저는 일본인이에요
jeoneun ilboninieyo
To say "I am japanese" in Korean, you say 저는 일본인이에요 (jeoneun ilboninieyo).
This phrase is used to state that your nationality is Japanese.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 저는 일본인이에요 is composed of the humble first-person pronoun 저 (jeo), the topic marker 는 (neun), the noun for 'Japanese person' 일본인 (ilbonin) and the polite copula 'to be' 이에요 (ieyo).
Which one should you use?
While 저는 일본인이에요 is a standard way to state your nationality, you can also use phrases like 저는 일본 출신입니다 to say "I am of Japanese origin".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
If you are speaking to a close friend or someone younger, you would use the informal version 나는 일본인이야 instead.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Korean, nationality is expressed by adding the suffix -인 (-in), meaning 'person', to the name of the country (일본/Japan). In the phrase 저는 일본인이에요, the ending -이에요 (-ieyo) is used because the preceding noun 일본인 ends in a consonant.
How do you pronounce it?
jeoneun ilboninieyo
Did you know?
- Because of historical tensions, stating one's nationality as Japanese can sometimes trigger a very different social reaction in South Korea compared to other nationalities.
- The name for Japan, 일본 (ilbon), literally translates to 'sun-origin' or 'rising sun' in Korean. This mirrors the Chinese character for Japan, which carries a similar meaning related to the sun.
- In Korean, you can change how you identify your nationality by adding the suffix -사람 (saram) instead of -인 (in). Saying 일본 사람 (ilbon saram) sounds slightly more natural and less formal in everyday spoken conversation than 일본인 (ilbonin).
Examples in context
- 만나서 반가워요, 저는 일본인이에요.mannaseo bangawoyo, jeoneun ilboninieyo.Nice to meet you, I am Japanese.
- 죄송하지만, 저는 일본인이에요.joesonghajiman, jeoneun ilboninieyo.I am sorry, but I am Japanese.
Example conversation
At a language exchange meetup in Seoul.
- 수빈 Su-bin현우 씨, 어느 나라 사람이에요?hyeon-u ssi, eoneu nara saramieyo?Hyunwoo, what nationality are you?
- 현우 Hyeon-woo저는 한국 사람이에요. 수빈 씨는요?jeoneun hanguk saramieyo. subin ssineunyo?I am Korean. How about you, Subin?
- 수빈 Su-bin저는 일본인이에요.jeoneun ilboninieyo.I am Japanese.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo아, 그렇군요!a, geureokgunyo!Ah, I see!
