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은/는 vs 이/가 · Which One?

은/는 = the topic: what the sentence is about, known information, contrast ('A is ..., but B is ...'), and self-introductions.

이/가 = the subject as new information: answers to 'who? what?', and with 있어요/없어요, 아니에요, and descriptions of what you notice.

Both can appear in one sentence: 오늘은 (topic) 날씨가 (subject) 좋아요.

Examples

Read, listen if you can, then write each one in the boxes.

저는 학생이에요.
jeoneun haksaengieyo.
I am a student. (about me)
저는학생이에요.
누가 학생이에요? 제가 학생이에요.
nuga haksaengieyo? jega haksaengieyo.
Who is a student? I am.
누가학생이에요?제가학생이에요.
사과는 좋아해요. 배는 안 좋아해요.
sagwaneun joahaeyo. baeneun an joahaeyo.
I like apples. I don't like pears. (contrast)
사과는좋아해요.배는안좋아해요.
밖에 비가 와요.
bakke biga wayo.
It's raining outside. (new information)
밖에비가와요.
오늘은 날씨가 좋아요.
oneureun nalssiga joayo.
Today the weather is nice.
오늘은날씨가좋아요.

Try it: write 은, 는, 이 or 가

  1. 누가 왔어요? 민수＿＿ 왔어요. — Who came? Minsu came.
  2. 저＿＿ 한국 사람이에요. — I am Korean.
  3. 교실에 학생＿＿ 많아요. — There are many students in the classroom.
  4. 이 책＿＿ 재미있지만 저 책은 지루해요. — This book is interesting, but that book is boring.
  5. 방에 고양이＿＿ 있어요. — There is a cat in the room.
  6. 제 이름＿＿ 지민이에요. — My name is Jimin.
Answers

1. 가 · 2. 는 · 3. 이 · 4. 은 · 5. 가 · 6. 은

Free worksheet

One printable page: the rule, five sentences to trace, six to fill in.

Download the PDF
Practice it on paper. This lesson is one unit of the Korean Particles and Polite Speech Workbook by Gyeol Press, a large 8.5 × 11 in paperback with trace-and-write pages and a full answer key. Coming soon on Amazon