Lesson 9

Question 1

Topic marking particles

Answer 1

-은 / -는

Question 2

tomorrow

Answer 2

내일

Question 3

Subject marking particles

Answer 3

-이 / -가

Question 4

apple

Answer 4

사과

Question 5

orange juice

Answer 5

오렌지주스

Question 6

role of the topic marking particle

Answer 6

As you can see from this example, -은/는 has the role of emphasizing the topic of the sentence by giving it the nuance of “that one is … and/but THIS ONE is…” So sometimes it is unnatural to use -은/는 in every sentence you say.

So, in Korean, although -은 and -는 are generally topic marking particles, people often save -은/는 for really emphasizing the topic in contrast to the other parts of the sentence.

오늘은 날씨 좋네요. [o-neul-EUN nal-ssi jon-ne-yo]
(The weather hasn’t been so good lately, but) TODAY, it’s good.

오늘 날씨는 좋네요. [o-neul nal-ssi-NEUN jon-ne-yo]
Today, (not necessarily everything else too, but at least) the weather is good.

Question 7

today

Answer 7

오늘

Question 8

weather

Answer 8

날씨

Question 10

it’s good, i like it
*present polite form

Answer 10

좋아요

Question 11

role of subject marking particles

Answer 11

ABC 좋아요? XYZ가 좋아요! [ABC jo-a-yo? XYZ-GA jo-a-yo]

So, with 이 and 가, you can add more flavor and more concrete meanings to your Korean sentences when you want to emphasize WHO did something, WHICH ONE is good, and etc.

Question 12

peach

Answer 12

복숭아

Question 13

combining this thing with a topic marking particle

Answer 13

그것은

Question 14

this thing with a subject marking particle

Answer 14

이것이