Learn Korean (TTMIK)

Level 2 lesson 11

Now in this lesson, we are going to look at how to introduce oneself in Korean. Through our previous lessons, we have looked at various tenses, sentence patterns and grammar points, and using what you have already learned, you can already express a lot about yourself. Here in this lesson, we will introduce some more vocabulary words and phrases that are necessary specifically for introducing oneself.

There can be hundreds and thousands of different manners in which one can introduce oneself, but to generalize the self-introduction process by a great deal, you normally deliver these pieces of information:

- name

- age

- place of living

- work

- school

- family members

- hobby

- greetings

You don’t have to try to memorize all the expressions necessary for introducing yourself in Korean as the situation might vary and you might have a lot of information and stories unique to yourself, no single detailed chapter on self-introduction can cover everything you need to know. But basically, the sentences patterns that you get to use a lot are the following:

1. ABC은/는 XYZ이에요. [ABC-eun/neun XYZ-i-e-yo.] = ABC is XYZ.

Ex)

I’m a student. = 저는 학생이에요. [jeo-neun hak-saeng-i-e-yo.]

I’m a teacher. = 저는 선생님이에요. [jeo-neun seon-saeng-nim-i-e-yo.]

I’m James. = 저는 제임스예요. [jeo-neun je-im-seu-ye-yo.]

My name is Taliana. = 제 이름은 탈리아나예요. [je i-reum-eun tal-li-a-na-ye-yo.]

My sister’s name is Megumitch. = 제 여동생 이름은 메구미치예요. [je yeo-dong-saeng i-reum-eun me-gu-mi-chi-ye-yo.]

I am 30 years old. = 저는 30살이에요. [jeo-neun seo-reun-sal-i-e-yo.]

2. ABC은/는 XYZ이/가 [ABC-eun/neun XYZ-i/ga] + VERB = As for ABC, XYZ + VERB.

Ex)

저는 여동생이 있어요. [jeo-neun yeo-dong-saeng-i i-sseo-yo.] = I have a younger sister. (lit. “As for me, a younger sister exists.”)

저는 취미가 수영이에요. [jeo-neun chwi-mi-ga su-yeong-i-e-yo.] = My hobby is swimming. (lit. “As for me, the hobby, swimming is.”)

3. ABC은/는 XYZ에/에서 [ABC-eun/neun XYZ-e/e-seo] + VERB = ABC + VERB + in XYZ.

Ex)

저는 서울에 살아요. [jeo-neun seo-u-re sa-ra-yo.] = I live in Seoul.

저는 은행에서 일해요. [jeo-neun eun-haeng-e-seo il-hae-yo.] = I work in a bank.

저는 대학교에서 중국어를 가르쳐요. [jeo-neun dae-hak-gyo-e-seo jung-gu-geo-reul ga-reu-chyeo-yo.] = I teach Chinese in college.

저는 미국에서 태어났어요. [jeo-neun mi-gu-ge-seo tae-eo-na-sseo-yo.] = I was born in the USA.

Some vocabulary words that you might want to know:

나이 [na-i] = age

취미 [chwi-mi] = hobby

직장 [jik-jang] = workplace

직 업 [ji-geop] = job = 하는 일 [ha-neun il]

사는 곳 [sa-neun got] = place of living

가족 [ga-jok] = family

친척 [chin-cheok] = relatives, extended family

대학생 [dae-hak-saeng] = university student

고등학생 [go-deung-hak-saeng] = high school student

중학생 [jung-hak-saeng] = middle school student

초등학생 [cho-deung-hak-saeng] = elementary school student

Some greetings:

처음 뵙겠습니다. [cheo-eum boep-ge-sseum-ni-da] = How do you do?

반갑습니다. [ban-gap-seum-ni-da] = It’s nice to meet you.

제 명함이에요. [je myeong-ham-i-e-yo] = It’s my business card.

다음에 또 봬요. [da-eu-me tto bwae-yo] = See you again next time.

이야기 많이 들었어요. [i-ya-gi ma-ni deu-reo-sseo-yo] = I’ve heard a lot about you.