Particles

Small words attached to the end of NOUNS to show the words role in the sentence- like subject, object, topic, location, direction, etc.

-은/-는

A Korean topic marker used to indicate the subject or the topic of a sentence, distinguishing between known and new information.

저는 학생이에요: As for me, I am a student 

오늘은 날씨가 좋아요: Today (but maybe not other days) the weather is nice. 

-이/-가

A Korean subject marker is used to indicate a specific subject of a sentence, often highlighting new information or focusing on the noun it follows.

고양이가 귀여워요: The cat is cute

누가 왔어요?: Who came?

제가 했어요: I did it

-을/-를

A Korean object marker used to indicate the direct object of a verb in a sentence, emphasizing what is being acted upon.

밥을 먹어요: I eat rice

책을 읽어요: I read a book 

-에/ -에서

A Korean particle used to indicate location or direction, where "에" marks a stationary position and "에서" indicates the place of action.

학교에 가요: I go to school 

학교에서 공부해요: I study at school. 

-의

A Korean possessive particle that indicates ownership or relationship, linking a noun to another noun to denote possession.

제 친구의 이름은 미나에요: My friends name is Mina

-도

A Korean particle used to indicate inclusion or addition, often translated as "also" or "too" in English.

저도 학생이에요: I am also a student/ I’m a student too

사과도 있어요: There are also apples 

-에게/-한테/ -께 

A Korean particle used to indicate direction towards a person or recipient, where "에게" is generally used in formal contexts and "한테/께" is more casual.

친구에게 말했어요: I talked to/with a friend

친구한테 줬어요: I gave it to a friend

성생님께 드렸어요: I gave it to the teacher

-와/과

Links nouns (like “and”) or shows accompaniment (“with); 과 is used for consonants and 와 for vowels

책과펜: Book and Pen 

사과와바나나: Apple and Banana 

-하고 

Also used for “and”/”with”; more neutral 

친구하고 놀랐어요: I played with my friend

-(이)랑

Also used for “and”/”with” ; casual

고양이랑 놀아요: I played with my/the cat

-부터

from/since; Starting point, often time

오전 9시부터 일해요: I work from 9am 

-까지

to/until; ending point, often time/place

우후 6시까지 일해요: I work until 6pm 

-마다

every, each; used for repetition or regular intervals

하루마다 운동해요: I exercise everyday 

-밖에 (+) Negative Verb 

Nothing but/only; shows limitation or scarcity; always used with a negative verb 

하루에 한 시간밖에 못 자요: I can only sleep an hour a day 

돈이 천 원 밖에 없어요: I only have 1,000 W

-처럼/ -같이

“like” or “as if”; makes a comparison or expresses similarity; “처럼” is slightly more descriptive or poetic; “같이” is more casual/conversational

나비처럼 날아요: I fly like a butterfly

친구같이 지내요: We live like friends

-보다

“than” or “compared to”; Also used with -더 and can be used abstractly

오늘은 어제보다 더워요: Today is hotter than yesterday 

저보다 언니가 더 커요: My sister is taller than me

-조차

“even”/ “not even”; expresses emphasis or extremity (usually negative); Sounds literary, emotional, or formal- expresses disappointment, surprise, or extremity

물 한 모금조차 없어요: There isn’t even a sip of water

이름조차 몰라요: I don’t even know the name 

-만 

“only”/ “just”; restriction or focus on one thing; neutral “only” (unlike 빆에 which feels negative) 

저만 알아요: Only I know

커피만 마셔요: I only drink coffee

오늘만 특별해요: Today is special 

-(이)나

“or”, “as much as”, “even”; connects nouns like “or”

커피나 차 마실래요: Do you want coffee or tea?

10(열) 번이나 갔어요: I went as many as 10 times 

-(이) 라도

“at least” or “even if”; used when speaker lowers expectations or offers an alternative

시간이 없으면 커피라도 한 잔 마시고 가자: If you don’t have time, lets at least have a cup of coffee before leaving

배가 고프면 빵이라도 먹어: If you’re hungry, at least eat some bread

주말에는 하루라도 폭 쉬고 싶어요: I want to rest well for at least one day on the weekend

께써 

*Honorific subject marker”

할아버지께서 편지를 보내셨어요: My grandfather sent me a letter

-에께서/ 한테서

“From (a person)”

친구한테서 좋은 소식 들었어요: I heard good news from my friend

선생님에게 한국어를 배웠어요: I learned korean from my teacher

언니한테서 생일 선물을: I received a gift from my older sister

-으로/로

By means of/ towards/ as; indicated direction, means, cause, or role; “으로” for consonants and “로” for vowels; very flexible meaning, depends on context

버스로 학교에 가요: I go to school by bus

오른쪽으로 가면 은행이 있어요: If you go right, theres a bank

그는 의사로 일하고 있어요: He works as a doctor

-(이)든지 

“any,” “whatever,” “whoever,” “whenever'“; adds flexibility or openess- common in polite or optimistic speech; in conversation it can also soften the tone 

