Key Facts
- Hangul: 저; Revised Romanization: jeo
- Part of speech: pronoun
- Origin: native
- Register: Humble form of 'I', used with elders and in polite or formal speech.
I in Korean: What Does 저 Mean?
저 lowers the speaker slightly out of respect, which is why it suits strangers, teachers and older people. A different word, also spelled 저, means "that over there", as in 저 사람. Context separates the two. It is a native word with no hanja.
How Do You Pronounce It?
One syllable, jeo. Start with j, then the vowel ㅓ (eo), an open sound close to the "u" in "cup", with the lips unrounded. It is not the "o" of "go".
Example Sentences with 저
저는 학생이에요.
Jeoneun haksaengieyo.
I am a student.
The ending 이에요 is the polite "am". This is the standard self-introduction, and 학생 means student.
저는 서울에 살아요.
Jeoneun seoure sarayo.
I live in Seoul.
저는 sets "I" as the topic, and 서울에 is the city. 살아요 means live.
저도 한국 음식을 좋아해요.
Jeodo hanguk eumsigeul joahaeyo.
I like Korean food too.
저도 puts 도 after 저 for "I too". The sentence agrees with what someone else just said.
Collocations
Three forms show how 저 changes with the particle that follows it.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 저는 | as for me (topic) |
| 제가 | I (subject) |
| 저도 | me too |
The Mistake to Avoid
Learners attach the subject marker 가 to 저 without changing it.
Wrong: 저가
Correct: 제가. Before 가, 저 changes to 제. The casual 나 follows the same pattern and becomes 내가.
저 Compared with Similar Words
Three nearby words are easy to confuse with 저.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 저 | I (humble) | This page's word, for elders and polite speech |
| 나 | I (casual) | Used with friends and juniors. |
| 제 | my / I (before 가) | "My" (short for 저의), and the shape 저 takes before 가. |
| 저 (that) | that over there | Another meaning: 저 사람 'that person'. |
In Class: Volunteering and Introducing Yourself
A teacher invites someone to speak first. Minsu volunteers, then begins a self-introduction. The exchange gives two forms of 저 different jobs.
Teacher
누가 먼저 할까요?
Nuga meonjeo halkkayo?
Who would like to go first?
Learner
제가 할게요.
Jega halgeyo.
I’ll do it.
Teacher
그럼 소개해 주세요.
Geureom sogaehae juseyo.
Then please introduce yourself.
Learner
저는 민수예요. 만나서 반가워요.
Jeoneun Minsuyeyo. Mannaseo bangawoyo.
I’m Minsu. Nice to meet you.
제가 answers the question “who?” It identifies Minsu as the person taking the turn. 저는 then introduces Minsu as the topic for the information that follows: the speaker's name.
The difference is not an English contrast between “I” and “me”. Both forms can translate as “I”. Korean marks how the speaker fits into the sentence, so the particle changes even when the English pronoun stays the same.
Forms You Need after the First Introduction
저를 means “me” as the object of an action. 를 attaches directly to 저. In 저를 도와주세요, “please help me”, the speaker receives the help. This differs from 제가 할게요, where the speaker performs the action.
저한테 means “to me” in everyday conversation. In 저한테 주세요, “please give it to me”, it names the recipient. 저에게 has the same basic recipient meaning and is also common in writing. Neither form needs the change to 제 that occurs before 가.
제 is the short possessive form of 저의, “my”. 제 이름 means “my name”, and 제 친구 means “my friend”. The noun immediately after 제 shows that it is possessive. In 제가, by contrast, 가 is the subject particle rather than a noun.
저도요 is a useful short response meaning “me too”. 도 contributes “also”, and 요 keeps the reply polite. It works when the earlier statement clearly applies to you as well. It does not agree to every kind of question: the previous turn supplies what you are sharing.
Do You Need to Say 저 in Every Sentence?
No. Korean often leaves the speaker unstated once the conversation makes the person clear. After introducing yourself with 저는, you can describe your work or interests without restarting every sentence with the same pronoun.
Keeping 저 can be useful when the speaker changes. If several people are answering a teacher's question, 제가 identifies your own answer or offer. If you are already the only person describing your routine, repeatedly adding 저는 can sound heavy.
저는 can also contrast you with someone else. In a conversation about occupations, one person may be a teacher while you are a student. The topic form makes room for that comparison; it is not restricted to the first sentence of an introduction.
Where Will You Hear 저, and How Polite Is It?
저 is common in lessons, service conversations, interviews and introductions to unfamiliar adults. It presents the speaker humbly. 나 is more familiar and belongs in relationships where casual wording is appropriate.
The pronoun and sentence ending have separate jobs. 저 identifies the speaker humbly; an ending such as 요 addresses the listener politely. In 저는 학생이에요, both choices fit the same polite introduction.
When referring to yourself as the person doing an action, 저 does not call for an honorific verb that elevates you. In 제가 할게요, the ordinary doing verb is enough. Humble self-reference and respect for another person's action serve different purposes.
The identical spelling 저 can also point to something distant. In 저 사람, “that person over there”, 저 describes the following noun. In 저는 학생이에요, it stands for the speaker. Look at the sentence structure before assigning the meaning.
Pronouns and Possessives to Learn Next
| Korean | Meaning | Useful distinction |
|---|---|---|
| 나 | I; me, familiar | The everyday counterpart in casual relationships. |
| 내가 | I, familiar subject | The subject form of 나, parallel to 제가. |
| 제 | my, humble | Put it before a noun such as 이름, “name”. |
| 저희 | we; us, humble | Refers to the speaker's group humbly. |
| 우리 | we; us; our | Also appears in familiar expressions such as 우리 집. |
The pronouns lesson puts these forms together. Learn each pronoun with the particle or noun that follows it, rather than assigning every form one fixed English translation.
Quick Self-Test
- Which form directly identifies who will do it: 제가 or 제?
- What does 제 mean in 제 이름?
- Must every sentence about yourself begin with 저는?
Show answers
- 제가. The object form of 저 is 저를.
- “My”, in a humble form: “my name”.
- No. Leave it out when the speaker is already clear.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "I" in Korean?
Say 저 (jeo) in polite or humble speech.
What is the subject form of 저?
제가, not 저가.
How do you say "me too"?
저도.
Does 저 have another meaning?
Yes. 저 also means "that over there", as in 저 사람.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Pronouns lines up 저 with the other pronouns.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- For the casual form used with friends, see I (casual).