Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 이것은 책입니다 | igeos-eun chaeg-imnida | formal, polite |
| 이것은 책이에요 | igeos-eun chaeg-ieyo | informal, polite |
| 이건 책이야 | igeon chaeg-iya | informal |
This phrase is used to identify and explain a specific object, in this case, a book. To refer to an object that is a bit farther away instead of one near you, you would use 저것은 (that) instead of 이것은 (this).
What does it mean word for word?
In the phrase 이것은, the word 이것 means "this thing" and the particle 은 is a topic marker. The phrase 책입니다 means "is a book" and includes the formal ending -입니다 to show respect.
Which one should you use?
The forms provided differ by level of politeness and formality. 이것은 책입니다 is the formal version, while 이건 책이야 is a relaxed, colloquial version. The contraction 이건 is used in the informal version to represent 이것은.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
이것은 책입니다 is a formal way to say "this is a book" and should be used in settings like presentations, news or when speaking to someone of much higher status. 이것은 책이에요 is a polite but informal version. 이건 책이야 is an informal way to say the phrase and should be used only with close friends, people younger than you or children.
How does it change in a sentence?
In spoken Korean, the form 이건 is a common contraction of 이것은 used to mean "this."
How do you pronounce it?
igeos-eun chaeg-imnida
Did you know?
- If you were to point at a book that is sitting on a table between you and a friend, you might not use any version of 'this' or 'that'. You might instead use a word for 'that thing near you' to avoid being socially awkward.
- The word for book 책 is a loanword from the Middle Chinese word 'ce', which originally referred to bamboo slips tied together with string.
- While 이것 means 'this thing', Korean has a separate set of pronouns for 'this' depending on whether the object is a person, a place or a thing.
Example sentences for Korean are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Minji is showing a book to Dohyun in a library.
- 민지 Min-ji도현 씨, 이것 보세요.Dohyun ssi, igeot boseyo.Dohyun, look at this.
- 도현 Do-hyeon이게 무엇입니까?Ige mueosimnikka?What is this?
- 민지 Min-ji이것은 책입니다.Igeoseun chaegimnida.This is a book.
- 도현 Do-hyeon아, 그렇군요.A, geureokunyo.Ah, I see.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “this is a book” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
