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 primarily used in written texts, such as novels or news, rather than in spoken conversation.
Which one should you use?
While 그 is the literary standard, several other forms are used depending on the social context. 걔 is a colloquial contraction of 그 아이 used to refer to a person of similar or lower social status, often translated as "that kid" or a very informal "he". In polite contexts, you may use 이 사람 or the more respectful 이분, which is a respectful way to refer to a man when speaking to someone else, often used when the person is present or being introduced. Additionally, 그이 can be used as a form of "he".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
걔 is colloquial and used for those of equal or lower status. 그 is suitable for literary or formal written contexts. For polite speech, use 이 사람 or the respectful 이분.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using 그 in a sentence, it changes based on its grammatical role. When it is the subject, it often takes the subject marker -가 to become 그가. When it is the object, it takes the object marker -를 to become 그를.
How do you pronounce it?
geu
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use 그 in spoken Korean to refer to a person nearby. In natural speech, instead of using a pronoun, Koreans typically use the person's name or a title.
When do people say it?
In polite social situations, one might use 그 분 as a respectful way to refer to either "he" or "she".
Did you know?
- The word 그 is often a 'calque' of the Japanese word かれ (kare), meaning its specific use as a personal pronoun was heavily influenced by Japanese and European linguistic structures.
- The informal term 걔 is used for peers or younger people, but it is actually a shortened version of the phrase 그 아이, meaning 'that child'.
Examples in context
- 그 사람은 키가 커.He is tall.This is useful for describing a person's physical height using 그.Tatoeba #8361775 by Eunhee, translation #773336 by marloncori
- 그는 곧 올 것이다.He will come soon.This is useful for describing a person's upcoming actions using 그.Tatoeba #11105679 by intertime, translation #394248 by CK
- 그는 흠잡을 데 없다.He is impeccable.This is useful for describing a person's character or state using 그.Tatoeba #6295646 by okja, translation #6168881 by carlosalberto
- 그 분은 정말 친절하시네요.He/She is really kind.
- 그 분은 어떻게 지내세요?How is he/she doing?
- 그는 운동을 좋아해요.He likes to exercise.
- 427 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Minjun and Minji are talking about a mutual male friend.
- 민준 Min-jun그는 지금 어디에 있어?geuneun jigeum eodie isseo?Where is he now?
- 민지 Min-ji집에서 쉬고 있을 거야.jibeseo swigo isseul geoya.He is probably resting at home.
- 민준 Min-jun그는 왜 전화를 안 받지?geuneun wae jeonhwareul an badji?Why isn't he answering the phone?
- 민지 Min-ji아마 자고 있을 거야.ama jago isseul geoya.He is probably sleeping.
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.
