Topic, Subject and Object Marking Particles

In this lesson we’re going to learn about topic, subject and object marking particles.

Topic Marking Particles 은/는

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-> 은 if ends in a consonant

-> 는 if ends in a vowel

1) Adds emphasis when using 이, 그, 저 (this and that)

--- You can also use 이/가 with these. 은/는 just adds more emphasis to the subject.

(Kinda like "this specific thing" vs "this thing in general" is kinda how I take it).

2) With action verbs, 은/는 focuses on WHAT the subject is doing (what are they doing?

은/는!)

3) With descriptive verbs, implies a comparison.

“This is ~ but another thing may not be ~“.

4)Used as you continue talking about a subject that has been introduced as you are

focused on what it is about that subject.

Subject Marking Particles 이/가

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-> 이 if ends in a consonant

-> 가 if ends in a vowel

1) Used exclusively with 있다, 없다, and 아니다.

2) With action verbs, it focuses on WHO is doing the action (Who is doing it? 이/가!)

3) With descriptive verbs, it makes a general statement.

4) Used when you introduce a new subject as you are focused on the new subject. (Puts

the focus on the fact that a new subject is being introduced).

Using with possession

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Both are used to mark the thing being possessed (we will learn more about possession

later)

제 친구는= 제 친구가

ACTION VS DESCRIPTIVE VERBS

Action

제가 가게에 갔어요--- I am the one who went to the store (for example, this would be

your response to “누가 가게에 갔어요?”. The action is already established. You don't

care about the action. You care about WHO is doing/did it)

저는 가게에 갔어요--- Went to the store is what I did (I am focused on what I did, not

who did it. This is your typical sentence)

고양이가 먹고 있어요--- The cat is the one who is eating (Focused on the cat)

고양이는 먹고 있어요--- Eating is what the cat is doing (Focused on what the cat is

doing)

So with action verbs, 은/는 is more commonly seen because you will most often be

focused on the action vs the person who is doing the action.

Descriptive

고양이가 귀여워요--- In general, cats are cute. (No comparison. Nothing special. Plain

statement.)

고양이는 귀여워요--- Compared to other things, the cat is cute. (Maybe there is a cat

and a dog and you are like "well... the cat is cute.”)

So when using descriptive verbs, 이/가 is more commonly seen because you will most

often be making general statements than comparison statements

Object Marking Particles 을/를

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This is the object particle so it marks what is being verbed.

-> 을 if ends in a consonant

-> 를 if ends in a vowel

What is being liked? What is being done? What is being eaten? What is being given? The

"what" is marked with 을/를.

EXAMPLES:

Korean Sentence Order

-> Subject Object Verb

저는 사과를 먹어요

I eat an apple

저는 술을 마셔요

I drink alcohol

저는 한국어 공부를 해요

I study Korean

무엇을 먹어요?

What do you eat?

영화를 봐요

I watch a movie

좋다 vs 좋아하다 and 싫다 vs 싫어하다

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This next concept ties everything together.

좋다/싫다

These are descriptive verbs, so they will use 은/는 or 이/가.

Use 은/이 if ends in a consonant

Use 는/가 if ends in a vowel

사과가 좋아요

Apples are good

(This can also mean "I like apples". If you are saying they are good, you obviously like

them)

사과는 좋아요

Apples are good

(But maybe something else, like the bananas, aren’t good) Using 은/는 indicates that

you are making some kind of comparison whereas the 이/가 is just a general statement.

귤이 싫어요

I dislike/hate tangerines (In Korean, the subjects are most often inferred and not

stated).

귤은 싫어요

I hate the tangerines

(But maybe there is something else that i don't hate/dislike)

좋아하다/싫어하다

These are action verbs, so they use the object particles.

저는 사과를 좋아해요

I like apples

저는 귤을 싫어해요

I hate/dislike apples