Korean Particles Explained: Complete Guide to 이/가, 은/는, 을/를 and More

Korean particles (조사, josa) are small grammatical markers attached to words that tell you who did what, to whom, where, and how. Unlike English, which relies on word order to convey meaning, Korean uses particles — so understanding them is essential from day one.

If you have ever wondered why 이/가 and 은/는 both seem to mean "is" or why sentences still make sense when words are shuffled around, particles are the answer. They are the glue that holds every Korean sentence together.

This guide covers every particle you need from TOPIK I through TOPIK II, with natural example sentences, common mistakes, and tips for choosing the right one.

Subject Particles: 이/가

The subject particle marks who or what performs the action. Use 이 after a consonant and 가 after a vowel.

Use 이/가 when you are introducing new information or answering a "who/what" question:

• 누가 왔어요? — 동생이 왔어요. (Who came? — My younger sibling came.)
• 비가 와요. (It is raining.) — Rain is the new, notable thing happening.

Common mistake: Using 이/가 for every subject. In natural Korean, 은/는 is actually more frequent. Reserve 이/가 for emphasis or new information.

Topic Particles: 은/는

The topic particle marks what the sentence is about — the theme under discussion. Use 은 after a consonant and 는 after a vowel.

은/는 is used for:

• General statements and facts: 물은 중요해요. (Water is important.)
• Contrast: 사과는 좋아하지만 배는 싫어해요. (I like apples but I don't like pears.)
• Already-known topics: 그 영화는 재미있었어요. (That movie was fun.) — We already know which movie.

이/가 vs 은/는: The Key Difference

Think of it this way: 이/가 spotlights the subject (new, important information) while 은/는 sets the stage (the topic everyone already knows about).

• 제가 했어요. → I did it. (Emphasizing "I" — answering "who did it?")
• 저는 했어요. → As for me, I did it. (Setting context — maybe contrasting with someone else)

A practical rule: if you can replace the particle with "as for ~" and the sentence still sounds natural, use 은/는. If you are answering "who?" or "what?", use 이/가.

Object Particles: 을/를

The object particle marks what receives the action. Use 을 after a consonant and 를 after a vowel.

More examples:

• 한국어를 공부해요. (I study Korean.)
• 음악을 들어요. (I listen to music.)
• 영화를 봐요. (I watch a movie.)

Tip: In casual speech, Koreans often drop 을/를 entirely. 밥 먹어요 is perfectly natural. But for TOPIK and formal writing, always include it.

Location Particle: 에

에 marks a static location (where something exists), a destination (where you are going), or a point in time.

Location (existence):

• 학교에 학생들이 있어요. (There are students at school.)
• 서울에 살아요. (I live in Seoul.)

Destination (direction of movement):

• 학교에 가요. (I go to school.)
• 일본에 여행 갈 거예요. (I will travel to Japan.)

Time:

• 3시에 만나요. (Let's meet at 3 o'clock.)
• 월요일에 시작해요. (It starts on Monday.)

Common mistake: Using 에 for actions happening at a location. For that, you need 에서.

Location of Action Particle: 에서

에서 marks where an action takes place — unlike 에, which marks where something simply exists or where you are headed.

• 도서관에서 공부해요. (I study at the library.) — Action happening there
• 한국에서 왔어요. (I came from Korea.) — Starting point

Compare with 에:

Memory trick: If the verb involves doing something (studying, eating, working, playing), use 에서. If the verb is about being somewhere (있다, 살다) or going somewhere (가다, 오다), use 에.

Direction Particle: (으)로

(으)로 indicates direction, means/method, or transformation. Use 으로 after a consonant (except ㄹ) and 로 after a vowel or ㄹ.

Direction:

• 오른쪽으로 가세요. (Please go to the right.)
• 서울로 이사했어요. (I moved to Seoul.)

Means / method:

• 버스로 가요. (I go by bus.)
• 한국어로 말해 주세요. (Please speak in Korean.)

Transformation (becoming):

• 의사로 일해요. (I work as a doctor.)
• 얼음이 물로 변했어요. (The ice turned into water.)

에 vs (으)로 for destinations

Both can mark destinations, but (으)로 emphasizes the direction or route, while 에 emphasizes the endpoint:

• 학교에 가요. (I go to school.) — Focus on arriving at school
• 학교로 가요. (I head toward school.) — Focus on the direction

Possessive Particle: 의

의 marks possession, like "'s" in English. It is pronounced 에 in casual speech.

• 한국의 문화 (Korea's culture)
• 선생님의 책 (The teacher's book)
• 나의 꿈 (My dream)

In everyday Korean, 의 is often dropped, especially with pronouns:

• 내 친구 = 나의 친구 (my friend)
• 네 가방 = 너의 가방 (your bag)
• 우리 집 = 우리의 집 (our house)

For TOPIK writing and formal contexts, include 의. In conversation, dropping it sounds more natural.

Connecting Particles: 와/과, (이)랑, 하고

All three mean "and" or "with", but they differ in formality.

Examples:

• 커피와 케이크를 주문했어요. (I ordered coffee and cake.) — Written/formal
• 친구랑 영화 봤어. (I watched a movie with a friend.) — Casual
• 빵하고 우유 샀어요. (I bought bread and milk.) — Neutral

Tip for learners: Start with 하고 — it works in any situation and never changes form.

Addition Particle: 도

도 means "also" or "too". It replaces 이/가, 은/는, and 을/를 — it does not stack on top of them.

