Korean For All 1 Chapter 3 : ~인이에요/이에요, 사람이에요, ~에서 왔어요, ~이/기 아니에요 Nationality in Korean

Mastering Nationality in Korean: Essential Vocabulary & Grammar

When you visit Korea or meet Korean speakers, one of the most common questions you’ll hear is: “Where are you from?” In this lesson, we’ll learn how to express nationality, introduce where we come from, and even negate statements politely.

Essential Vocabulary

Let’s start with some fundamental words you’ll need:

어느 나라 (eoneu nara) – Which country

아니요 (aniyo) – No

네 (ne) – Yes

사람 (saram) – Person

인간 (ingan) – Human

에서 (eseo) – From

왔어요 (wasseoyo) – Came (past form of 오다)

Now let’s look at how to say nationalities in Korean.

Nationality: Using ~인 or ~사람

In Korean, nationality can be expressed in two ways:

1. ~인 (~in) – More formal, used in official contexts.

2. ~사람 (~saram) – Casual, used in everyday conversations.

Here are some examples:

Grammar Focus: Expressing Nationality

To introduce your nationality, use this structure:

🔹 Subject + Country Name + 인이에요 / 사람이에요.

• 저는 한국인이에요. (I am Korean.)
• 소피안 씨는 프랑스 사람이에요. (Sophie is French.)
• 대런 씨는 싱가포르인이에요. (Darren is Singaporean.)
• To say where you are from, use:

🔹 Subject + Country Name + 에서 왔어요.

• 저는 영국에서 왔어요. (I am from the UK.)
• 네이트 씨는 호주에서 왔어요. (Nate is from Australia.)
• 아리엘 씨는 이스라엘에서 왔어요. (Ariel is from Israel.)

Negation: Saying “I Am Not”

Sometimes, you need to correct someone. In Korean, you use 이/가 아니에요 to negate a statement.

🔹 Subject + 이/가 아니에요.

• 저는 혼자가 아니에요. (I’m not alone.)
• 상하 씨는 요리사가 아니에요. (Sangha is not a cook.)
• 저는 베트남 사람이 아니에요. (I am not Vietnamese.)

💡 Grammar Tip:

• If the noun has a 받침 (final consonant), use 이 아니에요.
• If the noun does not have a 받침, use 가 아니에요.

Example practice:

• 마리아 씨는 호주 사람이 아니에요. (Maria is not Australian.)
• 아리 씨는 의사가 아니에요. (Ari is not a doctor.)
• 제니 씨는 베트남 사람이 아니에요. (Jenny is not Vietnamese.)

Let’s Practice!

Try answering these questions in Korean:

1. 당신은 어느 나라 사람이에요? (Which country are you from?)

2. 친구는 미국 사람이에요? (Is your friend American?)

3. 저는 러시아 사람이 아니에요. (I am not Russian.) – Can you write a similar sentence?

Want more practice? Our Korean For All books and the Soo House app offer quizzes, exercises, and even a fun webtoon!

Happy learning! 🇰🇷✨

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