You can see in the vocabulary above that the word for "this" is 이 in Korean.
We use 이 in Korean when we are talking about something that is within touching distance (For example: this pen – i.e. the one I am holding). Just like in English "이" (this) is placed before the noun it is describing. For example:
이 사람 = This person
이 남자 = This man
이 여자 = This woman
이 차 = This car
이 탁자 = This table
이 의자 = This chair
Unfortunately, there are two words for "that": 그 and 저. English learners are always confused with the difference between "그" and "저."
We use 그 when we are talking about something from a previous sentence. Providing examples would be too difficult right now because you do not know any Korean sentences. However, if I were to say: "I don't like that man [when your friend mentioned him in a previous sentence]." The word "that" in that sentence would be how "그" is used.
We use 저 when we are talking about something that we can see, but cannot touch because it is too far away.
Just like "이" we can place "그" or "저" before a noun to describe "this" or "that" thing
저 사람 = That person
이 사람 = This person
저 남자 = That man
저 여자 = That woman
저 것 = That thing
그 것 = That thing
이 것 = This thing
그 의자 = That chair
저 탁자 = That table
We can now use these nouns as subjects or objects in a sentence. We will look at how they can be used with "이다" next.
