui gabang) — Owner + 의 (ui) + thing: 선생님의 가방 (seonsaengnim-ui gabang).

6. 6How do you ask 'Whose umbrella is this?'

   A 누구 우산이에요? (nugu usan-ieyo?) B 누구의 우산이에요? (nuguui usan-ieyo?) C 우산의 누구예요? (usan-ui nugu-yeyo?) D 누구가 우산이에요? (nuguga usan-ieyo?)
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   누구의 우산이에요? (nuguui usan-ieyo?) — Possession adds 의 (ui): 누구의 우산 (nuguui usan).

7. 7Which sounds most natural in speech?

   A 저의 가방 (jeoui gabang) B 제 가방 (je gabang) C 나의의 가방 (nauiui gabang) D 가방 저의 (gabang jeoui)
   Show answer

   제 가방 (je gabang) — Use the shrink-form: 제 가방 (je gabang).

8. 8'our school' is usually…

   A 우리의 학교 (uriui hakgyo) B 우리 학교 (uri hakgyo) C 학교의 우리 (hakgyo-ui uri) D 우리에 학교 (urie hakgyo)
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   우리 학교 (uri hakgyo) — Between close nouns 의 (ui) is dropped: 우리 학교 (uri hakgyo).

9. 9Type the romanised possessive particle for the blank: 한국__ 역사 (hanguk__ yeoksa), 'the history of Korea'.
   Check
   Show answer

   ui — 한국의 역사 (hanguk-ui yeoksa): 의 (ui) links source to thing.

10. 10What is 'mine' (the thing itself)?

    A 제 거 (je geo) B 제가 (jega) C 저를 (jeoreul) D 저는 (jeoneun)
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    제 거 (je geo) — 제 것 (je geot), shortened to 제 거 (je geo), means 'mine'.

11. 11Which particle means 'and / with', not possession?

    A 의 (ui) B 와/과 (wa/gwa) C 이/가 (i/ga) D 을/를 (eul/reul)
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    와/과 (wa/gwa) — 와/과 (wa/gwa) joins two nouns as 'and / with'; 의 (ui) shows belonging.

12. 12Why is the full 저의 (jeoui) rarely spoken?

    A It is grammatically wrong B It sounds formal or written; speech uses 제 (je) C It means something else D It is only for questions
    Show answer

    It sounds formal or written; speech uses 제 (je) — 저의 (jeoui) is formal/written; everyday speech uses 제 (je).

Recap cheat-sheet

Next

• Prerequisite to review: the copula 이다 (ida)
• Compare the “and / with” particles: 와/과 (wa/gwa)
• Back to the Korean grammar section
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