는 & 은
This particle emphasizes the ACTION that the person (animal, object or whatever) performs. Therefore it will always be used in a noun.
When the noun ends in vowel, we use 는 (Beer: 맥주는). When the noun ends in a consonant, we use 은 (Water: 물은).
It is super clear to understand its emphasizing meaning when it goes with an adjective, look:
누구야?
Who are (you)?
우리는 "최고야"
We are THE BEST
But that's not the only way 는/은 works, it really can be translated into English as many things.
는/은 also marks difference between the topic we're talking about, and everything else:
이거 맥주예요
This is beer
이거는 물이에요
(that is beer but) THIS is water
그리고 이거는 우유예요
And THIS is milk
It can also really change the meaning of a sentence, honestly, so even if this is basically the first particle we all learn when studying Korean, be careful about how to use it:
(example taken from the TTMIK books)
1) No particle
오늘 날씨 좋네요.
The weather is good today
2)particle in 오늘 (today)
오늘은 날씨 좋네요.
(The weather hasn’t been so good lately, but) TODAY the weather it’s good
3) Particle in 날씨 (weather)
오늘 날씨는 좋네요
Today (not necessarily everything else too, but at least) the weather is good
이 & 가
Be careful, a lot of people have trouble with this particle because of its similar use to 는/은. But let's try to learn it correctly! ^^
이/가 emphasizes the SUBJECT. So it is always following the subject in a sentence. When the word ends in vowel, we use 가 (맥주가), when it ends in consonant, we use 이 (물이).
Let's take the last example again:
누구야?
Who are (you)?
우리는 "최고야"
We are THE BEST
But, in order to use 이/가 the conversation could be:
누가 최고야?
Who are the best?
"우리가" 최고야
WE are the best
Also, talking about the "contrast" factor of the particle 는/은, the particle 이/가 is much more neutral.
You can thing of 는/은 as "among the others"
While 이/가 simply means "this one".
오빠는 잘생겼어요
(Among the others) this oppa is handsome
오빠가 잘생겼어요
This oppa (concretely this one) is handsome
I believe that the more I try to explain it, the more confusing it will get. So let's leave it there and move on to the last particle!
를 & 을
Alright, so we have been talking a lot about the subject. So now let's go to the object!
This particle is super easy and you won't have any trouble identifying when to use it. We use 을/를 to mark the object of the sentence. As with 는/은, we use 를 with words ended in vowel (맥주를) and 을 with words ending in consonant (물을).
When talking in banmal (Informal language) you can ommit a lot of particles and stuff, and this is one of those ^^ But since you are still learning the lenguage, try to use all the particles when writing in Korean.
저는 가방을 사요
I buy a bag
당신은 커피를 좋아해요?
Do you like coffee?
Since you can remove the subject in Korean, the particle 를/을 is quite useful in order to understand who is the one doing the action and who is not.
If you don't have any context and you hear someone shout:
"도영 좋아해!"
This could mean: You like Doyoung!
Or: Doyoung likes it!
If we used particles:
"도영을 좋나해!"
(Someone that is not specified) likes Doyoung
"도영은 좋아해!"
Doyoung likes (a thing that is not specified)
And if we didn't omitted anything:
"나는 도영을 좋아해!"
I like Doyoung!
"도영은 그 여자를 좋아해!"
Doyoung likes that girl!
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