이 / 그 / 저 (i/geu/jeo): This / That

Level: TOPIK 1. Korean has a three-way this/that system where English has only two. 이 (i) is for what is near you, 그 (geu) for what is near the person you are talking to, and 저 (jeo) for what is far from you both: 이 책 (i chaek, “this book”), 그 사람 (geu saram, “that person”), 저 건물 (jeo geonmul, “that building over there”).

The rule

A demonstrative is a pointing word like “this” or “that”. Korean picks the word by who is nearest the thing, not just how far it is from you:

• 이 (i) — near the speaker (“this”). 이 사과 (i sagwa) = “this apple” (in my hand).
• 그 (geu) — near the listener, or already mentioned / known to you both (“that”). 그 가방 (geu gabang) = “that bag” (by you), or “that bag we talked about”.
• 저 (jeo) — far from both of you (“that … over there”). 저 산 (jeo san) = “that mountain over there”.

These short forms sit before a noun. To say “this one / that one” on its own, use the thing-pronouns 이것 (igeot), 그것 (geugeot), 저것 (jeogeot). In everyday speech these shorten to 이거 (igeo), 그거 (geugeo), 저거 (jeogeo).

Forms

The thing-pronouns combine with particles and usually contract: 이것은 (igeoseun) → 이건 (igeon), 이것이 (igeosi) → 이게 (ige), 이것을 (igeoseul) → 이걸 (igeol). The same pattern applies to 그 (geu) and 저 (jeo).

Example sentences

Each sentence was written for this lesson, with romanisation.

Common mistakes

• ❌ 저 가방 (jeo gabang) for a bag in the listener’s hand → ✅ 그 가방 (geu gabang). 저 (jeo) is only for things far from you both; what is near the listener takes 그 (geu).
• ❌ 이 영화 (i yeonghwa) for a film you both already discussed → ✅ 그 영화 (geu yeonghwa). Anything already mentioned takes 그 (geu), not 이 (i).
• ❌ 이거 사람 (igeo saram) → ✅ 이 사람 (i saram). Before a noun use the short form 이 (i); 이것/이거 (igeot/igeo) only stand alone.
• ❌ 그것 사람 (geugeot saram) for “that person” → ✅ 그 사람 (geu saram) or 그분 (geubun). 그것 (geugeot) is for things, never people.
• ❌ choosing by distance from yourself only, as in English → Korean has three words: near me 이 (i), near you 그 (geu), far from both 저 (jeo).

A short conversation

— 이거 뭐예요? (Igeo mwoyeyo?) — “What is this?” — 그거요? 그건 한국어 책이에요. (Geugeoyo? Geugeon hangugeo chaek-ieyo.) — “That one (in your hand)? That’s a Korean book.” — 저기 저 건물은 뭐예요? (Jeogi jeo geonmul-eun mwoyeyo?) — “And that building over there?” — 저건 도서관이에요. (Jeogeon doseogwan-ieyo.) — “That one over there is the library.”

Usage notes

• 그 (geu) does double duty. It covers both “near the listener” and “the one we both already know about”. When you refer back to something in the conversation, reach for 그 (geu).
• The thing-pronouns contract with particles. 이것은 (igeoseun) becomes 이건 (igeon), 이것이 (igeosi) becomes 이게 (ige), 이것을 (igeoseul) becomes 이걸 (igeol). 그 (geu) and 저 (jeo) behave the same way.
• People take 분 (bun) to be polite. 이분/그분/저분 (ibun/geubun/jeobun) is more respectful than 이 사람 (i saram); use it for someone you want to show respect to.

Compared with…

• Pair these demonstratives with the copula from the 이다 (ida) copula lesson: 이것은 책이에요 (igeoseun chaek-ieyo, “this is a book”).
• The same 이/그/저 (i/geu/jeo) split also gives the place words 여기 (yeogi, “here”), 거기 (geogi, “there, by you”), 저기 (jeogi, “over there”). Once the three-way distance clicks here, those follow the same logic; browse the Korean grammar section for the place-words lesson as it goes live.

Quick recap before you practise.

Practice

Quiz

Recap cheat-sheet

Next

• Pair demonstratives with the copula: 이다 (ida)
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