커피든지 차든지 괜찮아요: Either coffee or tea is fine

언제든지 연락하세요: Contact me anytime

누구든지 참여할 수 있어요: Anyone can participate whenever openness

-(이)나마

“at least,” “though its only,” “even if its just”; expresses acceptance with regret or compromise

작은 도음이지만이나마 받아 주세요: Its only small help but please accept it

잠시나마 걱정을 잊을 수 있었어요: I was able to forget my worries, even if only briefly

-뿐(만) 아니라

“not only, but also”; links clauses to expand meaning; formal and smooth- used often in speeches or writings

그는 영어뿐만 아니라 한국어도 잘해요: He speaks not only English but Korean as well

이 식당은 음식뿐만 아니라 서브스도 줗아요: This restaurant has not only good food but good service as well

그녀는 똑똑할 뿐만 아니라 친절해요: She is not only smart nut kind as well

-에다가

“onto,” “in addition to”; adds physical placement or additional action; can also mean “on top of”; used for both physical and abstract stacking

비에다가 바람까지 불었어요: On top of the rain, it was windy too

그는 잘생긴 데다가 성격도 좋아요: Besides being handsome, he also has a good personality

숙제에다가 발표 준비 까지 해야 해요: I have homework to do and prepare for a presentation

-만큼

“as much as” or “to the extent that”; expresses degree or quality of comparison; often paired with adjectives or verbs

노력한 만큼 결과나 나올 거예요: You’ll get results equal to the effort you put in

오늘은 어제만큰 춤지 않아요: Today isn’t as cool as yesterday

먹고 싶은 만큰 드세요: Eat as much as you want

-치고

“for something” or “someone” or “considering”; describes something unusual or exceptional for a given category; slightly judgemental

초부자치고는 정말 잘하네요: For a beginner, youre pretty good

이 식당은 가격이 싼 것치고 맛있어요: For such an inexpensive resturant, its pretty tasty

어린이치고는 매우 침착해요: For a young child, they’re pretty calm

-조차도

“even” or “not even”; stronger version of “조차”; emphasizes extremity or unexpectedness; empathetic, literary, or dramatic

그는 자기 이름조차도 쓰기 못했어요: He couldnt even write his own name

너무 바빠서 밥조차도 못 먹었어요: I was so busy I couldn’t even eat

그녀는 사실조차도 모르고 있었어요: She didn’t even know the truth

-이라도/ -라도/ (+) 좋다, 괜찮다

“even/ would be fine”; shows willingness to accept less than ideal conditions; emotionally softer- suggest compromise, courtesy, or small hope

물이라도 괜찮아요:Even water is fine

잛은 답장이라도 좋으니까 보내 주세요: Even a short reply would be a good one, so please send one

주말에 하루라도 쉬면 좋겠어요: It would be nice if i could rest one day on the weekend

-따라

“Usually” “especially” “In accordance with” “According to” “Along” “Depending on”; when used emotionally, it often means “for some reason, today of all days”,

사람에 따라 생각이 달라요: People’s thoughts change depending on the person

길을 따라 걸어가세요: Walk along the road

-만으로

“Just with” or “by only” “By itself”; indicates sufficiency; soft poetic- implies completeness for simplicity

이 설명만으로 이해하기 어려워요: Its difficult to understand with this explanation alone

하루만으로는 끝늩 수 없어요: It cant be finished in one day

말만으로 믿기 힘들어요: Its hard to believe on words alone

-에의해서

“By” “Through” “According to”; passive or formal context; Formal, written- used in news, reports, and passive voice

그 건물은 유면한 건축가에 의해서 설게되었어요: That building was designed by a famous architect

사고는 운전자의 실수에 의헤서 발성했어요: The accident occured becasue of the driver’s mistake

-대로

“as” “in the way” “just as”; expresses following a pattern, instruction, or condition; often carries a calm or destiny-like tone- “things will happen as they should”

지도에 나온 대로 가세요: Go as shown on the map

생각한 대로 일이 잘됐어요: Things went as expected

본 대로 이야기해 주세요: Tell me exactly as you saw it

-이라서/ 라서

“because it is”; combines could and reason; casual and natural in conversation- reason connects to the state of being 

오늘이 휴일이라서 사람이 많아요: There are many people beacuse it is a holiday today

학생이라서 돈이 많지 않아요: I dont have much money because I am a student

처음이라서 많이 긴장했어요: I was nervous beacuse it was my first time

-에다(가)

similar to “에다가” but focuses more on the physical state of addition and movement

-(이)양말로

exactly, indeed, the very; strong emphasis

-(이)란 

called, known as; labeling, explanation 

(이)라는

called, known as; modifies nouns

-을/를 통해(서)

through/via

-에의하면

according to 

-에따르면

according to (spoken)

-으로 인해

due to/ because of

-이라야

only if 

(이) 커녕