그들
geudeul[kɯdɯɭ]
In Korean, 'they' can be expressed as 그들 (geudeul). Wiktionary also lists 그녀들 (geunyeodeul) and 걔들 (gyaedeul).
Meaning: third-person plural pronoun (pron)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 그들 | geudeul | [kɯdɯɭ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 그녀들 | geunyeodeul | [kɯɲʌ̹dɯɭ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 걔들 | gyaedeul | colloquial |
In natural spoken Korean, the pronoun 그들 is often omitted or replaced by a specific noun (like 'people' or 'friends') because using third-person pronouns can sound overly literary or translated.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 그들 is composed of 그 (that) and the plural suffix 들 (plural marker).
Which one should you use?
While 그들 is the general term for 'they', 그녀들 specifically refers to a group of females. 걔들 is a contraction of 그 아이들 and is used informally to refer to a group of people, often younger than the speaker.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
걔들 is colloquial.
How do you pronounce it?
geudeul
Did you know?
- The female-specific pronoun 그녀 (the root of 그녀들) was created specifically to translate the English word 'she' because traditional Korean lacked a gendered third-person singular pronoun.
- While 그들 is the dictionary translation for 'they', it was rarely used in native Korean speech before the influence of Western literature and translation began in the late 19th century.
- While English uses 'they' for any group, Korean speakers often choose pronouns based on social hierarchy. Using a generic 'they' for people much older than you can sometimes come across as unintentionally rude or distant.
Examples in context
- 그들은 집에 늦게 왔다.They came home late.This sentence shows how to use 그들 to indicate people arriving home late.Tatoeba #11104678 by intertime, translation #11104062 by doemaar14
- 그들은 이 마을에 산다.They live in this town.This sentence uses 그들 to describe people living in a town.Tatoeba #11106714 by intertime, translation #305628 by CK
- 그들은 큰 집에서 산다.They live in a big house.This sentence uses 그들 to describe people living in a house.Tatoeba #11107059 by intertime, translation #3763423 by cromwellt
- 그들은 함께 한국어를 배우고 있어요.They are learning Korean together.
- 그들은 휴가로 해변에 갔어요.They went to the beach for a vacation.
- 그들은 어린 시절부터의 친구예요.They are friends from childhood.
- 86 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Minjun and Seoyeon are talking about some coworkers.
- 민준 Min-jun그들은 지금 회의 중이에요.geudeureun jigeum hoeui jung-ieyo.They are in a meeting right now.
- 서연 Seo-yeon언제쯤 끝날까요?eonjejjeum kkeutnalkkayo?Around when will they finish?
- 민준 Min-jun그들은 한 시간 뒤에 올 거예요.geudeureun han sigan dwi-e ol geoyeyo.They will come in one hour.
- 서연 Seo-yeon알겠어요. 기다릴게요.algyesseoyo. gidarilgeyo.I see. I will wait.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “they” translations and entries 그들, 그녀들, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
