Korean Grammar - Assistant Postposition(보조사)
Hi! This is Admin Do. Today’s grammar lesson is on assistant postpositions. If you want more info on postpositions, click here!
보조사 (Assistant Postposition)
보조사 is one type of 조사(Postposition), and is a postposition that adds special meaning to 체언(substantive), 부사(adverb), 활용 어미(conjugated ending), and so on. There are a lot of assistant postpositions since the majority of the postpostions, except 격조사(position marking particle) and 접속 조사(conjuction postposition), are assistant postpostiton. So I picked some of the most used assistant postpositions to introduce today.
- ‘~은/는’
Used to emphasize, contrast, etc.
ex)
우유는 먹어도 치즈는 못 먹는다.(I can drink milk but I can't eat cheese.)
아무리 졸려도 드라마는 보고 자야 한다.(No matter how sleepy I am, I have to watch the drama and sleep.)
- ‘~만’
Used to indicate solitude, selection, etc. Usually translated to “only”.
ex)
나는 딸기만 좋아한다.(I only like strawberries.)
5개 중에서 2개만 새싹이 돋았다.(Only two of the five have sprouted buds.)
- ‘~도’
Used to indicate inclusion, limitations, etc.
ex)
누구도 여기서 나갈 수 없다.(No one can get out of here.)
케이크를 먹었는데 사탕도 먹고 싶다.(Although I ate cake, I want to eat a candy too.)
- ‘~부터’
Used to indicate the start, first, etc.
ex)
이것은 철수로부터 온 편지다.(This is a letter from 철수.)
어머니부터 밥을 드셨다.(Mother ate first.)
- ‘~까지’
Used to indicate effects(how far something affected), etc.
ex)
기름이 여기까지 튀었다. (The oil spattered all the way here.)
- Written by Admin Do
- Edited by Admin Yu