Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 그 | geu | [kɯ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 그이 | geu'i | [kɯi] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 이 사람 | i saram | polite | |
| 이분 | ibun | [ibun] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | polite |
| 걔 | gyae | [kjɛ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [kje̞] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
colloquial |
The word 그 is most commonly used in written Korean (novels, news, essays) rather than in spoken conversation.
Which one should you use?
While 그 is the standard literary form, other options exist depending on the context. 이분 is a highly respectful way to refer to a man, whereas 그 can feel impersonal or purely literary. In casual conversation, you might use 걔, which is a contraction of 그 아이 (that child) and is used to refer to a male peer or someone younger. 그이 is another form available for reference.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For polite situations, you can use 이 사람 or 이분. If you need a formal term for 'he', you can use 그분. In colloquial settings, 걔 is used. The standard 그 is primarily a written form.
How does it change in a sentence?
When 그 is the subject of a sentence, it often takes the subject marker -가 to become 그가. When 그 is the object of a sentence, it takes the object marker -를 to become 그를.
How do you pronounce it?
geu
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often over-use 그 in spoken Korean, but in natural speech, Koreans usually prefer using the person's name or a title instead of a third-person pronoun.
When do people say it?
Note that the word for "she" in Korean is 그녀.
Did you know?
- The modern third-person pronoun 그녀 for 'she' is a relatively recent invention, likely created in the early 20th century by the writer Kim Dong-in.
- The casual form 걔 literally means 'that child', regardless of whether the person being discussed is actually a child.
Examples in context
- 그 사람은 키가 커.He is tall.This sentence uses 그 to describe a person's height.Tatoeba #8361775 by Eunhee, translation #773336 by marloncori
- 그는 곧 올 것이다.He will come soon.This sentence uses 그 to indicate when someone will arrive.Tatoeba #11105679 by intertime, translation #394248 by CK
- 그는 흠잡을 데 없다.He is impeccable.This sentence uses 그 to describe someone as impeccable.Tatoeba #6295646 by okja, translation #6168881 by carlosalberto
- 그분은 정말 친절하시네요.He is truly kind.
- 그는 어제 영화를 봤어.He watched a movie yesterday.
- 427 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hyunwoo and Subin are talking about a new coworker.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo새로 온 동료 봤어? 그 사람은 정말 친절해.saero on dongryo bwasseo? geu sarameun jeongmal chinjeolhae.Did you see the new colleague? He is really kind.
- 수빈 Su-bin응, 나도 그렇게 생각했어.eung, nado geureoke saenggakhaesseo.Yes, I thought so too.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo그는 여기서 예전에 일한 적이 있대.geuneun yeogiseo yejeone ilhan jeogi itdae.I heard he worked here before.
- 수빈 Su-bin아, 그래서 일을 잘하는구나.a, geuraeseo ireul jalhaneunguna.Ah, that's why he's good at his job.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “he” translations and entries 그, 그이, 이분, 걔, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 그, 그이, 이, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
