How to Say “You” in Korean

Ways to say it

Which one should you use?

너 is an informal way to address friends, peers or younger individuals. 네 is the possessive form of 너, meaning "your". 그대 is a formal and literary or poetic version of "you". 자네 is another form, while 당신 functions as a default form. 동무 is a term used specifically in North Korea.

Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?

너 is strictly informal and should only be used with people of equal or lower social status, such as close friends or younger people. 그대 is formal and suited for poetic or literary settings. In modern spoken Korean, 당신 is often used between spouses or in highly confrontational situations, such as an argument with a stranger, rather than as a standard polite way to address someone.

Is it said differently in some regions?

동무 is the form used in North Korea.

Related words

The individual or group spoken/written to (det): 너.

How does it change in a sentence?

The form 네 serves as the possessive form of the informal 너, meaning "your".

How do you pronounce it?

dangsin

What mistakes should you avoid?

English speakers often mistakenly use 당신 to be polite to strangers. However, in many social contexts, using it this way can actually sound aggressive or overly intimate.

When do people say it?

To avoid the social risks of using "you" incorrectly, Koreans often replace the pronoun entirely with the person's name or job title (for example, "Teacher" or "Manager").