Lesson 9: Topic/Subject Marking Particles

Question 1

Do you use topic marking particles on nouns, verbs, or adjectives?

Answer 1

Nouns

Question 2

Do you use subject marking particles on nouns or the subject of the verb of a sentence?

Answer 2

The subject of the verb of a sentence

Question 3

What are the topic marking particles in Korean?

Answer 3

은 and 는

Question 4

What is the main role of topic marking particles?

Answer 4

They let the listener know what you’re talking about or going to talk about

Question 5

Where do you place topic marking particles?

Answer 5

After the noun

Question 6

은 is placed after a word that ends in what?

Answer 6

A consonant

Question 7

는 is placed after a word that ends in what?

Answer 7

A vowel

Question 8

이 책은

Answer 8

this book

Question 9

이 차는

Answer 9

this car

Question 10

이 가방은

Answer 10

this bag

Question 11

저는

Answer 11

I

Question 12

Why does the Korean language use topic and subject marking particles?

Answer 12

To make the sentence clearer for the listener

Question 13

True or False: The topic of the sentence (marked by 은 or 는) is usually the same as the subject of the sentence

Answer 13

True (but not always)

Question 14

저는 can also mean what?

Answer 14

As for me

Question 15

저는 학생이에요.

Answer 15

As for me, I am a student.

Question 16

내일은 저는 일해요.

Answer 16

Literal translation: As for tomorrow, I work.

Question 17

What are the subject marking particles in Korean?

Answer 17

이 and 가

Question 18

이 is placed after a word that ends in what?

Answer 18

A consonant

Question 19

가 is placed after a word that ends in what?

Answer 19

A vowel

Question 20

이 책이

Answer 20

this book

Question 21

가방이

Answer 21

bag

Question 22

학교가

Answer 22

school

Question 23

What are the nuances of -은/는?

Answer 23

They can mean “about” something, “as for” something, “unlike other things“, “different from other things”, or “that one is… and/but THIS is…” as well as adding a compare/contrast factor

Question 24

What is the literal translation of 이거는 사과예요?

Answer 24

The other things are not apples, but THIS is an apple.

Question 25

If someone says, “이거 커피예요” and you respond with, “이거는 물이에요”, what is the literal translation of the second sentence?

Answer 25

That was coffee, but THIS is water.

Question 26

What is the literal translation of 이거는 오렌지 주스예요”?

Answer 26

And THIS is orange juice.

Question 27

What is the literal translation of 이거는 뭐예요?

Answer 27

As for this, what is it?

Question 28

True or False: It’s not necessary to use -은/는 all the time, only if you REALLY wanna emphasize the topic

Answer 28

True

Question 29

오늘 날씨 좋네요.

Answer 29

The weather is good today.

Question 30

What is the literal translation of 오늘은 날씨 좋네요?

Answer 30

The weather has been bad lately, but it’s good today.

Question 31

What is the literal translation of 오늘 날씨는 좋네요?

Answer 31

Everything else today has been bad, but at least the weather’s good.

Question 32

What are the nuances of -이/가?

Answer 32

They can mean “none other than” or “nothing but”, as well as adding extra emphasis to the subject

Question 33

What is the literal translation of 뭐가 좋아요?

Answer 33

WHAT is good?

Question 34

좋다

Answer 34

to be good (verb)

Question 35

What is the literal translation of 이 책은 좋아요?

Answer 35

The other books aren’t good but this book is good.

Question 36

What is the literal translation of 이 책이 좋아요?

Answer 36

The other books are fine, but there are no other books as good as this one.

Question 37

True or False: If someone claims something is good, you can use -이/가 to express your opinion that what they think is bad and that you think something else is better

Answer 37

True

Question 38

True or False: Topic/subject marking particles can be dropped entirely unless they’re absolutely needed to clarify/emphasize the meaning of something

Answer 38

True

Question 39

복숭아

Answer 39

peach

Question 40

그것은/그것이

Answer 40

that

Question 41

이것은/이것이

Answer 41

this

Question 42

For ease of pronunciation purposes, how do native Korean speakers pronounce 그것은 and 이것은?

Answer 42

그거는 and 이거는

Question 43

비싸

Answer 43

expensive