제 아내
je anae
In Korean, "my wife" is expressed as 제 아내 (je anae).
The phrase is used by a married man to refer to his female spouse.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 아내 literally means "wife" or "spouse."
Which one should you use?
While 아내 is the standard Korean word, you may hear the loanword 와이프 used colloquially in casual conversation.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
제 아내 is a polite or formal way to refer to one's wife because it uses the humble pronoun 제. In contrast, 내 아내 is the informal version used when speaking with close friends or people younger than you.
How do you pronounce it?
je anae
Did you know?
- A man might use the term 안사람 (ansaram), which literally translates to 'the person inside', a traditional way to refer to a wife's place in the household.
- In many social contexts, a husband might refer to his wife as 우리 와이프 (uri waipu), using the word 'our' instead of 'my' to express a sense of shared connection.
- If a man has children, he may refer to his wife as O-엄마, using the child's name followed by 'mom'.
Examples in context
- 제 아내예요.She's my wife.This sentence is useful for introducing your spouse using 제 아내.Tatoeba #13259341 by atitarev, translation #1325177 by Scott
- 어제 아내랑 함께 쇼핑을 갔어요.Yesterday, I went shopping with my wife.
- 아내가 오늘도 참 예뻐.My wife looks beautiful as always.
- 제 아내는 선생님이에요.je anaeneun seonsaengnimieyo.My wife is a teacher.
- 제 아내를 소개할게요.je anaereul sogaehalgeyo.I will introduce my wife.
Example conversation
Minjun is introducing his spouse to a colleague.
- 민준 Min-jun이쪽은 제 아내입니다.ikkeoc-eun je ana-imnida.This is my wife.
- 서연 Seo-yeon처음 뵙겠습니다, 안녕하세요.cheoeum boepgetseumnida, annyeonghaseyo.Nice to meet you, hello.
- 민준 Min-jun서연 씨, 인사하세요.Seoyeon ssi, insahaseyo.Seoyeon, please say hello.
- 서연 Seo-yeon반갑습니다, 민준 씨.bangapsumnida, Minjun ssi.It's a pleasure, Minjun.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
