누구 (nugu) - Who

누구 means "who" in Korean. It's used to ask about people's identity or to ask which person did something.

Basic Form

누구 (Who)

Basic question word for people:

• 누구예요? (Who is it?)
• 누구세요? (Who are you? - polite)
• 저 사람은 누구예요? (Who is that person?)

Important: 누구 → 누가 (Subject)

Special Subject Form

When 누구 is the subject, it becomes 누가:

누가 = 누구 + 가 (subject particle):

• 누가 왔어요? (Who came?)
• 누가 했어요? (Who did it?)
• 누가 이거 먹을 거예요? (Who will eat this?)

NOT: 누구가 (This is wrong!)

Why This Happens

Linguistic contraction:

• 누구 + 가 → 누가 (natural phonetic change)
• This is similar to how 나 + 가 → 내가 (I - subject)

With Particles

Subject: 누가

Who (as subject):

• 누가 전화했어요? (Who called?)
• 누가 먼저 왔어요? (Who came first?)
• 누가 만들었어요? (Who made it?)

Object: 누구를

Who (as object):

• 누구를 만났어요? (Who did you meet?)
• 누구를 좋아해요? (Who do you like?)
• 누구를 기다려요? (Who are you waiting for?)

Contracted: 누굴 (casual)

• 누굴 만났어요? (Who did you meet?)

With: 누구랑/누구하고

Who...with:

• 누구랑 갔어요? (Who did you go with?)
• 누구하고 살아요? (Who do you live with?)
• 누구랑 이야기했어요? (Who did you talk with?)

Possessive: 누구의

Whose:

• 누구의 책이에요? (Whose book is it?)
• 이게 누구의 거예요? (Whose is this?)
• 누구의 차예요? (Whose car is it?)

Contracted: 누구 거 (casual)

• 이거 누구 거예요? (Whose is this?)

To/For: 누구에게/한테

Who...to/for:

• 누구에게 전화했어요? (Who did you call?)
• 누구한테 들었어요? (Who did you hear it from?)
• 누구한테 줄 거예요? (Who will you give it to?)

From: 누구에게서/한테서

Who...from:

• 누구에게서 받았어요? (Who did you receive it from?)
• 누구한테서 들었어요? (Who did you hear it from?)

Common Usage Patterns

Asking Identity

Who is this person:

• 누구예요? (Who is it?)
• 저 사람은 누구예요? (Who is that person?)
• 이분은 누구세요? (Who is this person? - polite)
• 그 사람이 누구예요? (Who is that person?)

Asking About Actions

Who did something:

• 누가 했어요? (Who did it?)
• 누가 왔어요? (Who came?)
• 누가 말했어요? (Who said it?)
• 누가 먹었어요? (Who ate it?)

Asking About Relationships

Who someone is with/to:

• 누구랑 갔어요? (Who did you go with?)
• 누구를 만났어요? (Who did you meet?)
• 누구한테 전화했어요? (Who did you call?)

Asking About Possession

Whose something is:

• 이거 누구 거예요? (Whose is this?)
• 누구의 가방이에요? (Whose bag is it?)
• 그게 누구 책이에요? (Whose book is that?)

Compound Forms

누구든지 (Whoever/Anyone)

Anyone at all:

• 누구든지 좋아요 (Anyone is fine)
• 누구든지 올 수 있어요 (Anyone can come)
• 누구든지 물어보세요 (Ask anyone)

누군가 (Someone)

Someone (not specific):

• 누군가 왔어요 (Someone came)
• 누군가 찾고 있어요 (Someone is looking for you)
• 누군가 필요해요 (I need someone)

아무도 (No one - with negative)

No one/nobody:

• 아무도 없어요 (No one is here)
• 아무도 안 왔어요 (No one came)
• 아무도 모르겠어요 (No one knows)

Note: 아무도 requires negative verb

Politeness Levels

Casual (반말)

• 누구야? (Who is it?)
• 누가 왔어? (Who came?)
• 누구 거야? (Whose is it?)

Polite (해요체)

• 누구예요? (Who is it?)
• 누가 왔어요? (Who came?)
• 누구 거예요? (Whose is it?)

Formal (합니다체)

• 누구입니까? (Who is it?)
• 누가 왔습니까? (Who came?)

Honorific

• 누구세요? (Who are you? - respectful)
• 누가 오셨어요? (Who came? - honorific)
• 어느 분이세요? (Who is it? - very polite)

Note: For very polite "who," use 어느 분 (which person - honorific)

Common Expressions

Identity Questions

• 누구세요? (Who are you? / Who is it?)
• 이름이 뭐예요? (What's [your] name?)
• 저 사람 누구예요? (Who is that person?)