• 저도 한국어를 공부해요. (I also study Korean.)
• 커피도 좋아하고 차도 좋아해요. (I like coffee and I also like tea.)
• 어제도 비가 왔어요. (It rained yesterday too.)

Common mistake: Writing 저는도 or 저가도. Always replace the existing particle: 저는 → 저도, not 저는도.

Limiting Particle: 만

만 means "only" or "just". Like 도, it replaces subject and object particles.

• 물만 마셔요. (I only drink water.)
• 한국어만 공부해요. (I study only Korean.)
• 조금만 기다려 주세요. (Please wait just a little.)

만 can combine with other particles when needed:

• 서울에서만 살았어요. (I only lived in Seoul.)
• 친구한테만 말했어요. (I only told my friend.)

Range Particles: 부터/까지

부터 marks the starting point and 까지 marks the ending point — for both time and place.

Time:

• 9시부터 6시까지 일해요. (I work from 9 to 6.)
• 월요일부터 금요일까지 수업이 있어요. (I have class from Monday to Friday.)

Place:

• 집부터 학교까지 30분 걸려요. (It takes 30 minutes from home to school.)

까지 can also mean "even" for emphasis:

• 선생님까지 놀랐어요. (Even the teacher was surprised.)

Person-Marking Particles: 한테/에게, 한테서/에게서

These mark the person involved in giving, receiving, telling, or asking.

• 친구한테 선물을 줬어요. (I gave a gift to my friend.)
• 선생님에게 질문했어요. (I asked the teacher a question.)
• 엄마한테서 전화가 왔어요. (I got a call from mom.)

For animals: Use 한테/에게 the same way. For organizations and places: Use 에 or 에게 (not 한테).

Comparison Particle: 보다

보다 means "more than" or "compared to" and is used for comparisons.

• 한국어보다 일본어가 더 어려워요. (Japanese is harder than Korean.)
• 버스보다 지하철이 더 빨라요. (The subway is faster than the bus.)
• 어제보다 오늘이 더 추워요. (Today is colder than yesterday.)

Structure: A보다 B가 더 [adjective] = B is more [adjective] than A.

Particle Stacking

Korean particles can stack — one word can carry multiple particles. The order matters:

• 학교에서부터 (from school onward) — location + starting point
• 집에서만 (only at home) — location + limitation
• 친구한테까지 (even to my friend) — person + extent
• 서울에서부터 부산까지 (from Seoul all the way to Busan)

Common Particle Mistakes to Avoid

1. Mixing up 에 and 에서:

• ❌ 도서관에 공부해요 → ✅ 도서관에서 공부해요

2. Stacking 도 on top of other particles:

• ❌ 저는도 좋아해요 → ✅ 저도 좋아해요

3. Using 의 too much:

• ❌ 나의 엄마의 친구의 집 → ✅ 우리 엄마 친구 집 (drop 의 in casual speech)

4. Forgetting to change 이/가 ↔ 을/를 based on consonant/vowel:

• ❌ 커피이 맛있어요 → ✅ 커피가 맛있어요

5. Using 은/는 in subordinate clauses:

• In relative clauses and subordinate clauses, use 이/가 instead of 은/는.

Quick Reference Chart

How to Practice Korean Particles

1. Sentence building drills: Take a simple sentence like 저는 학교에서 한국어를 공부해요 and swap out each particle to see how meaning changes.

2. Particle spotting: While watching K-dramas or listening to K-pop, try to identify particles in real speech. Notice how often 을/를 gets dropped in casual conversation.

3. TOPIK practice: TOPIK exam preparation relies heavily on particle knowledge. TOPIK I tests basic particles while TOPIK II includes complex stacking and formal variants.

4. Daily journaling: Write 3-5 sentences in Korean each day, consciously choosing the right particle for each noun.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Korean particles?

Korean particles (조사, josa) are grammatical markers attached to nouns and pronouns that indicate their role in a sentence — subject, object, location, direction, and more. They function similarly to prepositions and case markers in other languages.

What is the difference between 이/가 and 은/는?

이/가 is the subject particle used for new or emphasized information, while 은/는 is the topic particle used for known information or contrast. Think of 이/가 as a spotlight highlighting new info, and 은/는 as setting the stage for what the sentence is about.

How many particles are there in Korean?

Korean has roughly 70-80 particles, but about 15-20 cover the vast majority of everyday conversation. The particles covered in this guide account for over 90% of particle usage in natural Korean.

Do I need to memorize all Korean particles at once?

No. Start with the essential five: 이/가 (subject), 은/는 (topic), 을/를 (object), 에 (location/time), and 에서 (action location). Add more particles gradually as you progress.

Can Korean particles be combined?

Yes, particles can stack. For example, 에서부터 combines the location particle with the starting point particle. The order follows a consistent pattern: location/person particles come first, then limiting or additive particles.

Why do some particles change form?

Particles like 이/가, 은/는, and 을/를 have two forms to maintain smooth pronunciation. The consonant-ending form (이, 은, 을) follows consonants, and the vowel-ending form (가, 는, 를) follows vowels. This is called euphonic alternation.

Which Korean particles are tested on TOPIK?

TOPIK I (levels 1-2) tests basic particles: 이/가, 은/는, 을/를, 에, 에서, and (으)로. TOPIK II (levels 3-6) adds complex stacking, formal variants (에게, 에게서, 께), and nuanced usage of 은/는 for contrast.