For the video recording of this lesson, please see below. :)
In addition to their differences already explored above, here is another big difference between the two particles.
The topic particle, 는/은, is used in cases when we make a general or factual statement whereas 가/이 is not.
For example,
- 치타는 빠르다 = Cheetah is fast
- 치타는 느리다 = Cheetah is slow (This would be a wrong statement)
However, if you visited a zoo and saw a cheetah who seems to move very slowly, you might say,
- 치타가 느리다 = (That) cheetah is slow
So the identifier particle, 가/이, indicates a certain person or thing that the speaker and listener know or are aware of. In this case, it would be that cheetah in the zoo.
Here is another example,
- 바다는 푸르다 = The sea is blue
- 바다는 까맣다 = The sea is black (In general, this is a wrong statement.)
But say, you saw the sea at night and you may exclaim,
- 바다가 까맣다! = The sea is black!
The sea in this sentence is identified as a particular sea at night, and both the speaker and listener know which sea is being talked about. This is not a general statement. Therefore the identifier particle, 가/이, is used in this case.
Of course, 바다가 푸르다 is also perfectly acceptable. However, the difference is that the sea in this sentence is also a particular sea that is known by both the speaker and the listener.
- 바다는 푸르다 = The sea is blue (A general statement)
- 바다가 푸르다 = The sea is blue (The sea is identified and known by the speaker and listener)
It's similar to the way articles are used in English.
For example,
- An apple is red = 사과는 빨갛다 (A general or factual statement about an apple)
- The apple is red = 사과가 빨갛다 (A particular apple that the speaker identifies and indicates to the listener)
Continue to the next section:
I'm still having difficulty determining when to use 가/이 또는 은/는 . . .
ReplyDeletehi 이자민,
Deletehere's the simple way of thinking 가/이 and 은/는.
simply put,
이/가 is used for a specific statement,
은/는 is used for a general statement.
for example,
a building = 빌딩은, the building = 빌딩이
Not yet understAnd
DeleteHi still dont understand
Delete와! The best explanation. 너무 감사합니다, Luke-님!
DeleteI still don't fully understand the difference between 이/가 and 은/는, or when to use 이/가.
ReplyDeletesimply put,
Delete이/가 is used for a specific statement,
은/는 is used for a general statement.
for example,
a building = 빌딩은, the building = 빌딩이
이 after consonants
Delete가 after vowels.
I can't decide which subject that use with 는/은 and 이/가.
Deleteyou're right
DeleteThe examples you give for general statements would be more correct in the plural form.
ReplyDelete"Cheetahs are fast.", instead of "A cheetah is fast."
Your website is really useful, by the way. Thank you for taking the time to make it!
thanks, noted!
Deletethough I can't use the plural form in Korean cos that'd be different in meaning.
So I guess, go with a grammatical error.
thank you, you helped a lot! very clear explanation :)
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteyou mean we use 가/이 when we talk about something we know about it or something we see it in the seam time
is tat all right
가/이 is used when we both know what specifically we're talking about.
DeleteFor example, a building = 빌딩은, the building = 빌딩이
hope this helps.
Oh..thank
DeleteWould it be correct if I say:
Delete“That cheetah is fast”
“그 치다가 빠르다” ?
Hey,
ReplyDeleteHow do we know when to use 가 or 이?
I understand! Thank you soo much!!!!
ReplyDeleteI think Erik is suggesting that, as an English speaker, reading "A cheetah is fast." is confusing. It's the same for the other examples using "cheetah". I don't think Erik is stressing an English grammar "mistake", just that the sentence is awkward. Using a different subject for the example sentence would help get your intention across.
ReplyDeleteso far this is the best site for learning korean... i've been trying to understand korean for more than five years already but with this i think i'll fully grasp everything
ReplyDeletethank you so much !
ReplyDeleteHi. I want to ask. Does 이/은 and 가/는 have to do with 이씁니까 , 입니다 ,이씁니다,임니까 ?
ReplyDeletehi. Can you tell me more about isseumnikka , imnikka, imnida, and isseumnida ? Thank you 😄 ur blog is really useful ! May God bless you 😙
ReplyDeleteHello, this is a very clear article and thank you for writing it. I just have one question, when talking about someone we both know would we use 가/이 then?
