Basic Korean particles
Korean marks the job of each noun with a short tag attached to its end. English uses word order for this instead.
| 은 / 는 | Topic: “as for …”. Sets what the sentence is about, often with a hint of contrast.저는 학생이에요 — I am a student |
|---|---|
| 이 / 가 | Subject: points at who or what, especially when it is new information or the answer to “who?” / “what?”.물이 있어요 — There is water. / I have water. |
| 을 / 를 | Object: the thing the verb acts on.저는 커피를 마셔요 — I drink coffee |
| 에 | Place you go to, place something is, or a point in time.학교에 가요 — I go to school. |
Which form?
Each pair has one form for after a consonant and one for after a vowel. Look at the last letter of the noun: if the block ends in a final consonant, use the first form (은, 이, 을). If it ends in a vowel, use the second (는, 가, 를).
Particle picker
아이 ends in a vowel
| 은 / 는 | 아이는 |
|---|---|
| 이 / 가 | 아이가 |
| 을 / 를 | 아이를 |