TOPIK I · LEVEL 1
-도
-도 attaches to a noun to say that this thing is 'also' included, adding it to something already mentioned.
조사ParticlesHan: 도 replaces the subject particle 가, so it attaches directly to 저; 제가 already contains 가 and cannot take 도.
Examples
형은 키가 커요. 동생도 키가 커요.My older brother is tall. My younger sibling is tall too.
우리 아버지는 주말에도 회사에 가요.My father goes to work even on weekends.
저도 한국어를 공부해요.I study Korean too.
시장에서 사과를 샀어요. 바나나도 샀어요.I bought apples at the market. I bought bananas too.
Don’t mix up
-도vs-은/는은/는 marks the topic or a contrast; 도 adds the noun to something already said: 저는 학생이에요 (as for me) vs 저도 학생이에요 (me too).-도vs-하고 / -와/과하고 joins nouns in one list in the same sentence; 도 adds an item to a previous statement: 사과하고 바나나를 샀어요 vs 바나나도 샀어요.
-도vs-만만 means 'only' and excludes others, the opposite of 도: 커피만 마셔요 (only coffee) vs 커피도 마셔요 (coffee too).How to build it
N+도 (replaces 이/가, 은/는, 을/를; comes after 에, 에서, 한테, etc.)
저 + 도 → 저도 / 학교 + 에 + 도 → 학교에도
- 도 replaces the subject/object particles 이/가 and 을/를; never stack them (✗ 사과를도 → ✓ 사과도).
- With place/time/person particles like 에, 에서, 한테, keep the particle and put 도 after it: 주말에도, 집에서도, 친구한테도.
- 'I too' is 저도 (polite) or 나도 (casual), not 제가도 or 내가도.
Classic mistake
Wrong: 제가도 학생이에요.
Right: 저도 학생이에요.
도 replaces the subject particle 가, so it attaches directly to 저; 제가 already contains 가 and cannot take 도.
Practise -도 on real TOPIK questions
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All TOPIK grammar- -(으)로-(으)로 marks the direction you head toward, the means or tool you use, or what something is made of.
- -(이)나(이)나 links two nouns as alternatives ("A or B"), and after a number it shows an approximate amount in questions or a surprisingly large amount in statements.
- -만Attach 만 to a noun to say 'only this one and nothing else'.
- -에에 marks the place where something is, the place you go to, or the time when something happens.
- -의-의 links two nouns to show possession or belonging: A의 B = A's B.
- -은/는-은/는 marks what the sentence is about (the topic), often something already known, or something you are contrasting with another thing.
- -을/를을/를 sits right after a noun to show it is the thing the action is done to, the direct object.
- -이/가이/가 attaches to a noun to show it is the subject, the one who does something or is described, and often presents it as new or focused information.
- -와/과 (하고/랑)와/과, 하고 and (이)랑 join two nouns as "A and B" or show the person you do something "with".
