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Subject Particle: 는/은

Beomjin Heo
May 22, 2023
Grammar Beginner

15-min Lesson Goals

는/은 is a sentence particle that connects the topic of your sentence to the rest of its content. Let's dive into when and how to use this correctly! 

A Bit of a Lesson

Watch the video above to understand how to use 는 (neun) and 은 (eun).

When it comes to usage, you can think of the English phrase as for. 

오늘은 바빠요. (오늘=today;바빠요=busy)
As for today, I'm busy.

는/은 can be used to show contrast:

오늘은 바쁜데, 내일은 안 바빠요. (내일=tomorrow;안 바빠요=not busy) 
I am busy today, but I'm not busy tomorrow. 

는/은 is used more for answers.

Q: 이름이 뭐에요? (What is your name?)
A: 제 이름은 말로입니다. (My name is Mallo)

For a more detailed explanation as to when you can use this particle, check out this article from Tammy Korean!

Knowledge Check!

말로 아카데미 (Ma-lo A-ka-de-mi) __ 재밌어요!

는(neun) 은(eun) Both Neither

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