Search from various English teachers...
Irdina Inani
When to use "나","내","저" and "제"
I know "나" and "저" mean "I". While "내" and "제" mean "My". Right?
But I am confused about when I am supposed to use them. How do I choose between "나","저", and "내","제"? I usually just randomly use them when I feel like it should be there hahaha
Mar 7, 2016 7:37 AM
Answers · 2
2
The first case,
내 is contraction of "나의"
제 is contraction of "저의"
의 is a possessive particle similar to 's.
Ex)
나의 책 = 저의 책 = 내 책 = 제 책 = my book
Use 내 and 제 before a noun
The second case,
나 and 저 are changed into 내 and 제 before subject particle 가.
나 + 가 => 내가
저 + 가 => 제가
내가 말했다 = 제가 말했어요 = I said that
나가 말했다(X)
저가 말했다(X)
cf.
나는 말했다 = 저는 말했어요 = I said that
March 7, 2016
1
나 is informal and is usually used with 반말 but can be used with the 요 form too.
저 is a humble (and more polite) form of "I" and is used with the 요 and ㅂ니다 forms.
Likewise, given that 내 and 제 are simply contractions using those two, the same rules apply (내 is informal, 제 is humble aka more polite).
March 7, 2016
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Irdina Inani
Language Skills
English, Korean, Malay
Learning Language
Korean
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