For autodidact students of Korean, the first-person pronoun has two forms. 나 (na) is the informal/plain form used with friends, family, and those younger or of equal standing. 저 (jeo) is the humble/polite form used in formal situations, with strangers, superiors, or anyone you address with 요 endings. Using 나 when 저 is expected sounds rude; using 저 with close friends can sound overly stiff. Learning when to switch is learning Korean social register.
With particles: 나는/내가 (I — topic/subject, informal), 저는/제가 (I — topic/subject, formal). 나의 → 내 (my, informal), 저의 → 제 (my, formal).
Key Takeaways: - 나 (na): I — informal register - 저 (jeo): I — polite/humble register - 나는 (naneun) / 저는 (jeoneun): I [topic marker] - 내가 (naega) / 제가 (jega): I [subject marker] - 내 (nae) / 제 (je): my [contracted possessive] - 나를 / 저를: me [object marker]
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14.1 저는 (jeoneun) I-TOPIC-POL 학생이에요 (haksaengieyo) student-am-POLITE
14.2 나는 (naneun) I-TOPIC-INF 배고파 (baegopa) hungry-am-INF
14.3 제가 (jega) I-SUBJ-POL 할게요 (halgeyo) will-do-POLITE
14.4 내가 (naega) I-SUBJ-INF 먼저 (meonjeo) first 갈게 (galge) will-go-INF
14.5 저는 (jeoneun) I-TOPIC-POL 한국어를 (hangugoreul) Korean-OBJ 공부해요 (gongbuhaeyo) study-POLITE
14.6 이것은 (igeoseun) this-TOPIC 제 (je) my 책이에요 (chaegieyo) book-is-POLITE
14.7 나도 (nado) I-also 갈래 (gallae) want-to-go-INF
14.8 저도 (jeodo) I-also 모르겠어요 (moreugesseoyo) don't-know-POLITE
14.9 내 (nae) my 꿈은 (kkumeun) dream-TOPIC 선생님이 (seonsaengnimi) teacher-SUBJ 되는 (doeneun) becoming 거야 (geoya) thing-is-INF
14.10 저를 (jeoreul) me-OBJ 도와주세요 (dowajuseyo) please-help-POLITE
14.11 나는 (naneun) I-TOPIC 괜찮아 (gwaenchanha) fine-am-INF
14.12 제 (je) my 이름은 (ireumeun) name-TOPIC 지수예요 (jisuye yo) Jisu-is-POLITE
14.13 나한테 (nahante) to-me-INF 왜 (wae) why 그래 (geurae) like-that-do-INF？
14.14 저한테 (jeohante) to-me-POL 연락해 (yeonlakae) contact-POLITE 주세요 (juseyo) please-give-POLITE
14.15 나 (na) I 지금 (jigeum) now 바빠 (bappa) busy-am-INF
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14.1 저는 학생이에요. "I am a student." (polite) 14.2 나는 배고파. "I'm hungry." (informal) 14.3 제가 할게요. "I'll do it." (polite) 14.4 내가 먼저 갈게. "I'll go first." (informal) 14.5 저는 한국어를 공부해요. "I study Korean." (polite) 14.6 이것은 제 책이에요. "This is my book." (polite) 14.7 나도 갈래. "I want to go too." (informal) 14.8 저도 모르겠어요. "I don't know either." (polite) 14.9 내 꿈은 선생님이 되는 거야. "My dream is to become a teacher." (informal) 14.10 저를 도와주세요. "Please help me." (polite) 14.11 나는 괜찮아. "I'm fine." (informal) 14.12 제 이름은 지수예요. "My name is Jisu." (polite) 14.13 나한테 왜 그래? "Why are you like that to me?" (informal) 14.14 저한테 연락해 주세요. "Please contact me." (polite) 14.15 나 지금 바빠. "I'm busy right now." (informal)
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14.1 저는 학생이에요. 14.2 나는 배고파. 14.3 제가 할게요. 14.4 내가 먼저 갈게. 14.5 저는 한국어를 공부해요. 14.6 이것은 제 책이에요. 14.7 나도 갈래. 14.8 저도 모르겠어요. 14.9 내 꿈은 선생님이 되는 거야. 14.10 저를 도와주세요. 14.11 나는 괜찮아. 14.12 제 이름은 지수예요. 14.13 나한테 왜 그래? 14.14 저한테 연락해 주세요. 14.15 나 지금 바빠.
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나 vs 저 — register:
나: informal — use with friends (친구), family (가족), people younger than you, and anyone you speak to without 요 endings. 저: polite/humble — use with strangers, anyone older, teachers, customers, and in all 요-ending speech. The register of the pronoun must match the register of the verb ending. Mixing 나 with 요-endings or 저 with plain endings is grammatically possible but socially jarring.
