My Korean Grammar & Usage Note #1: 이/ 그/ 저 N – This/ That/ That

01 The object is near the speaker, far from the listener.

이 Noun

시계는 제 시계예요.
i sigyeneun je sigyeyeyo
This watch is my watch.

02 The object is far from the speaker, near the listener (can be seen).

그 Noun

책은 한국어 책이에요.
geu chaegeun hangugeo chaegieyo
That book is a Korean book.

** Another meaning: when the object is not visible to both the speaker and the listener (cannot be seen).

03 The object is far from both speaker and listener.

저 Noun

사람은 재민 씨예요.
jeo sarameun jaemin ssiyeyo
That person is Jaemin.

04 이/ 그/ 저 + 것 (thing) – used to point at things.

이거/ 그거/ 저거 are colloquial forms of 이것/ 그것/ 저것

이거는 우유예요.
igeoneun uyuyeyo
This is milk.

그거는 사전이에요.
geugeoneun sajeonieyo
That is a dictionary.

저거는 책이에요?
jeogeoneun chaegieyo
Is that a book?

05 The shortened forms

이게/ 그게/ 저게 or 이건/ 그건/ 저건

The shortened forms of 이/그/저 + 것 (thing) + subject marker 이

이것이 = 이게 = 이거
그것이 = 그게 = 이거
저것이 = 저게 = 이거

The shortened forms of 이/그/저 + 것 (thing) + object marker 을

이것을 = 이걸 = 이거
그것을 = 그걸 = 이거
저것을 = 저걸 = 이거

The shortened forms of 이/그/저 + 것 (thing) + marker 은 >> with a slight emphasis on the object indicated.

이것은 = 이건
그것은 = 그건
저것은 = 저건

이게 무슨 책이에요?
ige museun chaegieyo
What kind of book is this?

What is this? = 이게 뭐예요? (informal) = 이것이 무엇입니까? (formal)

What is this? = 이건 뭐예요? (informal) = 이것은 무엇입니까? (formal)

Extra:

The form shown below follow the same rule of ‘이/그/저’.

여기/ 저기/ 거기 – Here/ There/ There
이런/ 저런/ 그런 – This kind of/ That kind of/ That kind of
이렇게/ 저렇게/ 그렇게 – In this way/ In that way/ In that way

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