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In Korean, 이것, 그것, and 저것 are used to refer to “this,” “that,” and “that over there,” without naming the actual object. In everyday speech, you’ll often hear their shortened casual forms: 이거, 그거, and 저거.
Here’s how they work:
- 이것 [igeot] → 이거 [igeo]: “This thing” – For something near the speaker.
Example: 이거 뭐예요? (What is this?)
- 그것 [geugeot] → 그거 [geugeo]: “That thing” – For something near the listener or something previously mentioned.
Example: 그거 주세요 (Please give me that).
- 저것 [jeogeot] → 저거 [jeogeo]: “That thing over there” – For something far from both of you.
Example: 저거 예뻐요 (That over there is pretty) or (That is pretty).
The shortened forms are more commonly used in everyday conversations, so they’re good to know when speaking naturally.
Note: The words 이, 그, and 저 function as demonstrative adjectives (this, that, that over there) when used alone. However, when you add 것 (or its shortened form 거), they become demonstrative pronouns that refer to specific objects or concepts.
