Expressions: Introduction and Describing Ourselves

It's so hilarious to watch the scene when Han Ji-Eun is introducing herself to Lee Yeong-Jae's grandmom. The old lady is so demanding and ,like any other elderly parents, looks intimidating to our timid heroine. Hahaha...The grandma complains when Ji-Eun only nods her head when greeting the elderly, so she wanted Ji-Eun to take a bow (called "chol"). Ji-Eun says, "안녕 하세요, 한지은 이라고 합니다" (Good morning, my name's Han Ji-Eun).Han Ji-Eun does this in a very awkward way and makes me laugh at once.

There are some phrases or gambits Korean natives use to use introduce themselves. Here you can see there are two alternatives that we may use according to level of politeness and formality. If you ask using a sentence with -까, it means you ask in a formal and polite way. Ending -다 is used in the end of formal statement/ positive sentence. Next, 요 indicates a closer relationship between speakers, and may be used both in interrogatives and positive sentences.

이름이 뭐십니까?/이름이 뭐예요?

(i-reum-i mweo-sim-ni-ka?/i-reum-i mweo-ye-yo?)

What's your name?

제 이름은 ......... 입니다/ ......(이) 라고 합니다.

(je i-reum-eun ....im-ni-da/....(i) ra-go ham-ni-da)

My name's .....

예(formal)/네(common)/녜(less common)

(ye/ne/nye)

Yes

아니요/아니오/아니야/이니

(a-ni-yo/a-ni-o/a-ni-ya/a-ni)

No

어디서 왔어요?

(eo-di-seo wass-eo-yo?)

Where're you from?

...... 에서 왔어요.

(.....e-seo wass-eo-yo)

I'm from ....

한국 에 계신지 얼마나 되셨어요?

(Han-guk-e gye-sin-ji eol-ma-na dwe-syeoss-eo-yo?)

How long have you been in Korea?

한국 에 온지 2 년 됐습니다.

(han-guk-e on-ji i-nyeon dwaess-seum-ni-da)

I've been in Korea for 2 years.

한국에 이번이 처음이서요?

(Han-guk-e i-beon-i cheo-eumi-seo-yo?)

Is it your first time in Korea?

이번이 두번째입니다.

(i-beon-i du-beon-cae-im-ni-da)

This is my 2nd time here.

나이가 어떻게 되세요?/ 나이가 몇 살이예요?

(na-i-ga eo-teo-ke dwe-se-yo?/ na-i-ga myeot-sal-i-ye-yo?)

How old are you?

저는 스물다섯살 입니다/저는 스물다섯살 이예요.

(Jeo-neun seu-mul-da-seot-sal im-ni-da/jeo-neun seu-mul-da-seot-sal i-ye-yo)

I'm 25 years old.