Learn Hangul Grammer 01

📘 Korean Particles: 은/는, 이/가, 을/를

In the Korean language, particles (조사) are small words attached to the end of nouns to indicate the noun's role in a sentence. These are essential because they help identify the subject, object, and topic of a sentence, making word order more flexible compared to English.

Let’s break down the functions and differences between three key particles:

• 은/는 (Topic Particle)
• 이/가 (Subject Particle)
• 을/를 (Object Particle)

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1. Topic Particle 은/는

📌 Function:

• Indicates the topic of a sentence.
• Shows what the speaker is going to talk about.
• Can also be used to compare or contrast.

📘 Forms:

• Use 은 after a noun ending with a consonant.
  Example: 책은 (book)
• Use 는 after a noun ending with a vowel.
  Example: 친구는 (friend)

📌 Examples:

1. 저는 학생입니다.
   → "As for me, I am a student."
2. 이 책은 재미있어요.
   → "As for this book, it is interesting."
3. 이 가방은 예쁘고, 저 가방은 비싸요.
   → "This bag is pretty, and that bag is expensive." (Contrast)

🧠 Tip:

• Think of 은/는 as “as for ~” in English.
• It introduces or shifts the topic of conversation.

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2. Subject Particle 이/가

📌 Function:

• Marks the subject of the sentence.
• Indicates who or what is doing the action or being described.
• Emphasizes new or important information.

📘 Forms:

• Use 이 after a noun ending with a consonant.
  Example: 학생이 (student)
• Use 가 after a noun ending with a vowel.
  Example: 엄마가 (mom)

📌 Examples:

1. 고양이가 집에 있어요.
   → "The cat is at home." (Cat is the subject)
2. 누가 왔어요? → 민수가 왔어요.
   → "Who came? Minsu came." (Answer to "who")
3. 날씨가 좋아요.
   → "The weather is nice."

🧠 Tip:

• Use 이/가 to answer "who?" or "what?" questions.
• It highlights who or what is performing the action or being described.

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3. Object Particle 을/를

📌 Function:

• Marks the object of the verb (the receiver of the action).

📘 Forms:

• Use 을 after a noun ending with a consonant.
  Example: 밥을 (rice/meal)
• Use 를 after a noun ending with a vowel.
  Example: 영화를 (movie)

📌 Examples:

1. 저는 밥을 먹어요.
   → "I eat rice."
2. 그는 영화를 봤어요.
   → "He watched a movie."
3. 아이가 공을 던졌어요.
   → "The child threw the ball."

🧠 Tip:

• Use 을/를 to answer “what?” questions (what did you eat/watch/etc.).

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4. Difference between 은/는 and 이/가

✅ Similarities:

• Both can mark the subject of a sentence.
• Both come after nouns.

❗ Differences:

Particle	Role	Emphasis	Example
은/는	Topic	Known information / Contrast	저는 학생입니다. (As for me, I’m a student.)
이/가	Subject	New or focused information	제가 했어요. (I did it.)

📘 Example Comparison:

• 철수는 학교에 갔어요.
  → "As for Chulsoo, he went to school." (Background topic)
• 철수가 학교에 갔어요.
  → "Chulsoo is the one who went to school." (Focus on the subject)

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5. Practice Examples

✅ Example 1:

• 엄마는 요리를 잘해요.
  → Topic: we’re talking about Mom in general.
• 엄마가 요리를 잘해요.
  → Focus: Mom (not someone else) is good at cooking.

✅ Example 2:

• 저는 사과를 좋아해요.
  → "I like apples." (Apple is the object)

✅ Example 3:

• 민수는 운동을 잘해요.
• 지수는 공부를 잘해요.
  → Comparing Minsu and Jisoo (topic particles used for contrast)

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6. Real-life Learning Tips

• Beginners often confuse 은/는 and 이/가, but communication usually still works even if they’re mixed up.
• Over time, learners will begin to feel when to use each based on exposure and practice.
• Start by focusing on mastering 이/가 and 을/를, then work more with 은/는 as your understanding deepens.

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📌 Final Summary

Particle	Function	When to Use	Example
은/는	Topic	Background info / Contrast	저는, 책은
이/가	Subject	Focus / New info	민수가, 날씨가
을/를	Object	Verb target / Action receiver	밥을, 노래를

Particles are one of the most fundamental parts of Korean grammar. Once you get used to them, your understanding of Korean sentences will improve greatly!