Learning pronouns in Korean, a language spoken primarily in South Korea and North Korea, is crucial for mastering both spoken and written communication. Korean pronouns are characterized by their forms according to person, number, and levels of politeness. This guide covers personal, possessive, demonstrative, reflexive, and interrogative pronouns, providing detailed explanations and examples for each, including transliterations for pronunciation help.

Personal Pronouns

Personal pronouns in Korean replace nouns referring to people or things and change based on the person being referred to and the level of politeness.

Subject Pronouns:

• 나 (Na) – I (informal): “나는 학교에 간다.” (Naneun hakgyoe ganda.) – I go to school.
• 저 (Jeo) – I (formal): “저는 밥을 먹습니다.” (Jeoneun babeul meokseumnida.) – I eat rice.
• 너 (Neo) – You (informal): “너는 어디에 가?” (Neoneun eodie ga?) – Where are you going?
• 당신 (Dangsin) – You (formal, but often used in specific contexts like between married couples): “당신은 어떻게 지내세요?” (Dangshineun eotteoke jinaeseyo?) – How are you?
• 그 (Geu) – He/She (neutral): “그는 집에 갑니다.” (Geuneun jibe gamnida.) – He goes home.
• 우리 (Uri) – We (inclusive): “우리는 공부해요.” (Urineun gongbuhaeyo.) – We study.
• 그들 (Geudeul) – They: “그들은 노래를 부릅니다.” (Geudeureun noraereul bureumnida.) – They sing.

Object Pronouns:

Object pronouns often follow the verb and can change based on the level of politeness.

• 나를/날 (Nareul/Nal) – Me (informal): “그는 나를 본다.” (Geuneun nareul bonda.) – He sees me.
• 저를/절 (Jeoreul/Jeol) – Me (formal): “그는 저를 봅니다.” (Geuneun jeoreul bomnida.) – He sees me.
• 너를/널 (Neoreul/Neol) – You (informal): “나는 너를 좋아해.” (Naneun neoreul joaha.) – I like you.

Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns in Korean indicate ownership and are often formed by adding “의” (ui) to the personal pronouns.

• 나의/내 (Naui/Nae) – My (informal): “나의 집.” / “내 집” (Naui jib. / Nae jib) – My house.
• 저의/제 (Jeoui/Jae) – My (formal): “저의 친구.” / “제 친구” (Jeoui chingu. / Jae chingu) – My friend.
• 너의/네 (Neoui/Ne) – Your (informal): “너의 책.” / “네 책” (Neoui chaek. / Ne chaek) – Your book.

Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns in Korean point to specific nouns and vary based on distance.

• 이 (I) – This: “이 사람.” (I saram.) – This person.
• 그 (Geu) – That: “그 사과.” (Geu sagwa.) – That apple.
• 저 (Jeo) – That (over there): “저 산.” (Jeo san.) – That mountain (over there).

Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns in Korean are used when the subject performs an action upon itself.

• 자기 (Jagi) – Oneself: “자기 자신을 사랑해야 해.” (Jagi jasineul saranghaeya hae.) – One must love oneself.

Interrogative Pronouns

Interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions about people, places, or things.

• 누구 (Nugu) – Who: “누구세요?” (Nuguseyo?) – Who is it?
• 무엇 (Mueot) / 뭐 (Mwo) – What: “무엇을 먹고 싶어?” / “뭐 먹고 싶어?” (Mueoseul meokgo sipeo? / Mwo meokgo sipeo?) – What do you want to eat?
• 어디 (Eodi) – Where: “어디 가?” (Eodi ga?) – Where are you going?
• 언제 (Eonje) – When: “언제 만날까?” (Eonje mannalkka?) – When shall we meet?

Understanding and correctly using Korean pronouns is vital for navigating both simple and complex conversations. Practice forming sentences with each type of pronoun, and try to engage in conversations or writing exercises to apply these concepts actively. Remember, context, relationship between speakers, and the nuances of Korean culture play a significant role in choosing the correct pronoun form.