TOPIK I · LEVEL 1
-이/가
이/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.
조사ParticlesHan: 저 and 나 do not simply add 가; they become 제가 and 내가.
Examples
저는 한국 친구가 있어요.I have a Korean friend.
누가 문을 열었어요? — 제가 열었어요.Who opened the door? — I opened it.
오늘은 날씨가 정말 좋아요.The weather is really nice today.
교실에 학생이 많아요.There are many students in the classroom.
Don’t mix up
-이/가vs-은/는은/는 marks the topic or a contrast (known information), while 이/가 marks the subject and focuses on new information: 저는 학생이에요 (introducing myself) vs 제가 학생이에요 (I am the student, not someone else).-이/가vs-을/를을/를 marks the object that receives the action, while 이/가 marks the subject: 친구가 빵을 먹어요 (the friend eats bread).-이/가vs-께서께서 is the honorific subject marker used for respected people instead of 이/가: 할머니께서 오셨어요.How to build it
N (ends in consonant)+이
N (ends in vowel)+가
책 → 책이, 친구 → 친구가
- Use 이 after a final consonant (책이, 물이) and 가 after a vowel (친구가, 커피가).
- Some pronouns change form: 나 → 내가, 저 → 제가, 너 → 네가, 누구 → 누가.
- Question words as subjects take 이/가, not 은/는: 누가 왔어요? 뭐가 맛있어요? The answer also uses 이/가.
- With 있다/없다, 아니다 and 되다 the noun usually takes 이/가: 시간이 없어요, 학생이 아니에요, 의사가 됐어요.
Classic mistake
Wrong: 저가 숙제를 했어요.
Right: 제가 숙제를 했어요.
저 and 나 do not simply add 가; they become 제가 and 내가.
Practise -이/가 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.
- -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.
- -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".