TOPIK I · LEVEL 1
-만
Attach 만 to a noun to say 'only this one and nothing else'.
조사ParticlesHan: In ordinary sentences 만 takes the place of 을/를, so the object particle is dropped, not placed before 만.
Examples
물 한 잔만 주세요.Just one glass of water, please.
저는 아침에 커피만 마셔요.I only drink coffee in the morning.
동생은 고기만 먹고 야채는 안 먹어요.My younger sibling eats only meat and doesn't eat vegetables.
주말에는 집에서만 쉬어요.On weekends I rest only at home.
Don’t mix up
-만vsN + 밖에밖에 also means 'only' but must be followed by a negative verb and stresses 'not enough': 천 원밖에 없어요 (I have only 1,000 won) vs 천 원만 주세요 (Just 1,000 won, please).
-만vsN + 도도 means 'also/too' and adds things, while 만 excludes everything else: 커피도 마셔요 vs 커피만 마셔요.
How to build it
N+만
물 → 물만 (only water)
- In everyday speech 만 usually takes the place of 이/가 and 을/를: say 커피만 마셔요, not 커피를만 마셔요. (For emphasis, especially in writing, 만이/만을 can appear, but the particle always comes after 만, never before it.)
- With other particles (에, 에서, 한테, 하고) keep them and put 만 after them: 집에서만, 친구한테만.
- 만 works in positive and negative sentences, and with numbers in requests it sounds polite and modest: 하나만 주세요, 잠깐만 기다려 주세요.
Classic mistake
Wrong: 저는 물을만 마셔요.
Right: 저는 물만 마셔요.
In ordinary sentences 만 takes the place of 을/를, so the object particle is dropped, not placed before 만.
Practise -만 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.
- -도-도 attaches to a noun to say that this thing is 'also' included, adding it to something already mentioned.
- -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".