는/가 after pronouns — topic vs subject:
나는 / 저는: topic marker — "as for me / speaking of me." Sets the theme of the sentence. 내가 / 제가: subject marker — "I [specifically] did/am." Marks the grammatical subject, often with mild contrast or emphasis. In practice: 나는 학생이에요 (I am a student — general statement). 내가 했어요 (I did it — I specifically, not someone else).
Possessive contraction: 나의 contracts to 내, 저의 contracts to 제. These are the standard forms in normal speech — 나의 책 sounds slightly literary; 내 책 is natural.
한테 — colloquial dative: 나한테 / 저한테 = "to me / at me" — colloquial equivalent of 나에게/저에게. 한테 is used in casual speech; 에게 in formal/written.
Common Mistakes: - Using 나 in formal/polite contexts: addressing a teacher as 나는 학생이에요 is socially inappropriate — use 저는. - Forgetting the contraction: 나의 대신 내 (instead of 나의, use 내).
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저 (humble I) reflects Korean honorific culture directly in the grammar of self-reference. The speaker makes themselves small (humble/lower) as a form of respect to the listener. This is not false modesty but a structural feature of Korean social communication: the choice of 저 over 나 encodes the relationship. A Korean child learns to switch automatically based on who they are addressing. Foreign learners who use 나 everywhere come across as impolite even when their grammar is otherwise perfect.
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윤동주 (Yun Dong-ju), 《자화상》— Self-Portrait, 1939
나는 나를 미워하고 말았다.
F-A: Interlinear — 나는 (naneun) I-TOPIC 나를 (nareul) me-OBJ 미워하고 (miwohago) hate-CONJ 말았다 (maratda) ended-up-PAST
F-B: Translation — "I ended up hating myself."
F-C: Original — 나는 나를 미워하고 말았다.
F-D: Notes — 나는 나를: I (topic) / me (object) — the first-person pronoun split into subject and object, the self divided against itself. 말았다: ended up doing (regrettably). The informal 나 is used throughout Yun's introspective poetry — 저 would create too much social distance from the interior life being examined.
F-E: Commentary — Yun Dong-ju's poetry is almost entirely written in the informal register — 나, not 저. The intimacy of 나 in lyric poetry mirrors the Japanese 私 (watashi) in literary prose. The informal pronoun is the pronoun of the interior. 저 is what you present to the world; 나 is what you are alone with.
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Two people meeting for the first time, then switching to informal register as they become friends across the conversation.
14.16 지수: 안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo) hello-POLITE。저는 (jeoneun) I-TOPIC-POL 지수예요 (jisuye yo) Jisu-am-POLITE
14.17 민서: 반가워요 (bangawoyo) pleased-to-meet-POLITE。저는 (jeoneun) I-TOPIC-POL 민서예요 (minseoyeyo) Minseo-am-POLITE
14.18 지수: 민서 씨는 (Minseo ssineun) Minseo-TOPIC 어디에서 (eodie-seo) where-FROM 오셨어요 (osyeosseoyo) came-HON-POLITE？
14.19 민서: 저는 (jeoneun) I-TOPIC 부산에서 (Busaneseo) Busan-FROM 왔어요 (wasseoyo) came-POLITE。지수 씨는요 (Jisu ssineunyo) Jisu-TOPIC-POLITE？
14.20 지수: 저는 (jeoneun) I-TOPIC 서울이에요 (seouli-eyo) Seoul-am-POLITE。제가 (jega) I-SUBJ 먼저 (meonjeo) first 커피 (keopi) coffee 사도 (sado) buy-even-if 될까요 (doelkkayo) would-it-be-okay-POLITE？
14.21 민서: 아，제가 (jega) I-SUBJ 살게요 (salgeyo) will-buy-POLITE！저한테 (jeohante) to-me-POL 맡겨주세요 (matgyeojuseyo) please-leave-to-POLITE
14.22 [한 시간 후 / han sigan hu / one hour later]
14.23 민서: 야，나 (na) I 배고프지 (baegopeuji) hungry-aren't-I？너는 (neoneun) you-TOPIC？