ReplyDeleteFor example, so-and-so is so pretty would it be so-and-so가/이 너무 예뻐요? Or would we use 은/는？
OMO, thankss <333333
ReplyDeleteOMO, Thxxxxxx
ReplyDeleteThanks, this was super helpful!
ReplyDeleteSo does that mean if you use 이, 그, or 저 at the beginning of a sentence, you'd also always use 이/가 since we're clearly talking about a specific [noun]?
For instance
사과는 빨갛다 [OK - "An apple is red" with a general apple]
사과가 빨갛다 [OK - "The apple is red" re: a specific/particular apple]
이사과가 빨갛다 [OK - "This apple is red" re: a specific apple that is close to the speaker]
이사과는 빨갛다 [NOT OK, since 이 indicates a particular apple ("this apple") but 는 indicates a generalized statement?]
Hi
ReplyDeleteIsn't it the other way around?
The sites I linked below both state that when you use the indefinite article 'a/an' you use 이/가 and when you use the definite article 'the' you use 은/는. I'm confused as to which way around it is? Can anyone clarify?
http://wiseinit.com/%EC%9D%80%EB%8A%94topic-marker-vs-%EC%9D%B4%EA%B0%80subject-marker-korean-grammar-vs-grammar-10
http://hangullove.com/good-explanation-for-particles-%EC%9D%80%EB%8A%94-%EC%9D%B4%EA%B0%80-and-%EC%9D%84%EB%A5%BC/
감사합니다! Really helpfull !
ReplyDeleteOmg thank you so much!! This really helped a lot . I've been confuse about for the past 3 months Kkk thanks again!!
ReplyDeleteIve honestly been trying to figure this out for at least 4 years. Thank you so muchhhhh
ReplyDeletethank you
ReplyDelete"백현 포스터가 어딨어요?" Or "백현 포스터는 어딨어요?"
ReplyDeleteTHANKS
ReplyDelete고마워요~!
ReplyDeleteThank you soooooo much
ReplyDeleteSo 은/는 and 가/이 means 'is' and that it's used depending if it's used as a general statement or something presently talked about?
ReplyDeleteYou saved my life!! I had no idea when to use them but you just made it so so much easier for me. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThis was the most helpful post from all on the internet! Thank you so much! I've watched videos and read posts on this topic but I had no idea what they are talking about... but this was amazing! Thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteFinally I can get the differences!! Is more easy we you put English examples after the korean examples thank you~
ReplyDeleteWould it be correct if I say
ReplyDelete“That cheetah is fast”.
“ 그 치다가 빠르다”
FINALLY I UNDERSTAAANNNDD!!! THANK YOU!!
ReplyDeletethanks
ReplyDeleteKamsahamnida.
ReplyDeleteso it's like,
ReplyDeletea ballpen is black - 볼펜은 검은이다.
the ballpen is black - 볼펜이 검은이다
am I right? cause i don't get it much
thank you it's really helpful but I am still confuse about when to use이/가 and when to use 은/는 because when you say the sea is blue ok I do understand that it is general but the sea is black it's not that specific it's still general and last how can we identify if the cheetah is fast it's general because it can also be specific like "this one is really fast" althought all of that thank you for doing this book it's really useful.
ReplyDeleteHi, I personally think Luke's explanation is clear.
ReplyDeleteBut if anyone still find it difficult to understand, I'd like to share some insight I got from my Korean Language teacher.
바다는 푸르다 (The sea is blue)
If you are using 은/는 in your sentence, then the focus of your sentence is to describe the thing from the subject.
For example to be more clear, your sentence would be the answer of the question "How is the sea (in general)?" or "What is the color of the sea?"
So, the focus is on the description of the subject (it is blue)
Meanwhile,
바다는 까맣다 (The sea is black)
If you are using 가/이 in your sentence, then the focus of your sentence is the subject itself. your sentence would be the answer of the question "What thing does have black color?" or "What is that thing over there with the black color?"
So, the focus is on the subject (The sea)
Hope it help :)