나는
naneun
In Korean, 나는 (naneun) is the phrase for "i am".
This phrase is used to identify yourself or to describe your own state or characteristics.
How do you pronounce it?
naneun
Did you know?
- In highly formal settings or old literature, you might encounter 소인 ('small person'), a way to say 'I am' that intentionally lowers the speaker's status to show extreme respect.
- While 나는 identifies the speaker, it is common in Korean to refer to oneself by a family role or a job title instead of using a pronoun.
- In Korean, the concept of 'i am' is often completely omitted in conversation if the subject is clear. If you are talking about yourself, saying 나는 can actually make you sound repetitive or overly dramatic.
Examples in context
- 나는 오늘 도쿄에 있다.I am in Tokyo today.This sentence is useful for stating your current location with 나는.Tatoeba #11106354 by intertime, translation #257596 by CK
- 나는 우리 아빠를 닮았어.I am like my father.This sentence is useful for describing a resemblance to someone using 나는.Tatoeba #8368448 by Eunhee, translation #1741261 by Amastan
- 나는 내 아이들에게 감사한다.I am grateful to my children.This sentence is useful for expressing a feeling of gratitude using 나는.Tatoeba #10607138 by ssuss32, translation #11461333 by camouat
- 제가 John입니다.I am John.
- 제가 Rebecca입니다.I am Rebecca.
- 나는 Eric이야.I am Eric.
- 제가 회사원입니다.I am a company employee.
- 32 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A university student and a new classmate introduce themselves.
- 지은 Ji-eun나는 지은이야.naneun jieun-iya.I am Jieun.
- 민준 Min-jun반가워, 나는 민준이야.bangawo, naneun minjun-iya.Nice to meet you, I am Minjun.
- 지은 Ji-eun민준 씨는 신입생이야?minjun ssineun sinipsaeng-iya?Are you a freshman, Minjun?
- 민준 Min-jun응, 나는 신입생이야.eung, naneun sinipsaeng-iya.Yes, I am a freshman.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
