은/는 — The Topic Particle
은 and 는 are particles used to mark the topic of a Korean sentence.
The topic is the person, thing, place, or idea that the sentence is about. In some situations, 은/는 can be understood as “as for” or “when it comes to.” However, it is often not translated directly into English.
- 저는 학생이에요.
I am a student. - 오늘은 월요일이에요.
Today is Monday.
In these sentences, 저는 and 오늘은 introduce what the speaker wants to talk about.
Particles attach directly to nouns and show the role of those nouns in a sentence.
은 or 는?
The form depends on whether the noun ends in a final consonant or a vowel.
Use 은 after a final consonant
Noun + 은
- 학생 + 은 → 학생은
student - 책 + 은 → 책은
book - 오늘 + 은 → 오늘은
today
Use 는 after a vowel
Noun + 는
- 저 + 는 → 저는
I - 친구 + 는 → 친구는
friend - 학교 + 는 → 학교는
school
Basic Sentence Structure
A common Korean noun sentence follows this structure:
A은/는 B이에요/예요.
The noun followed by 은/는 is the topic. The rest of the sentence gives information about that topic.
- 저는 학생이에요.
Literal: As for me, student am.
Natural: I am a student.
- 제 친구는 의사예요.
Literal: As for my friend, doctor is.
Natural: My friend is a doctor.
- 오늘은 월요일이에요.
Literal: As for today, Monday is.
Natural: Today is Monday.
The literal translation helps you see how the Korean sentence is organized. The natural translation shows how the same meaning is normally expressed in English.
Introducing a Topic
은/는 is commonly used when introducing the person or thing that you want to talk about.
- 저는 학생이에요.
I am a student. - 한국어는 재미있어요.
Korean is interesting. - 서울은 큰 도시예요.
Seoul is a big city.
In these sentences, 저는, 한국어는, and 서울은 tell the listener what each sentence is about.
Once the topic is clear, it may be omitted from the following sentences.
- 저는 학생이에요. 한국어를 공부해요.
I am a student. I study Korean.
The second sentence does not need 저는 because the speaker is already clear from the context.
More Examples
- 제 이름은 안나예요.
My name is Anna. - 민수 씨는 선생님이에요.
Minsu is a teacher. - 이것은 책이에요.
This is a book. - 오늘은 날씨가 좋아요.
The weather is nice today. - 한국 음식은 맛있어요.
Korean food is delicious. - 제 고향은 작은 도시예요.
My hometown is a small city.
Showing Contrast
은/는 can also show a contrast between two people, things, or situations.
- 저는 커피를 좋아해요. 차는 안 좋아해요.
I like coffee, but I do not like tea. - 서울은 커요. 제 고향은 작아요.
Seoul is big, but my hometown is small. - 민수 씨는 학생이에요. 수진 씨는 선생님이에요.
Minsu is a student, while Sujin is a teacher.
In these examples, 은/는 highlights a difference between the two topics.
The contrast may not be translated directly into English, but it can still be understood from the context.
Using 은/는 in Questions
은/는 can also be used when asking about a particular topic.
- 이름은 뭐예요?
What is your name? - 직업은 뭐예요?
What is your job? - 오늘은 무슨 요일이에요?
What day is it today? - 한국어는 어려워요?
Is Korean difficult?
The person being spoken to is often omitted because it is already clear from the situation.
은/는 and 이/가
Both 은/는 and 이/가 attach to nouns, but they have different functions.
은/는 introduces or contrasts the topic of a sentence.
이/가 identifies the subject or focuses attention on it.
Compare the following sentences:
- 저는 학생이에요.
As for me, I am a student. - 제가 학생이에요.
I am the student.
I am the one who is a student.
For now, remember that 은/는 is commonly used when introducing what you want to talk about.
The difference between 은/는 and 이/가 will become clearer as you see them used in more sentences.
Common Mistakes
Choosing the wrong form
Use 은 after a noun ending in a final consonant.
학생은 ✓
학생는 ✗
Use 는 after a noun ending in a vowel.
친구는 ✓
친구은 ✗
Adding a space before the particle
은 and 는 attach directly to the noun.
저는 학생이에요. ✓
저 는 학생이에요. ✗
오늘은 월요일이에요. ✓
오늘 은 월요일이에요. ✗
Adding 은/는 to every noun
Not every noun in a sentence needs 은/는.
저는 한국어를 공부해요. ✓
저는 한국어는 공부는 해요. ✗
Each particle has a different role. Use 은/는 to mark the topic and use other particles for other parts of the sentence.
Translating 은/는 as a separate English word
은/는 does not always have a direct English translation.
한국어는 재미있어요.
Korean is interesting.
You usually do not need to translate 은/는 separately. Instead, focus on how it organizes the Korean sentence.
Quick Practice
Choose 은 or 는.
- 저___ 학생이에요.
- 제 이름___ 안나예요.
- 오늘___ 월요일이에요.
- 친구___ 의사예요.
- 한국어___ 재미있어요.
- 서울___ 큰 도시예요.
Answers
- 저는 학생이에요.
- 제 이름은 안나예요.
- 오늘은 월요일이에요.
- 친구는 의사예요.
- 한국어는 재미있어요.
- 서울은 큰 도시예요.
Sentence Practice
Complete each sentence with your own information.
- 저는 __________이에요/예요.
- 제 이름은 __________이에요/예요.
- 제 친구는 __________이에요/예요.
- 오늘은 __________이에요/예요.
- 한국어는 __________.
- 제 고향은 __________.
Key Points
- Use 은 after a noun ending in a final consonant.
- Use 는 after a noun ending in a vowel.
- Attach 은/는 directly to the noun.
- 은/는 introduces the topic of a sentence.
- 은/는 can also show contrast.
- 은/는 does not always have a direct English translation.
