The Subject Particle: 이 / 가

🔊

🎧 Iru Helper Note — Open the

Korean Helper Widgets page and type any sentence from this lesson to hear the subject particle attach to the noun.

🌈 The Big Picture

• Final consonant (batchim) → $$\color{purple}{\text{이}}$$ [i]
• Vowel → $$\color{purple}{\text{가}}$$ [ga]

🧩 Core Pattern

• $$\color{purple}{\text{책}}$$ [chaek] + $$\color{purple}{\text{이}}$$ → $$\color{purple}{\text{책이}}$$ [chae-gi]
• $$\color{purple}{\text{학생}}$$ [hak-saeng] + $$\color{purple}{\text{이}}$$ → $$\color{purple}{\text{학생이}}$$ [hak-saeng-i]
• $$\color{purple}{\text{사과}}$$ [sa-gwa] + $$\color{purple}{\text{가}}$$ → $$\color{purple}{\text{사과가}}$$ [sa-gwa-ga]
• $$\color{purple}{\text{친구}}$$ [chin-gu] + $$\color{purple}{\text{가}}$$ → $$\color{purple}{\text{친구가}}$$ [chin-gu-ga]

🛠️ How They Work

🚨 Exception Rule

📚 Cross-check note

⚠️ Pitfalls to Dodge

• ❌ $$\color{purple}{\text{책가 있어요}}$$ → ✅ $$\color{purple}{\text{책이 있어요}}$$
• ❌ $$\color{purple}{\text{사과이 있어요}}$$ → ✅ $$\color{purple}{\text{사과가 있어요}}$$
• ❌ Treating $$\color{purple}{\text{이 / 가}}$$ and $$\color{purple}{\text{은 / 는}}$$ as identical → ✅ subject focus vs topic

Try this exercise

Instructions

Choose $$\color{purple}{\text{이}}$$ [i] or $$\color{purple}{\text{가}}$$ [ga]. Look at whether the noun ends in a final consonant or a vowel, say the completed sentence aloud, then check the Answer toggle.

1. $$\color{purple}{\text{책\_\_\_\_ 있어요.}}$$

[chaek- i-sseo-yo]

There is a book. 📚

Answer

이 — $$\color{purple}{\text{책}}$$ [chaek] ends in final consonant ㄱ.

2. $$\color{purple}{\text{사과\_\_\_\_ 있어요.}}$$

[sa-gwa- i-sseo-yo]

There is an apple. 🍎

Answer

가 — $$\color{purple}{\text{사과}}$$ [sa-gwa] ends in a vowel.

3. $$\color{purple}{\text{학생\_\_\_\_ 아니에요.}}$$

[hak-saeng- a-ni-e-yo]

They are not a student. 🎒

Answer

이 — $$\color{purple}{\text{학생}}$$ [hak-saeng] ends in final consonant ㅇ.

4. $$\color{purple}{\text{의사\_\_\_\_ 아니에요.}}$$

[ui-sa- a-ni-e-yo]

They are not a doctor. 🩺

Answer

가 — $$\color{purple}{\text{의사}}$$ [ui-sa] ends in a vowel.

5. $$\color{purple}{\text{물\_\_\_\_ 있어요.}}$$

[mul- i-sseo-yo]

There is water. 💧

Answer

이 — $$\color{purple}{\text{물}}$$ [mul] ends in final consonant ㄹ.

6. $$\color{purple}{\text{커피\_\_\_\_ 없어요.}}$$

[keo-pi- eop-seo-yo]

There is no coffee. ☕

Answer

가 — $$\color{purple}{\text{커피}}$$ [keo-pi] ends in a vowel.

7. $$\color{purple}{\text{선생님\_\_\_\_ 있어요.}}$$

[seon-saeng-nim- i-sseo-yo]

There is a teacher. 👩‍🏫

Answer

이 — $$\color{purple}{\text{선생님}}$$ [seon-saeng-nim] ends in final consonant ㅁ.

8. $$\color{purple}{\text{친구\_\_\_\_ 있어요.}}$$

[chin-gu- i-sseo-yo]

There is a friend. 🤝

Answer

가 — $$\color{purple}{\text{친구}}$$ [chin-gu] ends in a vowel.

9. $$\color{purple}{\text{가방\_\_\_\_ 없어요.}}$$

[ga-bang- eop-seo-yo]

There is no bag. 👜

Answer

이 — $$\color{purple}{\text{가방}}$$ [ga-bang] ends in final consonant ㅇ.

10. $$\color{purple}{\text{학교\_\_\_\_ 있어요.}}$$

[hak-gyo- i-sseo-yo]

There is a school. 🏫

Answer

가 — $$\color{purple}{\text{학교}}$$ [hak-gyo] ends in a vowel.

📚

Vocabulary Box

• $$\color{purple}{\text{이}}$$ [i] → subject particle after final consonant
• $$\color{purple}{\text{가}}$$ [ga] → subject particle after vowel
• $$\color{purple}{\text{있어요}}$$ [i-sseo-yo] → there is / have
• $$\color{purple}{\text{없어요}}$$ [eop-seo-yo] → there is not / do not have
• $$\color{purple}{\text{아니에요}}$$ [a-ni-e-yo] → is not
• $$\color{purple}{\text{책}}$$ [chaek] → book
• $$\color{purple}{\text{사과}}$$ [sa-gwa] → apple
• $$\color{purple}{\text{학생}}$$ [hak-saeng] → student
• $$\color{purple}{\text{의사}}$$ [ui-sa] → doctor
• $$\color{purple}{\text{물}}$$ [mul] → water
• $$\color{purple}{\text{커피}}$$ [keo-pi] → coffee
• $$\color{purple}{\text{선생님}}$$ [seon-saeng-nim] → teacher
• $$\color{purple}{\text{친구}}$$ [chin-gu] → friend
• $$\color{purple}{\text{가방}}$$ [ga-bang] → bag
• $$\color{purple}{\text{학교}}$$ [hak-gyo] → school

Tip 💡 Final consonant = $$\color{purple}{\text{이}}$$ [i]. Vowel = $$\color{purple}{\text{가}}$$ [ga].

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