How to Talk About Family in Korean: Possessive Adjectives and Key Phrases
Learn to say 'I have two sisters' or 'My parents live abroad' in Korean. Master possessive adjectives and family vocabulary for beginner conversations.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
Talking about family is a common early conversation topic in Korean. Unlike introducing yourself with personal details like your name or job, family talk focuses on relationships. In Korean, possession is shown with the particle 의, but it's often omitted in everyday speech. This lesson teaches you how to say who is in your family, how many siblings you have, and where they live. You'll learn essential family words and the patterns to connect them. By the end, you can share basic facts about your family naturally.
By the end, you can…
- name common family members in Korean.
- say how many siblings I have using counters.
- use possessive adjectives to talk about my family.
- say where my family lives.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
저는 여동생이 두 명 있어요.
I have two younger sisters.
jeo-neun yeo-dong-saeng-i du myeong isseoyo.
Use 여동생 for younger sister, 두 명 for two people (counter for people).
우리 부모님은 해외에 사세요.
My parents live abroad.
uri bumo-nim-eun hae-oe-e saseyo.
우리 (uri) literally 'our' is used for 'my' with family. 사세요 is honorific for 'live'.
저는 형이 한 명 있어요.
I have one older brother.
jeo-neun hyeong-i han myeong isseoyo.
형 is used by males for older brother. Females use 오빠.
우리 가족은 네 명이에요.
My family has four people.
uri gajok-eun ne myeong-ieyo.
Use this to state family size. 네 명 means four people.
우리 어머니는 서울에 계세요.
My mother is in Seoul.
uri eomeo-ni-neun seoul-e gyeseyo.
계세요 is the honorific form of 있다 (to be/exist) for people you respect.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To say 'I have [family member]', use: 저는 + [family member] + 이/가 + [number] + 명 + 있어요. For example, 저는 남동생이 한 명 있어요 (I have one younger brother). The particle 이/가 marks the family member as the subject of existence. If the family member ends in a consonant, use 이; if in a vowel, use 가. The counter 명 is used for counting people. To say 'My [family member]', you can use 우리 (our) instead of 저의 (my) for family, which is more natural in Korean. For example, 우리 아버지 (my father).
When to use it
Use these patterns when someone asks about your family, such as 가족이 어떻게 되세요? (What is your family like?). You can also volunteer information. For instance, if you want to say 'My parents live abroad', use 우리 부모님은 해외에 사세요. Note that 사세요 is the honorific form of 살다 (to live). When talking about your own family, it's polite to use honorifics for parents and grandparents, but not for younger siblings. For example, 우리 할머니는 부산에 사세요 (My grandmother lives in Busan).
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
가족이 어떻게 되세요?
What is your family like?gajok-i eotteoke doeseyo?저는 여동생이 두 명 있어요. 그리고 부모님은 해외에 사세요.
I have two younger sisters. And my parents live abroad.jeo-neun yeo-dong-saeng-i du myeong isseoyo. geurigo bumo-nim-eun hae-oe-e saseyo.아, 그래요? 저는 형이 한 명 있어요.
Oh, really? I have one older brother.a, geuraeyo? jeo-neun hyeong-i han myeong isseoyo.형은 어디에 사세요?
Where does your older brother live?hyeong-eun eodi-e saseyo?A little context goes a long way
In Korean, using 우리 (our) instead of 저의 (my) for family members is standard and expresses closeness. For example, 우리 어머니 (our mother) is more natural than 저의 어머니. Also, when referring to someone else's family, use honorific titles like 어머님 instead of 어머니, and use the honorific verb 계시다 instead of 있다. This shows respect.
One thing to watch for
Using 저의 for 'my' with family members, as in 저의 어머니.
Try this instead: Use 우리 for family members: 우리 어머니. 저의 is grammatically correct but sounds distant and unnatural in everyday conversation.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'I have one older sister' if you are female?
Show a sample answer
저는 언니가 한 명 있어요.
언니 is used by females for older sister. The counter 한 명 means one person. If you are male, you would use 누나 instead.
2Translate: 'My father lives in Busan.'
Show a sample answer
우리 아버지는 부산에 사세요.
Use 우리 for 'my' with family. 사세요 is the honorific form of 살다. You could also say 아버지께서 부산에 사세요, but the subject particle 께서 is more formal.
3How would you ask 'Do you have siblings?' in Korean?
Show a sample answer
형제가 있어요?
형제 means siblings (brothers and sisters). The polite question form is 있어요? You can also say 형제자매가 있어요? to be more inclusive.
Use 우리 for 'my' with family, count people with 명, and use honorific verbs like 사세요 and 계세요 for parents and older relatives. Practice these patterns to talk about your family naturally.
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