Essential Korean Podcast
Learn how Korean really works, what gets lost in translation, and how to express yourself naturally in real situations. Each episode, Kay샘 explains the nuances of Korean grammar, asks you questions, and practices with you using real-life examples.
Kay샘 is a Korean language educator with 25+ years of experience. She taught at The Ohio State University and Columbia University, and led the Korean program at Portland State University. She is the author of Korean Through Folktales and other Korean learning materials.
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Essential Korean Podcast
59. 누구 vs 누가: How to Use Korean “Who” Words + First-Person Pronouns (나, 저, 내, 제)
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Welcome to the Essential Korean Podcast! I'm Kay샘, here to help you understand the nuances of Korean and develop a deeper, more confident command of the language.
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In this Korean lesson, we break down the difference between 누구 and 누가—two essential Korean question words that both translate to “who,” but are used differently depending on the sentence structure and particles.
You’ll learn how 누가 is used to ask for the subject or doer of an action, while 누구 is used with particles like 하고, 를, and 는 to form questions such as “with whom” or “whom.”
This lesson also includes a practical review of first-person pronouns in Korean—나, 내, 저, and 제—and how they change depending on particles like 이/가, 은/는, 도, and 하고. Through guided repetition and dialogue practice, you’ll see how particles shape meaning, emphasis, and nuance in real Korean sentences.
By the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to:
- Understand the difference between 누구 and 누가
- Ask and answer “who” questions naturally in Korean
- Use first-person pronouns (나, 저, 내, 제) correctly with particles
- Recognize how particles like 이/가 and 은/는 affect meaning and focus
This episode is designed to help you move beyond simple translation and begin understanding how Korean actually works in context.
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