이 선생님
i seonsaengnim
The English phrase "Mr. Lee" is translated into Korean as 이 선생님 (i seonsaengnim).
이 선생님 is used to address or refer to a male teacher with the surname Lee in a respectful manner.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Korean, the surname comes before the title, which is the opposite of the English order 'Mr. Lee'.
How do you pronounce it?
i seonsaengnim
Did you know?
- While 선생님 translates to 'teacher', it is used as a general honorific for any adult who is respected or an expert in their field, even if they have never taught a class.
- The surname 이 is actually derived from the Chinese character for 'plum tree'.
- The suffix 님 in 선생님 is a highly respectful honorific that can be added to many nouns to elevate the person being addressed.
Examples in context
- 안녕하세요, 이 선생님.Hello, Mr. Lee.
- 이 선생님은 지금 어디에 계세요?I seonsaengnim-eun jigeum eodie gyeseyo?Where is Mr. Lee right now?
- 이 선생님께 질문이 있어요.I seonsaengnim-kke jilmun-i isseoyo.I have a question for Mr. Lee.
Example conversation
Minjun and Seoyeon are talking in the school hallway.
- 민준 Min-jun서연 씨, 이 선생님 봤어요?Seoyeon ssi, I seonsaengnim bwasseoyo?Seoyeon, have you seen Mr. Lee?
- 서연 Seo-yeon아니요, 못 봤어요.Aniyo, mot bwasseoyo.No, I haven't.
- 민준 Min-jun이 선생님을 찾아야 해요.I seonsaengnim-eul chaj-aya haeyo.I need to find Mr. Lee.
- 서연 Seo-yeon교무실에 가 보세요.Gyomushil-e ga boseyo.Try going to the faculty office.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 이, CC BY-SA 4.0.
