1 · Particles
The topic particle 은/는
the topic marker
은/는 marks what the sentence is about — "as for …" — and often sets it against something else.
The topic particle has two shapes. After a syllable that ends in a consonant it is 은: 선생님은, 책은, 물은. After a vowel it is 는: 저는, 친구는, 커피는. What counts is the last letter as it is written, and the particle is written onto the noun without a space, like an ending.
It marks the topic: what the rest of the sentence is about. 저는 학생이에요 is, word for word, "as for me — student am". The topic is often the subject, but it does not have to be. In 오늘은 날씨가 좋아요 the day is not doing anything; it is the frame the sentence is set in, "today, the weather is good". Everything after the particle is a comment on it.
Its second job is contrast. 고기는 안 먹어요 means "meat I do not eat" — and suggests that other things are fine. Two topics side by side set two things against each other: 형은 키가 커요. 저는 작아요. Because of this, 은/는 can also be added after another particle to mean "as for that place" or "as for that time": 주말에는, 여기에서는.
English needs a subject in every sentence, so English speakers tend to repeat 저는 in every line. Korean sets a topic once and then leaves it out while it stays the same: 저는 민수예요. 회사원이에요. The second sentence has no subject and none is missing. Saying 저는 again and again sounds as if you were stressing "I, as opposed to everyone else".
The form
| after a consonant | 선생님은, 책은, 물은 |
| after a vowel | 저는, 친구는, 커피는 |
| a topic that is not the subject | 오늘은 날씨가 좋아요. |
| contrast | 고기는 안 먹어요. |
| after another particle | 주말에는 쉬어요. |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is about
은 follows a consonant and 는 a vowel, and the particle is written without a space.
제 이름은 지수예요.My name is Jisu.
The topic is what the rest of the sentence talks about, and it need not be the one doing anything.
오늘은 비가 와요.It is raining today.
은/는 sets one thing against another, whether the other is said or only implied.
형은 키가 커요. 저는 작아요.My older brother is tall. I am short.
Once the topic is set, the following sentences leave it out.
저는 김민준이에요. 회사원이에요.I am Kim Minjun. I am an office worker.
A closer look
Where the weight of the sentence falls
The topic particle puts the weight on what comes after it. 저는 학생이에요 answers the question "what are you?" — the new information is 학생, and 저는 only says whom the answer is about. That is why it is the natural way to introduce yourself: the listener already knows you are talking about yourself.
The contrast is often heard rather than said. Asked whether everyone has arrived, a reply such as 민수는 왔어요 reports that Minsu came and leaves the listener to understand that the others did not. An English speaker would add "at least" or stress the name; Korean does it with the particle alone.
How to spot it
- 은
- 는
- 저는
- 오늘은
- 에는
- 에서는
Example sentences
저는 영국 사람이에요.I am British.
이 책은 재미있어요.This book is interesting.
제 동생은 대학생이에요.My younger sibling is a university student.
서울은 겨울이 추워요.Winters in Seoul are cold.
저는 매운 음식은 못 먹어요.Spicy food is something I can't eat.
주말에는 집에서 쉬어요.At the weekend I rest at home.
8 more example sentences
우리 어머니는 선생님이세요.My mother is a teacher.
이 식당은 비빔밥이 맛있어요.This restaurant does good bibimbap.
한국어는 어렵지만 재미있어요.Korean is hard but fun.
지금은 시간이 없어요.I don't have time right now.
제 방은 작아요.My room is small.
아침은 보통 빵을 먹어요.For breakfast I usually have bread.
부산은 바다가 아름다워요.Busan has a beautiful sea.
제 친구는 의사예요.My friend is a doctor.
Worth knowing (1)
-
Short forms in speech
In speech and in messages the topic particle often shrinks to a final consonant: 저는 becomes 전, 나는 becomes 난, 이것은 becomes 이건 and 그것은 becomes 그건. In careful writing, use the full forms.
전 괜찮아요.I'm fine.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
The shape of the particle follows the sound, not the meaning. 이름 ends in a consonant (an m), so it takes 은. 는 is only for a word that ends in a vowel, as in 저는 or 친구는.
Eun after a consonant, neun after a vowel: it names what you are talking about, and often what you are setting it against.
Your turn
10 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.