[Korean Grammar] Subject+은/는, Object+은/는

 

 

0. Before today's lesson

 1) Korean word order & Concept of postposition

  There is already a good article about it. So I recommend you to read the previous article first : 

 [Korean Grammar] Subject+이/가, Object+을/를

[Korean Grammar] Subject+이/가, Object+을/를

 

 2) Auxiliary Particle

  There is an auxiliary particle in Korean language. It's a proposition that is placed to an end of noun, adjective, adverb, and conjugation adding a special meaning. It can be used after subjective or objective noun. In this lesson, we are going to learn when and how to use it replacing 이/가 or 을/를.

 

 

Common Idea

* Pronunciation : 은[eun], 는[neun]

1. 은 : used after a word ending in a consonant
2. 는 : used after a word ending in a vowel

 

 

 

 

1. Subject+은/는

'은/는' are auxiliary particles and can be written after the subject instead of '이/가' in the following cases :

 

 1) Already mentioned or known subject

• 저는 한국사람이에요. (I'm Korean.)
• 엄마는 바빠요. (Mom is busy.)
• 선생님은 친절해요. (The teacher is kind.)
• 앨리스 씨는 독서를 좋아해요. (Alice likes reading a book.)
• 그 음악은 아름다워요. (The music is beautiful.)
• 그 학생은 늦잠을 자요. (The student oversleeps.)
• 그녀는 의사를 꿈꿔요. (She dreams of being a doctor.)

 

Words ending in a consonant : 선생님, 음악, 학생 + 은

Words ending in a vowel : 저, 엄마, 앨리스 씨, 그녀 + 는

 

 

 2) Subject in general fact

• 지구는 둥글어요. (The earth is round.)
• 기차는 빨라요. (The train is fast.)
• 사람은 잠을 자요. (People sleep.)
• 게임은 재미있어요. (The game is fun.)
• 물은 위에서 아래로 흘러요. (The water flows from top to bottom.)
• 한국은 아름다워요. (Korea is beautiful.)
• 해는 서쪽으로 져요. (The sun sets in the west.)

Words ending in a consonant : 사람, 게임, 물, 한국 + 은

Words ending in a vowel : 지구, 기차, 해 + 는

 

 

 3) Showing difference compared to another

• 나는 학교에 가고 아빠는 회사에 가요. (I go to school and my dad goes to work.)
• 개는 산책을 좋아하고 고양이는 낮잠을 좋아해요. (Dogs like to go for walks and cats like to take naps.)
• 아빠는 청소하고 엄마는 요리해요. (Dad cleans and mom cooks.)
• 삼촌은 한국에 살고 고모는 미국에 살아요. (Uncle lives in Korea and aunt lives in the US.)
• 노트북은 무겁고 핸드폰은 가벼워요. (Laptops are heavy and cell phones are light.)
• 새는 날지만 닭은 못 날아요. (Birds can fly but chickens cannot fly.)
• 발은 크지만 손은 작아요. (My feet are big but hands are small.)

 

Words ending in a consonant : 삼촌, 노트북, 핸드폰, 닭, 발, 손 + 은

Words ending in a vowel : 나, 아빠, 개, 고양이, 엄마, 고모, 새 + 는

 

 

 

 

2. Object+은/는

'은/는' are auxiliary particles and can be written after the object instead of '을/를' in the following cases :

 

 1) Showing difference compared to another

• 비는 싫은데 눈은 좋아요. (I don't like rain, but I like snow.)
• 그는 전화는 잘 안 하지만 문자는 많이 해요. (He doesn't speak on the phone much, but texts a lot.)
• 아이가 밥은 안 먹고 간식은 많이 먹어요. (The child doesn't have a meal but eats a lot of snacks.)
• 민지가 스케이트는 좋아하지만 스키는 안 좋아해요. (Minji likes skating but doesn't like skiing.)
• 기사님이 버스 운전은 하지만 기차 운전은 못 해요. (The driver can drive a bus but cannot drive a train.)

 

Words ending in a consonant : 눈, 밥, 간식, 운전 + 은

Words ending in a vowel : 비, 전화, 문자, 스케이트, 스키 + 는

 

 

 2) Emphasizing

• 아무리 바빠도 밥은 먹어야 돼요. (However busy it is, you have to have a meal.)
• 시험 전에 단어는 다 외워야지. (I have to memorize the words before the test.)
• 편지는 못 쓰겠어요. (I cannot write a letter. ➡ Might be able to do anything else, but can never write a letter)
• 동생이 사과는 좋아해요. (Younger brother likes apple. ➡ Cannot be sure about other fruits, but likes apple)
• 그 책은 다 읽었어요. (I have read the book. ➡ Might not read other books, but have only read the book)

 

Words ending in a consonant : 밥, 책 + 은

Words ending in a vowel : 단어, 편지, 사과 + 는

 

 

 

 

Quiz! Fill the blank with the correct auxiliary particle between 은/는

1. 한국어___ 쉬워요.
2. 아프리카 대륙___ 커요.
3. 저___ 24살이에요.
4. 누나___ 공부하고 동생___ 놀아요.
5. 비___ 여름에 오고 눈___ 겨울에 와요.

1. 한국어는 쉬워요. (Korean is easy.)
2. 아프리카대륙은 커요. (The African continent is large.)
3. 저는 24살이에요. (I'm 24 years old.)
4. 누나는 공부하고 동생은 놀아요. (Older sister studies, and younger sister plays.)
5. 비는 여름에 오고 눈은 겨울에 와요. (Rain drops in summer and snow drops in winter.)

 

1. 그가 수학___ 좋아하지만 지리___ 싫어해요.
2. 앨리스 씨가 노래___ 잘 하지만 춤___ 못 춰요.
3. 제가 한국어___ 가르쳐줄 수 있어요.
4. 그녀가 콜라___ 안 마시지만 주스___ 마셔요.
5. 남자친구가 힙합음악___ 들어요.

1. 그가 수학은 좋아하지만 지리는 싫어해요. (He likes math but doesn't like geography.)
2. 앨리스 씨가 노래는 잘 하지만 춤은 못 춰요. (Alice is a good singer but bad at dancing.)
3. 제가 한국어는 가르쳐줄 수 있어요. (I can teach Korean. ➡ Cannot be sure about other languages, but can do with Korean)
4. 그녀가 콜라는 안 마시지만 주스는 마셔요. (She doesn't drink coke, but drinks juice.)
5. 남자친구가 힙합음악은 들어요. (My boyfriend listens to hiphop music. ➡ Might not listen to the other music, but surely listen to hiphop music)

 

 

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  I hope you can understand it and this lesson would be helpful for you. Thank you for reading it. If you have any question, please feel free to leave comments below.

 

 

Another lesson you might be interested in :

[Korean Lesson] How to read time in Korean?

[Korean Lesson] How to read time in Korean?

 

 

* References: National Institute of Korean Language, 《Korean grammar for foreigners 1, 2》, 2005.

 

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