14.24 지수: 나도 (nado) I-also！내가 (naega) I-SUBJ 아는 (aneun) know 맛집 (matjip) good-restaurant 있어 (isseo) there-is-INF
14.25 민서: 진짜 (jinjja) really？나한테 (nahante) to-me-INF 알려줘 (allyeojwo) tell-me-INF！
14.26 지수: 내 (nae) my 단골 (dangol) regular 식당인데 (sikdanginde) restaurant-but 나름 (narum) in-its-own-way 괜찮아 (gwaenchanha) is-good-INF
14.27 민서: 완전 (wanjeon) totally 좋아 (joha) good-INF！나 (na) I 너 (neo) you 덕분에 (deokbune) thanks-to 오늘 (oneul) today 잘 (jal) well 먹겠다 (meokgetda) will-eat-INF
14.28 지수: 나도 (nado) I-also 좋아 (joha) good-INF。내가 (naega) I-SUBJ 오늘 (oneul) today 좋은 (joeun) good 친구 (chingu) friend 만든 (mandeun) made 것 (geot) thing 같아 (gata) seem-INF
14.29 민서: 나도 (nado) I-also！우리 (uri) we 자주 (jaju) often 보자 (boja) let's-meet-INF
14.30 지수: 응 (eung) yeah，나 (na) I 연락할게 (yeonlakhalge) will-contact-INF！
14.16 「안녕하세요. 저는 지수예요.」 "'Hello. I am Jisu.'" 14.17 「반가워요. 저는 민서예요.」 "'Pleased to meet you. I am Minseo.'" 14.18 「민서 씨는 어디에서 오셨어요?」 "'Where did you come from, Minseo?'" 14.19 「저는 부산에서 왔어요. 지수 씨는요?」 "'I came from Busan. And you, Jisu?'" 14.20 「저는 서울이에요. 제가 먼저 커피 사도 될까요?」 "'I'm from Seoul. Would it be okay if I buy coffee first?'" 14.21 「아, 제가 살게요! 저한테 맡겨주세요.」 "'Ah, I'll buy it! Leave it to me.'" 14.22 [한 시간 후] "[One hour later]" 14.23 「야, 나 배고프지? 너는?」 "'Hey, I'm hungry aren't I? What about you?'" 14.24 「나도! 내가 아는 맛집 있어.」 "'Me too! There's a good restaurant I know.'" 14.25 「진짜? 나한테 알려줘!」 "'Really? Tell me!'" 14.26 「내 단골 식당인데 나름 괜찮아.」 "'It's my regular restaurant — it's pretty good in its own way.'" 14.27 「완전 좋아! 나 너 덕분에 오늘 잘 먹겠다.」 "'Totally great! Thanks to you I'll eat well today.'" 14.28 「나도 좋아. 내가 오늘 좋은 친구 만든 것 같아.」 "'Me too. I feel like I made a good friend today.'" 14.29 「나도! 우리 자주 보자.」 "'Me too! Let's meet often.'" 14.30 「응, 나 연락할게!」 "'Yeah, I'll be in touch!'"
14.16 「안녕하세요. 저는 지수예요.」 14.17 「반가워요. 저는 민서예요.」 14.18 「민서 씨는 어디에서 오셨어요?」 14.19 「저는 부산에서 왔어요. 지수 씨는요?」 14.20 「저는 서울이에요. 제가 먼저 커피 사도 될까요?」 14.21 「아, 제가 살게요! 저한테 맡겨주세요.」 14.22 [한 시간 후] 14.23 「야, 나 배고프지? 너는?」 14.24 「나도! 내가 아는 맛집 있어.」 14.25 「진짜? 나한테 알려줘!」 14.26 「내 단골 식당인데 나름 괜찮아.」 14.27 「완전 좋아! 나 너 덕분에 오늘 잘 먹겠다.」 14.28 「나도 좋아. 내가 오늘 좋은 친구 만든 것 같아.」 14.29 「나도! 우리 자주 보자.」 14.30 「응, 나 연락할게!」
Register switch: The story explicitly tracks the shift from formal 저/제 to informal 나/내. This shift — 반말 전환 (banmal jeonhwan, switching to informal speech) — is a significant social event in Korean relationships. It signals that two people have moved from strangers to friends, and is often negotiated explicitly: 우리 말 놓을까요? (Shall we drop formality?).
-겠다 (getda) — volitional/inferential future: 할게요 (I'll do it — polite volitional), 살게요 (I'll buy it). The 겠 marker expresses the speaker's intention or inference: 잘 먹겠다 (I'm going to eat well — inference from anticipation).
덕분에 (deokbune) — "thanks to": Noun + 덕분에 = "thanks to ~, because of ~ [positive outcome]." 너 덕분에 잘 먹겠다 (thanks to you I'll eat well). The positive counterpart of 때문에 (because of — neutral or negative).
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나 (na) — IPA: /na/ — Single mora: alveolar nasal + open front unrounded vowel. 저 (jeo) — IPA: /tɕʌ/ — Palatal affricate + open-mid back unrounded vowel. The ㅓ (eo) is the vowel English speakers find hardest — it sits between /ə/ and /ʌ/, further back and lower than /ə/.
내 (nae) — IPA: /nɛ/ — Front low vowel /ɛ/, similar to English "bed." In fast Seoul speech, 내 and 네 (your, informal) can sound identical; context distinguishes them.
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