Key Facts
- Hangul: 나; Revised Romanization: na
- Part of speech: pronoun
- Origin: native
- Register: Casual/plain 'I'; used with friends, family or people of equal or lower status.
I (casual) in Korean: What Does 나 Mean?
나 is the plain first person. It carries no humility, so it fits close relationships and not conversations with elders. Two forms come up constantly: 나는 for the topic and 내가 for the subject. It is a native word with no hanja.
How Do You Pronounce It?
A single syllable, na, with an open a vowel. Keep it short and flat.
Example Sentences with 나
나는 학생이야.
Naneun haksaengiya.
I am a student.
The ending 야 is the casual statement of "is". Everything here is in the plain style a friend would use.
나도 갈래.
Nado gallae.
I will go too.
갈래 is a casual way to say "I will go" or "I want to go", with 도 giving "too".
나한테 말해 줘.
Nahante malhae jwo.
Tell me.
한테 marks the listener, so 나한테 is "to me". 줘 is the casual request to give or do.
Collocations
These forms show how 나 changes with the particle that follows it.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 나는 | as for me (topic) |
| 내가 | I (subject) |
| 나도 | me too |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: 나가 as the subject form.
Correct: 내가. Before 가, 나 changes to 내.
Also remember to switch to 저 with elders and strangers, not 나.
나 Compared with Similar Words
Three words sit directly around 나 in the pronoun system.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 나 | I (casual) | This page's word |
| 저 | I (humble) | Use with elders and strangers. |
| 내 | my / I (before 가) | "My" (short for 나의), and the shape 나 takes before 가. |
| 너 | you (casual) | Matching casual 'you'. |
Two Friends Divide the Work
Jisu and Minho are clearing the table after dinner. They already speak casually to each other. Listen for how Minho volunteers and Jisu offers to join him.
Jisu
누가 설거지할 거야?
Nuga seolgeojihal geoya?
Who is going to wash the dishes?
Minho
내가 할게.
Naega halge.
I’ll do it.
Jisu
나도 도와줄게.
Nado dowajulge.
I’ll help too.
Minho
그럼 나한테 접시 좀 줘.
Geureom nahante jeopsi jom jwo.
Then pass me the plates, please.
내가 answers the question “who?” by identifying the person doing the job. 나도 adds another person to the activity. 나한테 identifies the person receiving the plates. English changes between “I” and “me”; Korean keeps 나 and uses particles to show its role.
Which Form of 나 Belongs in the Sentence?
나 does not change just because English uses “me”. The particle after it does the work. 나를 is “me” as an object, while 나에게 or the conversational 나한테 means “to me”. The shorter 날 can replace 나를 in casual speech, songs and dialogue.
나는 introduces you as the topic, often when comparing your situation with someone else’s. 내가 identifies you as the subject, especially when someone asks who did something. Both can translate as “I”, so choosing between them is about the conversation, not an English case rule.
내 is also the everyday possessive “my”. 내 가방 means “my bag”, with a space between the words. 내가 has no space because 가 is attached as a particle. Seeing 내 at the start does not make both expressions possessive: the rest of the phrase matters.
Useful Expressions beyond “I”
나 혼자 means “by myself”. The literal idea is “I, alone”; it can describe doing a task without help or being the only person present. 나 혼자만 adds the sense of “only me”, which may sound lonely or unfair depending on the situation.
나만 means “only me”, while 나부터 means “starting with me” or “me first”. 나부터 is useful when taking turns: the speaker offers to begin. Neither expression needs a separate English-style subject pronoun added before it.
나도 is a natural “me too” after a positive statement. After a friend says they are not going, 나도 can mean “me neither”, because the negative idea is understood. The phrase adds you to the previous statement; it does not always translate with English “too”.
Where Will You Hear 나?
나 is common in conversations between close friends, inner thoughts in dramas, personal lyrics and diary writing. A diary has no listener who needs a polite introduction, so 나 is natural even when the writer would use 저 in a public conversation.
Age alone does not settle the choice. An unfamiliar younger adult may still be someone you address politely. Start with 저 when introducing yourself to strangers, teachers or staff. Within a family, pronoun choices follow the relationship and household habits; listen before copying a drama character’s casual speech.
Korean also leaves out “I” when the speaker is obvious. An answer about your own plans can simply give the plan. Repeating 나는 at the start of every sentence can make ordinary conversation sound like a series of contrasts.
| Related form | Meaning | Useful next step |
|---|---|---|
| 저 | I, humble | Use for a polite introduction. |
| 제 | my, humble | The possessive partner of 저. |
| 우리 | we / our | Common in expressions about family and shared places. |
| 너 | you, casual | Use within an established casual relationship. |
The pronouns lesson brings these personal forms together.
Quick Self-Test
- Which form answers “Who will do it?”: 나는 or 내가?
- How do you say “my bag” using the casual possessive?
- Does being older than a stranger automatically make 나 suitable?
Show answers
- 내가 identifies the person doing the action.
- 내 가방, with a space before the noun.
- No. Familiarity and the relationship matter; 저 is the safer starting point.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say casual "I" in Korean?
Say 나 (na).
What is the subject form of 나?
내가, not 나가.
Who can I use 나 with?
Friends, family and people of equal or lower status.
What is the matching casual "you"?
너.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Pronouns lines up 나 with the other pronouns.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- For the matching casual "you", see you (casual).
- For the humble form used with elders and strangers, see I (humble).