내 아기
nae agi
In Korean, "my baby" is expressed as 내 아기 (nae agi).
This phrase is used to refer to one's own infant or very young child.
What does it mean word for word?
내 (nae) is a contraction of 나의 (na-ui), which means "my".
Which one should you use?
내 아가 is a sweet and endearing way to say "my baby", and 내 애기 is an affectionate, informal way to refer to your baby.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase 내 아기 is the standard way to say 'my baby' in a non-honorific or casual context.
How do you pronounce it?
nae agi
Did you know?
- Korean culture often replaces the word 'my' with 'our' (우리) when talking about family. A parent might say 우리 아기 (our baby) even if they are the only parent present.
- In certain romantic contexts, the word 아기 can be used as a term of endearment for a partner, similar to how English speakers use 'baby' or 'babe'.
- The word 내 (nae) once served as the general word for 'smoke'. It was eventually replaced by the Sino-Korean word 연기 (yeon-gi) because 내 had too many homophones.
Examples in context
- 이 애는 내 아기다.This is my baby.This sentence is useful for identifying someone as 내 아기.Tatoeba #11106371 by intertime, translation #1898108 by CK
- 제 아기가 동화책을 좋아해요.My baby enjoys fairy tales.
- 내 아가가 새로운 단어를 배우고 있어요.My baby is learning new words.
- 내 아기가 잠을 자요.nae agiga jameul jayo.My baby is sleeping.
Example conversation
Minji is showing a photo of her child to Jihoon.
- 민지 Min-ji이 사진 보세요. 내 아기에요.i sajin boseyo. nae agieyo.Look at this photo. It's my baby.
- 지훈 Ji-hun우와, 정말 천사 같네요!uwa, jeongmal cheonsa gatneyo!Wow, he looks like a real angel!
- 민지 Min-ji맞아요, 아주 순해요.majayo, aju sunhaeyo.You're right, he's very gentle.
- 지훈 Ji-hun민지 씨를 많이 닮았어요.minji ssireul mani dalmasseoyo.He looks a lot like you, Minji.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 내, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
