2 · Particles
Only: the particle 만
the restricting particle
만 means "only" or "just" and sits on the word it restricts — after any other particle.
만 has one shape and is written onto the noun: 물만, 하나만, 저만. English "only" can drift around a sentence; Korean fixes it to the word it restricts. 저만 알아요 is "only I know"; 이것만 알아요 is "this is all I know".
Like 도, it takes the place of 이/가 and 을/를 in ordinary speech. After the other particles it comes last: 집에서만, 주말에만, 친구한테만. The order matters, because the reverse spells something else: 삼 년 만에, with a space, is "after three years", a different word altogether.
만 also makes a request smaller, and so politer. 잠깐만 기다려 주세요, "please wait just a moment", 조금만 주세요, "just a little, please", 하나만 물어볼게요, "let me ask just one thing". English adds "just" for the same reason.
만 is the neutral "only" and takes a positive verb. Its partner 밖에 also means "only", but needs a negative verb and sounds as if the amount were too little: 천 원만 있어요 states a fact, 천 원밖에 없어요 complains about it.
The form
| only, on the subject | 저만 알아요. |
| only, on the object | 물만 마셔요. |
| after a place particle | 집에서만 공부해요. |
| after a time | 주말에만 일해요. |
| making a request smaller | 잠깐만 기다려 주세요. |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is aboutThe word that calls for it
만 sits directly on the word it restricts.
오늘은 물만 마셨어요.Today I only drank water.
After 에, 에서, 한테 and 까지, 만 comes last.
이 카페는 주말에만 문을 열어요.This cafe is only open at weekends.
In speech 만 takes the place of 이/가 and 을/를.
동생만 숙제를 안 했어요.Only my younger sibling didn't do the homework.
In a request, 만 makes what you ask for sound smaller, and so politer.
잠깐만 기다려 주세요.Just a moment, please.
A closer look
How "only" makes a request polite
Korean politeness often works by making a request look small. 하나만 물어봐도 돼요?, "may I ask just one thing?", promises that the listener will not lose much time; 잠깐만요 on its own, "just a moment", is how you squeeze past someone or stop a conversation briefly.
On a verb, 만 appears in the pattern -기만 하다, "do nothing but": 동생은 하루 종일 게임하기만 해요, "my younger sibling does nothing but play games all day". It is the same "only", attached to a verb turned into a noun.
Exceptions and special cases (1)
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a length of time is followed by 만에 with a space before it
it is a different word meaning "after (that long)", not "only".
십 년 만에 고향에 갔어요.I went back to my home town for the first time in ten years.
This 만 is a dependent noun that counts the time since something last happened. Being a noun, it is written apart.
How to spot it
- 만
- 에만
- 에서만
- 잠깐만
- 조금만
- 하나만
Example sentences
저는 아침에 커피만 마셔요.In the morning I only have coffee.
우리 반에서 민호만 안경을 써요.Minho is the only one in our class who wears glasses.
저는 집에서만 공부가 잘돼요.I can only study properly at home.
조금만 더 주세요.Just a little more, please.
한 번만 더 말해 주세요.Please say it just once more.
여동생은 저한테만 비밀을 말해요.My younger sister tells her secrets only to me.
8 more example sentences
저는 채소만 먹어요.I only eat vegetables.
어제는 하루 종일 잠만 잤어요.Yesterday I did nothing but sleep all day.
할머니는 한국어만 하세요.Grandmother only speaks Korean.
하나만 물어볼게요.Let me ask just one thing.
그 얘기는 엄마한테만 했어요.I only told my mum about it.
이 버스는 평일에만 다녀요.This bus only runs on weekdays.
우리 가족 중에서 저만 키가 커요.I'm the only tall one in my family.
한 시간만 쉴게요.I'll rest for just an hour.
Worth knowing (1)
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만 or 밖에
Both mean "only", but 밖에 needs a negative verb and sounds as if the amount were not enough: 천 원밖에 없어요. 만 takes a positive verb and makes no complaint, which is why it is the one used in requests.
천 원만 빌려 주세요.Lend me just a thousand won, please.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
The order is the reverse of English "only in": the time or place particle comes first and 만 last — 저녁에만. With 만 first the words mean something else entirely: 삼 년 만에 is "after three years".
Man goes on the very word that is "only", and after any other particle.
Your turn
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