저는 인도인입니다
jeoneun indoin-imnida
The English phrase "I am Indian" is translated into Korean as 저는 인도인입니다 (jeoneun indoin-imnida).
This phrase is used to identify one's nationality as being from India.
What does it mean word for word?
The term for an Indian person, 인도인, is composed of 인도 (India) and 인 (person).
Which one should you use?
While 저는 인도인입니다 is formal and polite, 나는 인도인이야 is the informal version used with friends or people younger than you.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 저는 인도인입니다 uses the formal polite ending -입니다 (am/is/are). In Korean, formal expressions often end with 습니다. Additionally, instead of using 인도인, you can say 인도 사람 (India person) to mean an Indian person.
How do you pronounce it?
jeoneun indoin-imnida
Did you know?
- In Korea, the word 인도 (India) is a homonym that also means 'sidewalk' or 'pavement'. Context is essential to ensure you are identifying your nationality rather than describing a walkway.
- Korean speakers often use the phrase 인도에서 왔어요 ('I came from India') instead of 저는 인도인입니다 when meeting foreigners for the first time to sound more natural and less like a textbook.
- The character 인 in 인도인 is a Hanja (Chinese character) based word. This same character is used across East Asia, making the root of the word 'person' shared with Japanese and Chinese.
Examples in context
- 만나서 반갑습니다, 저는 인도인입니다.mannaseo bangapseumnida, jeoneun indoin-imnida.Nice to meet you, I am Indian.
- 정말 죄송합니다, 저는 인도인입니다.jeongmal joesonghamnida, jeoneun indoin-imnida.I am very sorry, I am Indian.
Example conversation
At an international student networking event.
- 서연 Seo-yeon안녕하세요, 제 이름은 서연이에요.annyeonghaseyo, je ireumeun seoyeoni-eyo.Hello, my name is Seoyeon.
- 도현 Do-hyeon반가워요, 서연 씨. 저는 도현입니다.bangawoyo, seoyeon ssi. jeoneun dohyeon-imnida.Nice to meet you, Seoyeon. I am Dohyeon.
- 서연 Seo-yeon도현 씨는 어느 나라 사람이에요?dohyeon ssi-neun eoneu nara saram-ieyo?Dohyeon, which country are you from?
- 도현 Do-hyeon저는 인도인입니다.jeoneun indoin-imnida.I am Indian.