Action Questions

• 누가 했어요? (Who did it?)
• 누가 이겼어요? (Who won?)
• 누가 알아요? (Who knows?)
• 누가 시작할까요? (Who will start?)

Relationship Questions

• 누구 친구예요? (Whose friend are you? / Who's your friend?)
• 누구랑 친해요? (Who are you close with?)
• 누구 편이에요? (Whose side are you on?)

Phone Calls

• 누구세요? (Who is this? - on phone)
• 누구 찾으세요? (Who are you looking for?)
• 누구한테 전화하세요? (Who are you calling?)

Example Sentences

Basic Identity

• 저 사람은 누구예요? (Who is that person?)
• 그분은 누구세요? (Who is that person? - polite)
• 이 아이는 누구예요? (Who is this child?)

Actions

• 누가 문을 열었어요? (Who opened the door?)
• 누가 전화했어요? (Who called?)
• 누가 이 케이크를 만들었어요? (Who made this cake?)
• 누가 먼저 끝냈어요? (Who finished first?)

Relationships

• 누구랑 살아요? (Who do you live with?)
• 누구를 제일 좋아해요? (Who do you like the most?)
• 누구한테 배웠어요? (Who did you learn from?)

Possession

• 이거 누구 거예요? (Whose is this?)
• 누구의 전화기예요? (Whose phone is it?)
• 이 가방은 누구의 가방이에요? (Whose bag is this?)

Example Dialogues

Dialogue 1: Meeting Someone

A: 안녕하세요. 누구세요?
(Hello. Who are you?)

B: 저는 민수예요. 영희 친구예요.
(I'm Minsu. I'm Yeonghi's friend.)

Dialogue 2: Phone Call

A: 여보세요, 누구세요?
(Hello, who is this?)

B: 저 철수예요. 민수 씨 계세요?
(This is Cheolsu. Is Minsu there?)

Dialogue 3: Investigation

A: 누가 이거 먹었어요?
(Who ate this?)

B: 제가 먹었어요. 미안해요.
(I ate it. I'm sorry.)

Dialogue 4: Lost Item

A: 이 지갑 누구 거예요?
(Whose wallet is this?)

B: 제 거예요. 고맙습니다!
(It's mine. Thank you!)

Common Mistakes

❌ Incorrect: 누구가 왔어요?

Don't use 누구가

✅ Correct: 누가 왔어요?

Use 누가 (contraction)

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❌ Incorrect: 누구이에요?

Wrong particle

✅ Correct: 누구예요?

누구 + 예요

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❌ Incorrect: 누가를

Mixing subject form with object particle

✅ Correct: 누구를 or 누가

누구를 (object) or 누가 (subject only)

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❌ Incorrect: 아무도 있어요

Positive verb with 아무도

✅ Correct: 아무도 없어요

아무도 requires negative

Usage Notes

누가 vs 누구

Always use 누가 for subject:

• ✅ 누가 했어요? (Who did it?)
• ❌ 누구가 했어요? (Wrong!)

Use 누구 with other particles:

• 누구를 (object)
• 누구의 (possessive)
• 누구랑 (with)

Polite Question: 어느 분

More polite than 누구:

• 어느 분이세요? (Who are you? - very polite)
• 어느 분을 찾으세요? (Who are you looking for? - very polite)

Honorific Context

When asking about elders/superiors:

• 누가 오셨어요? (Who came? - honorific verb)
• 어느 분이세요? (Who is it? - very polite)

Summary Table

Form	Usage	Example
누구	Basic who	누구예요?
누가	Who (subject)	누가 왔어요?
누구를	Who (object)	누구를 만났어요?
누구랑	Who...with	누구랑 갔어요?
누구의	Whose	누구의 책?
누구한테	Who...to/from	누구한테 들었어요?
누구든지	Whoever/anyone	누구든지 좋아요
누군가	Someone	누군가 왔어요

Key Takeaways

• ✅ 누가 is special: 누구 + 가 = 누가 (never 누구가)
• ✅ Takes particles: 누구를, 누구랑, 누구의, 누구한테
• ✅ Polite form: 어느 분 for very polite situations
• ✅ Essential question word: Must master for asking about people
• ✅ Common in daily life: Used constantly in conversation
• ✅ Remember contractions: 누굴 (누구를), 누구 거 (누구의 것)

누구 is fundamental for asking about people in Korean. Master the special subject form 누가 and all particle combinations to ask "who" questions naturally in any situation.