Topic marker particles 은/는 — marking the topic of a sentence
Can use 은/는 to mark the topic of a sentence, including contrast
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
저는 한국 사람이에요.
I am Korean.
날씨는 좋아요.
The weather is nice.
사과는 좋아요. 바나나는 싫어요.
I like apples. I don't like bananas.
이름은 뭐예요?
What is your name?
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
The topic markers 은 and 는 are among the most important and unique features of Korean grammar. They mark the topic of a sentence — what the sentence is about.
Form:
| Condition | Marker | Example |
|---|---|---|
| After consonant (받침) | 은 | 선생님은 (teacher + topic) |
| After vowel (no 받침) | 는 | 저는 (I + topic) |
When to use 은/는:
Topic vs Subject (은/는 vs 이/가):
This is the #1 grammar challenge in Korean. The key difference:
| Marker | Function | English feel |
|---|---|---|
| 은/는 | Topic (what we're talking about) | "As for X..." / "Speaking of X..." |
| 이/가 | Subject (who does the action — new info) | "X is the one who..." |
Tip: 은/는 often translates to nothing in English — it's a discourse marker that doesn't exist in European languages.
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises
Practice ExercisesUsed 은/는 where 이/가 is required (or vice versa)
은/는 = 'as for X' (known info, contrast). 이/가 = 'X is the one' (new info, identification)
Used 은 after vowel or 는 after consonant
은 after 받침 (consonant ending): 선생님은. 는 after vowel: 저는
저는 한국 사람이에요.
I am Korean.
저 + 는 (topic): 'As for me, I'm Korean.' 는 is used because 저 ends in a vowel.
날씨는 좋아요.
The weather is nice.
날씨 (weather) + 는 (topic): 'As for the weather, it's nice.' General statement about a known topic.
사과는 좋아요. 바나나는 싫어요.
I like apples. I don't like bananas.
Contrast use: 사과는 (as for apples) vs 바나나는 (as for bananas). The 는 highlights the comparison between two topics.
이름은 뭐예요?
What is your name?
이름 (name) + 은 (topic, after consonant ㅁ): 'As for (your) name, what is it?' This is the standard way to ask someone's name.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises