What is the difference between jega and (from the last

What is the difference between jega and (from the last lesson) jeon? They both mean ‘I’ so I’m a little confused.

The pronoun “I” in Korean is 나 in plain form, and 저 in a polite language (저 is humble form, thus honoring the listener).
When 나 or 저 combines with particles like 가, it sometimes changes form to make pronunciation smoother.

In summary the three most important combinations for 저 and 나 :

  • 나는: 나 + 는 (topic marker). Often contracted to 난.

  • 내가: 나 + 가 (subject maker) => 내가

  • 나를: 나 + 를 (object marker). Often contracted to 날.

  • 저는: 저 + 는 (topic marker). Often contracted to 전.

  • 제가: 저 + 가 (subject maker) => 제가

  • 저를: 저 + 를 (object marker). Often contracted to 절.

The difference between 저는 (or 전) and 제가 is not so simple as to be explained in a few sentences.

Briefly, 은/는 is the “topic” marker. It can mark the subject as well as other parts of the sentence like the object.
It plays the important role of referring to something to make it the focus of the talk.
It opens a discourse about something in the foreground, which is the most common way to talk about something.

이/가 on the other hand can only mark the subject, and its connotation is a little different.
It usually plays the lesser role of providing specific information, in a subordinate function.
So it is often used in a sub-clause to supply facts to more important parts of the sentence.

For example:

  • 나는 이 학교를 다녔어: I attended this school. (“I” is the topic and subject)
  • 이것은 내가 다녔던 학교야: This is the school I attended.
    ** 이것 is the topic in the main clause, so 은, while 나 in the sub-clause gets 가.
    ** The sentence is about 이것, and 나 has the lesser role of modifying 학교 - a typical 은/는, 이/가 relationship.

The above main vs subordinate distinction might get a little blurred if the sentence is in isolation.

In the case of the lesson examples, there is a difference in nuance:

  • 네, 제가 조지예요: “가” - I am only stating that I, not someone else, am George, and no more than that.
  • 저는 조지예요: “는” - I say I am George and make myself the topic. I probably want to talk more about myself.

These points are only a start, however. There is a lot more to this subject.