TOPIK I · LEVEL 1
-(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.
조사ParticlesHan: (이)나 attaches to nouns only; to say 'or' between two verbs, use -거나 on the first verb.
Examples
어제 파티에 친구가 스무 명이나 왔어요.As many as twenty friends came to the party yesterday.
하루에 몇 시간이나 공부해요?About how many hours a day do you study?
아침에 보통 빵이나 밥을 먹어요.In the morning I usually eat bread or rice.
커피나 주스 드릴까요?Would you like coffee or juice?
Don’t mix up
-(이)나vs-거나-거나 gives a choice between actions (verbs/adjectives); (이)나 between nouns: 주말에 책을 읽거나 영화를 봐요.-(이)나vs하고 / 와·과하고 means 'and' (both), (이)나 means 'or' (one of them): 빵하고 우유를 샀어요 = I bought both.
-(이)나vs쯤 / 정도쯤 is a neutral 'about'; number + (이)나 stresses that it is a lot: 두 시간쯤 걸려요 vs 두 시간이나 걸려요.
How to build it
N (no final consonant)+나
N (final consonant)+이나
사과 → 사과나, 빵 → 빵이나 (빵이나 사과를 먹어요.)
- Use 나 after a vowel and 이나 after a final consonant: 우유나, 물이나.
- It attaches only to nouns. To give a choice between verbs or adjectives, use -거나 instead.
- In 'A(이)나 B', the case particle goes after B only: 커피나 차를 (not 커피를나).
- With a number: 몇 + counter + (이)나 in a question asks 'about how many'; after a specific number in a statement it means 'as many as' (surprise), not neutral 'about' — for that use 쯤/정도.
Classic mistake
Wrong: 주말에 쉬나 운동해요.
Right: 주말에 쉬거나 운동해요.
(이)나 attaches to nouns only; to say 'or' between two verbs, use -거나 on the first verb.
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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.
- -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.
- -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".