Example Sentences#

1. 민준: 나 친구들이랑 노래방 갈까 생각 중이야.¹
   Minjun: I’m thinking about going to a karaoke room with my friends.
   • 나 is the informal first-person pronoun meaning ‘I’.
2. 하지만 이 긴 벽들이 너무 빨리 가까워져서 이제는 마지막 방에 있고, 저기 구석에 내가 달려가는 덫이 있어.”²
   But these long walls closed in so quickly that now I am in the last room, and over there in the corner is the trap I am running towards.”
   • 나 is the informal first-person pronoun meaning ‘I’, which changes to 내 when combined with 가.
   • 가 is a subject marker that identifies the noun as the entity that performs an action or is in a particular state.
3. 모두 내 안에 머물러³
   It all stays within me
   • 내 is a contraction of 나의, where 나 is the informal first-person pronoun meaning ‘I’, and 의 is the possessive marker, meaning ‘of’.
4. 나도 미쳤고, 너도 미쳤어.”⁴
   I’m mad. You’re mad.”
   • 나 is the informal first-person pronoun meaning ‘I’.
   • 도 is a postpositional particle used to indicate an addition of another thing to something that already exists, suggesting ‘also’ or ‘even’.
5. 네가 내게 다가오는 걸까?⁵
   Could it be you, coming closer to me?
   • 내게 is the combination of 나, the informal first-person pronoun meaning ‘I’, and 에게, a particle indicating the indirect object of an action, meaning ‘to’.
6. 나도 같이 가고 싶었는데!⁶
   I wish I could’ve gone with you!
   • 나 is the informal first-person pronoun meaning ‘I’.
   • 도 is a particle meaning ‘also’ or ‘too’.
7. 태민: 나는 나의 아저씨가 진짜 좋았어.⁷
   Taemin: I really liked ‘My Mister’.
   • 나 is the informal first-person pronoun meaning ‘I’.
   • 는 is a topic marker, indicating what the sentence is about or the topic of discussion. It can emphasize an element, contrast it with another, or set the context for what follows, highlighting the theme rather than the actor and conveying a sense of ‘as for…’ or ‘regarding…’.
8. 내가 하나 먹으면, 너도 하나만 먹는 거야.⁸
   If I eat one, you also eat one.
   • 나 is the informal first-person pronoun meaning ‘I’, which changes to 내 when combined with 가.
   • 가 is a subject marker that identifies the noun as the entity that performs an action or is in a particular state.
9. 끝없이 이어지는 나의 이야기⁹
   My endless story
   • 나 is the informal first-person pronoun meaning ‘I’.
   • 의 is a possessive marker.
10. 소음 속에서 잊혀진 날 찾아¹⁰
    Searching for myself, forgotten in the noise
    • 날 is a contraction of 나를, where 나 is the informal first-person pronoun meaning ‘I’ or ‘me’ and 를 is the object marker.
11. “나는 그 여자를 강 건너편에 내려놓았다.¹¹
    “I set her down on the other side of the river.
    • 나 is the informal first-person pronoun meaning ‘I’.
    • 는 is a topic marker, indicating what the sentence is about or the topic of discussion. It can emphasize an element, contrast it with another, or set the context for what follows, highlighting the theme rather than the actor and conveying a sense of ‘as for…’ or ‘regarding…’.
12. “나를 길들여 줘…” 여우가 말했다.¹²
    “Please tame me…” said the fox.
    • 나 is the informal first-person pronoun meaning ‘I’.
    • 를 is an object marker that identifies the noun as the target directly affected by an action.
13. 난 태어날 때부터 자유 원했어¹³
    I wanted freedom since the day I was born.
    • 난 is a contraction of 나는, where 나 is the informal first-person pronoun meaning ‘I’ and 는 is a topic marker.
14. 곶감이 나보다 더 무섭구나!”¹⁴
    A dried persimmon must be scarier than me!”
    • 나 is the informal first-person pronoun meaning ‘I’.
    • 보다 is a particle meaning ‘than’, marking the subject against which something else is compared. It defaults to implying a greater degree (더, more) unless explicitly stated otherwise with 덜 (less).
15. 나 떡볶이 먹고 싶어.¹⁵
    I want to eat tteokbokki.
    • 나 is the informal first-person pronoun meaning ‘I’.
16. 나 노래 잘 못 부르잖아.¹
    You know I’m not good at singing.
    • 나 is the informal first-person pronoun meaning ‘I’.
17. 그런데 나는 기쁠 때 으르렁거리고, 화가 나면 꼬리를 흔들어.⁴
    But I growl when I’m happy, and I wag my tail when I’m angry.
    • 나 is the informal first-person pronoun meaning ‘I’.
    • 는 is a topic marker, indicating what the sentence is about or the topic of discussion. It can emphasize an element, contrast it with another, or set the context for what follows, highlighting the theme rather than the actor and conveying a sense of ‘as for…’ or ‘regarding…’.
18. 너와 나, 손잡고 달려가⁵
    Let’s hold hands and run
    • 나 is the informal first-person pronoun meaning ‘I’.
19. 지수: 나도 나의 아저씨 좋아해.⁷
    Jisoo: I also like ‘My Mister’.
    • 나 is the informal first-person pronoun meaning ‘I’.
    • 도 is a postpositional particle used to indicate an addition of another thing to something that already exists, suggesting ‘also’ or ‘even’.
20. “라사로, 너는 나를 속였구나.⁸
    “Lazaro, you have deceived me.
    • 나 is the informal first-person pronoun meaning ‘I’.
    • 를 is an object marker that identifies the noun as the target directly affected by an action.