Topic particles 은/는

Particle Worksheet Subject particles 이/가

 Structure of topic particles 은/는

 We use the topic particle 은 if the noun before ends in a 받침
o 학생은 (the student) / 음식은 (the food)
 We use the topic particle 는 if the noun before doesn’t end in a 받침.
o 엄마는 (the mum) / 학교는 (the school)

Exercise 1 – Fill in the blanks with either 은 or 는 depending on the noun before
1. 자동차 (a car): 자동차__________
2. 학교 (a school): 학교__________
3. 가방 (a bag): 가방__________
4. 집 (home/a house): 집__________
5. 책 (a book): 책__________
6. 친구 (a friend): 친구__________
7. 돈 (money): 돈__________
8. 숙제 (homework): 숙제__________

 Structure of subject particles 이/가

 We use the subject particle 이 if the noun before ends in a 받침
o 학생이 (the student) / 음식이 (the food)
 We use the subject particle 가 if the noun before doesn’t end in a 받침.
o 엄마가 (the mum) / 학교가 (the school)

Exercise 2 – Fill in the blanks with either 이 or 가 depending on the noun before
1. 친구 (a friend): 친구__________
2. 돈 (money): 돈__________
3. 숙제 (homework: 숙제__________
4. 집 (home/a house): 집__________
5. 책 (a book): 책__________
6. 자동차 (a car): 자동차__________
7. 학교 (a school): 학교__________
8. 가방 (a bag): 가방__________
 Topic particles 은/는
Particle Worksheet Subject particles 이/가

USE 1
 Topic particles 은/는
 We use the topic particles 은/는 to focus on the subject’s action or what’s being
said about the subject.
Q: What movies does Minsu like?
A: 민수는 아이언맨을 좋아해요. (Minsu likes Iron Man.)

 Subject particles 이/가

 We use the subject particles 이/가 to focus on the subject itself; the person doing
the action.
Q: Who likes Iron Man?
A: 민수가 아이언맨을 좋아해요. (Minsu likes Iron Man.)

Exercise 3 – Fill in the blanks with either topic or subject particles, depending on
whether the question is about the subject’s action or the subject itself. Also be careful
on using either 은/는 or 이/가 depending on the noun before.

Q Where does Minsu live?

1 민수______ 서울에 살아요.
A
Minsu lives in Seoul.
Q Who lives in Seoul?
2 민수______ 서울에 살아요.
A
Minsu lives in Seoul.
Q What music do you like?
3 저______ 록 음악을 좋아해요.
A
I like rock music.
Q Who likes rock music?
4 저의 형______ 록 음악을 좋아해요.
A
My older brother likes rock music.
Q What food does Suzy like?
5 수지______ 햄버거를 좋아해요.
A
Suzy likes hamburgers.
Q Who likes hamburgers?
6 수지______ 햄버거를 좋아해요.
A
Suzy likes hamburgers.
7 Q What time do you wake up?
 Topic particles 은/는
Particle Worksheet Subject particles 이/가

저______ 8 시에 일어나요.
A
I wake up at 8.
Q Who wakes up at 8?
8 제______8 시에 일어나요.*1
A
I wake up at 8.
Q Who do you like at school?
9 저______ 학교에서 민수를 좋아해요.
A
I like Minsu at school.
Q Who likes Minsu at school?
10 제______ 학교에서 민수를 좋아해요.
A
I like Minsu at school.

*1(When 저 is used with the subject particle, it changes to 제)

USE 2
 Use of subject particles 이/가
 We use the subject particles 이/가 to introduce a new topic to the conversation
[Introducing a new topic]
민수가 선생님이에요. (Minsu is a teacher.)

 Use of topic particles 은/는

 We use the topic particles 은/는 to refer to something mentioned earlier in the
conversation
[To refer to something mentioned earlier]
A: 민수는 제 친구예요. (Minsu is my friend.)
 Topic particles 은/는
Particle Worksheet Subject particles 이/가

USE 3
 Use of topic particles 은/는
 We use the topic particles 은/는 to introduce contrasting information
A: 민수가 커피를 좋아해요. (Minu likes coffee – introducing a new topic)
B: 저는 커피를 싫어해요. (I hate coffee – introducing contrasting information)

USE 4
 Using topic particles 은/는 & subject particles 이/가 together
 When we use both particles together, we use the topic particles to introduce the
topic and the subject particle to introduce the subject.

오늘은 날씨가 좋아요.

(Literal) As for today, the weather is good.
(Natural) The weather is good today.

우리는 돈이 없어요.
(Literal) As for us, we don’t have money,
(Natural) We don’t have money.

저는 친구가 많아요.
(Literal) As for me, I have a lot of friends.
(Natural) I have a lot of friends.

Answer Key
Exercise 1
 Topic particles 은/는
Particle Worksheet Subject particles 이/가

1. 자동차는
2. 학교는
3. 가방은
4. 집은
5. 책은
6. 친구는
7. 돈은
8. 숙제는
Exercise 2
1. 친구가
2. 돈이
3. 숙제가
4. 집이
5. 책이
6. 자동차가
7. 학교가
8. 가방이
Exercise 3
1. 민수는 서울에 살아요.
2. 민수가 서울에 살아요.
3. 저는 록 음악을 좋아해요.
4. 저의 형이 록 음악을 좋아해요.
5. 수지는 햄버거를 좋아해요.
6. 수지가 햄버거를 좋아해요.
7. 저는 8 시에 일어나요.
8. 제가 8 시에 일어나요.
9. 저는 학교에서 민수를 좋아해요.
10.제가 학교에서 민수를 좋아해요.