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TOPIK II · LEVEL 4

-(이)나마

(이)나마 marks something as small or not quite enough, while showing that the speaker still accepts or values it: "even if it's only this, at least…"

조사Particles

Han: (이)나마 presents something as small or insufficient, so it combines with words like 조금 or 잠깐, not with words for a large amount like 많이.

Examples

제 경험이 조금이나마 도움이 됐으면 좋겠어요.I hope my experience helps, even if only a little.
작은 선물이나마 마음에 드셨으면 좋겠습니다.It's only a small gift, but I hope you like it.
늦게나마 생일 축하해요.Happy belated birthday.
잠깐이나마 가족들을 만나서 정말 행복했어요.I was really happy to see my family, even if only for a short while.

Don’t mix up

-(이)나마vsN + (이)라도(이)라도 picks a second-best option when the best isn't available, often in suggestions; (이)나마 stresses that something is small but still valued: 시간 없으면 커피라도 마셔요 vs 잠깐이나마 만나서 좋았어요.
-(이)나마vsN + 만만 simply limits ("only") with no evaluation; (이)나마 adds "it's not much, but at least it's something": 조금만 주세요 vs 조금이나마 도움이 됐어요.

How to build it

N (final consonant)+이나마
N (no final consonant)+나마

also after some adverbs: 늦게나마, 멀리서나마

잠깐 → 잠깐이나마, 조금 → 조금이나마, 선물 → 선물이나마, 편지 → 편지나마

  1. The noun or adverb must express something small, short or modest (조금, 잠깐, 작은 선물, 늦게). Words for large amounts such as 많이 or 오래 sound wrong with it.
  2. The rest of the sentence is usually positive: gratitude, relief or a hope that it helps (고마워요, 다행이에요, 도움이 됐으면 좋겠어요).
  3. It is not the usual choice for suggesting a second-best option ("let's at least have coffee"); for that, Koreans normally use (이)라도.
  4. It sounds somewhat formal or written; it is common in speeches, letters and polite messages.

Classic mistake

Wrong: 많이나마 도움이 됐으면 좋겠어요.

Right: 조금이나마 도움이 됐으면 좋겠어요.

(이)나마 presents something as small or insufficient, so it combines with words like 조금 or 잠깐, not with words for a large amount like 많이.

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More level 4 grammar

All TOPIK grammar