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Korean grammar

은/는 vs 이/가: Korean topic and subject particles

Korean marks the topic of a sentence with 은/는 and the subject with 이/가. Each comes in two shapes, picked by whether the word before it ends in a consonant or a vowel. This guide covers both pairs in the order the course introduces them, from 저는 학생이에요 to asking what something is.

Examples are written in Hangul. New to it? Start with the hangul chart.

In short

  • 은 after a consonant, 는 after a vowel: 선생님은, 저는.
  • 이 after a consonant, 가 after a vowel: 책이, 의자가.
  • 은/는 sets the topic (as for…). 이/가 marks the subject, as in what exists or what is being asked about.
  • 이거 + 가 contracts to 이게: 이게 뭐예요?

은 / 는 — 'as for …'

은/는 marks the TOPIC — what a sentence is about, like 'as for …'. You just used it in 저는 ('as for me'). It's the most common particle in Korean, so you can't read a sentence without it. The choice is purely by sound: 은 after a consonant, 는 after a vowel.

Consonant → 은 · Vowel → 는

Look at the LAST letter of the word. 저 ends in a vowel → 저는. 선생님 ends in a consonant (ㅁ) → 선생님은. 이름 ends in a consonant → 이름은. Same idea every time.

  • 저는 학생이에요

    As for me, I'm a student.

  • 선생님은 친구예요

    As for the teacher, (she's my) friend.

  • 오빠는 학생이에요

    As for my older brother, he's a student.

이름이 뭐예요? = What's your name?

이름 = 'name', 뭐 = 'what'. 이 marks 이름 as the subject. Literally: 'Name is what?' → 이름이 뭐예요? You answer with 제 이름은 [name]이에요 or just [name]이에요/예요.

  • 이름이 뭐예요?

    What is your name?

  • 누구예요?

    Who is it?

이거 + 가 → 이게

To ask 'what is this?' you make 이거 the subject. 이거 + 가 contracts to 이게: 이게 뭐예요? = 'What is this?' Likewise 그거→그게, 저거→저게. Answer with the noun + 이에요/예요.

  • 이게 뭐예요?

    ige mwoyeyo

    What is this?

  • 그거 책이에요

    That's a book.

이 (after consonant) / 가 (after vowel)

To say 'there is a CAT', mark the thing that exists with the subject particle: 이 after a consonant, 가 after a vowel. 가게에 사람이 있어요 = 'There's a person in the store' (사람 ends in a consonant → 이). 의자가 있어요 = 'There's a chair' (의자 ends in a vowel → 가).

  • 집에 책이 있어요

    There's a book at home.

  • 의자가 있어요

    There's a chair.

  • 친구가 있어요

    I have a friend

Check yourself

Questions from the course. Open each one to see the answer.

  1. 1. 저 ends in a vowel. Pick the correct topic marking for 'I'm a student.'

    • 저은 학생이에요
    • 저가 학생이에요
    • 저를 학생이에요
    • 저는 학생이에요
    Show answer

    저는 학생이에요

    저 (vowel) → 는. 은 is for consonant-final words.

  2. 2. How do you ask 'What is your name?' politely?

    • 이름이 뭐예요?
    • 이름이 누구예요?
    • 이름은 뭐 입니다?
    • 뭐가 이름이에요?
    Show answer

    이름이 뭐예요?

    이름이 뭐예요? — 뭐 (what) for things; 누구 (who) would be wrong here.

  3. 3. Point at something near you and ask 'What is this?'

    • 이게 누구예요?
    • 이게 뭐예요?
    • 이거 어디예요?
    • 이게 뭐 입니다?
    Show answer

    이게 뭐예요?

    이게 뭐예요? — 뭐 (what) for things; 누구 (who) would be for people.

  4. 4. 친구 ends in a vowel. 'There's a friend at school.' Pick the Korean.

    • 학교에 친구이 있어요
    • 학교에 친구가 있어요
    • 학교에서 친구가 있어요
    • 학교가 친구에 있어요
    Show answer

    학교에 친구가 있어요

    친구 (vowel) → 가; existence place → 에.

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