What Are Korean Particles? A Simple Guide to 조사 (Josa)

If you have studied Korean for a while, you have probably seen words like 저는, 친구가, 커피를, 학교에, 저도, 물만.

The small parts attached to the end — 는, 가, 를, 에, 도, 만 — are called 조사 (josa) in Korean, or particles in English.

Korean particles help us understand what role a word has in a sentence or what extra meaning the speaker wants to add.

저는 커피를 마셔요.
I drink coffee.

Here, 저 means “I/me,” and 커피 means “coffee.” 는 marks the topic, while 를 marks the object of “drink.”

Korean particles are written together with the word before them, with no space.

• 저 + 는 → 저는
• 커피 + 를 → 커피를
• 학교 + 에 → 학교에

In Korean school grammar, particles are generally divided into three main groups:

1. 격조사 — Case particles
2. 보조사 — Auxiliary particles
3. 접속조사 — Connective particles

Let’s look at them one by one.

1. 격조사: Case Particles

격조사 show the grammatical role of a noun or noun phrase in a sentence. They help us understand who is doing an action, what receives the action, where it happens, or where someone is going.

고양이가 자요.
The cat is sleeping.

이/가 marks the subject. Here, 고양이 is the subject of the sentence.

저는 커피를 마셔요.
I drink coffee.

을/를 marks the object. Here, 커피 is the object of 마시다 — to drink.

학교에서 공부해요.
I study at school.

에서 marks the place where the action happens.

Common case particles

• 이/가 — subject: 고양이가 자요. (The cat is sleeping.)
• 을/를 — object: 책을 읽어요. (I read a book.)
• 에 — time, destination, or location: 학교에 가요. (I go to school.)
• 에서 — place where an action happens: 집에서 공부해요. (I study at home.)
• 에게/한테 — recipient or target: 친구한테 전화해요. (I call a friend.)
• (으)로 — direction, method, or means: 버스로 가요. (I go by bus.)
• 의 — possession or relationship: 친구의 책 (a friend’s book)

These are common uses, rather than a complete list of meanings.

Case particles show what role a noun has in the sentence.

A quick note on particle pairs

Some particles have two forms. The choice usually depends on whether the word before them ends in a consonant (받침) or a vowel.

• After a consonant: 이, 을, 은 — 책이, 책을, 책은
• After a vowel: 가, 를, 는 — 커피가, 커피를, 커피는

(으)로 has a useful exception: use 로 after a vowel or ㄹ, and 으로 after other consonants. For example: 버스로, 지하철로, 트럭으로.

Case particles are often omitted in conversation

When the grammatical role of a word is clear from context, speakers often omit some case particles, especially 이/가 and 을/를.

저는 커피를 마셔요.
I drink coffee.

In everyday conversation, you may also hear:

저는 커피 마셔요.

The object particle 를 is omitted, but it is still clear that coffee is what the speaker drinks.

뭐 먹어요?
What are you eating?

김밥 먹어요.
I’m eating gimbap.

The fuller form is 김밥을 먹어요. Since 김밥 is clearly the object of 먹어요, speakers often leave out 을.

The subject particle can also be omitted:

택배 왔어요.
The package is here. / A package arrived.

The fuller form is 택배가 왔어요.

However, this does not mean every case particle can always be removed. Omission depends on context, emphasis, and the expression.

학교에 가요.
I go to school.

학교에서 공부해요.
I study at school.

에 marks a destination here, while 에서 marks the place of an action. You may hear 학교 가요 in conversation, but do not assume 에 and 에서 can always be dropped in the same way.

If the role of the noun is obvious from context, 이/가 and 을/를 are often omitted in conversation.

Practice using the particles first. As you become familiar with natural Korean, you will notice when speakers leave them out.

2. 보조사: Auxiliary Particles

보조사 work differently. Instead of mainly showing a grammatical role, they add a specific meaning.

저는 커피를 마셔요.
As for me, I drink coffee.

저도 커피를 마셔요.
I also drink coffee.

저만 커피를 마셔요.
Only I drink coffee.

The basic word 저 is the same, but the meaning changes depending on the particle.

도 — also / too

도 adds the meaning of “also” or “too.”

저도 한국어를 공부해요.
I study Korean too.

커피도 좋아해요.
I like coffee too.

In the first example, 도 highlights another person who studies Korean. In the second, it highlights another thing the speaker likes.

만 — only

만 adds the meaning of “only.”

물만 마셔요.
I drink only water.

오늘만 쉬어요.
I’m resting only today.

Compare 물을 마셔요 (I drink water) with 물만 마셔요 (I drink only water). 만 adds a restriction.

은/는 — topic and contrast

In Korean school grammar, 은/는 is classified as a 보조사, or auxiliary particle. Korean-learning materials often call it a topic particle or topic marker, which describes one of its most important functions.

저는 선생님이에요.
As for me, I’m a teacher.

커피는 좋아해요.
As for coffee, I like it.

은/는 introduces a topic and can also create contrast, depending on context. “As for…” helps show the topic function, although natural English often leaves it unspoken.

This is why 은/는 and 이/가 are not simply interchangeable: they have different functions.

요 — politeness

요 can function as a 보조사 that adds politeness toward the listener. You can see this clearly in short expressions:

저요?
Me?

왜요?
Why?

커피요.
Coffee.

Compare 왜? (casual) with 왜요? (polite).

You will also see 요 at the end of polite forms such as 해요, 먹어요, 좋아요. Learners usually study these as -아요/어요 endings. For this guide, focus on the clear particle examples above; you do not need to analyze every polite ending as you speak.

Auxiliary particles add meanings such as “also,” “only,” topic, contrast, or politeness.

3. 접속조사: Connective Particles

접속조사 connect two or more nouns or noun phrases with the same grammatical role. Think of “and” or “or” in English.

• 와/과, (이)랑, 하고 — and
• (이)나 — or, when connecting alternatives

엄마와 아빠가 왔어요.
Mom and Dad came.

와 connects 엄마 and 아빠. The whole phrase 엄마와 아빠 is the subject.

사과랑 바나나를 샀어요.
I bought apples and bananas.

랑 connects 사과 and 바나나. The whole phrase 사과랑 바나나 is the object of 샀어요.

You can also say 사과하고 바나나를 샀어요. The basic function is the same: two nouns are connected.

커피나 차를 마셔요.
I drink coffee or tea.

Here, 나 connects two alternatives.

One Particle Can Have Different Roles

The same particle form does not always belong to the same category in every sentence.

민수와 지수가 왔어요.
Minsu and Jisu came.

Here, 와 connects 민수 and 지수, so it functions as a 접속조사.

민수는 지수와 이야기했어요.
Minsu talked with Jisu.

Here, 와 means “with” and shows the relationship between 지수 and 이야기하다. It functions as a 격조사 — more specifically, an adverbial case particle.

Instead of memorizing “와 = connective particle,” ask:

What is this particle doing in this sentence?

The Three Types of Korean Particles

• 격조사 — Case particles: show grammatical roles. Examples: 이/가, 을/를, 에, 에서.
• 보조사 — Auxiliary particles: add meaning. Examples: 은/는, 도, 만, 요.
• 접속조사 — Connective particles: connect nouns or noun phrases. Examples: 와/과, (이)랑, 하고, (이)나.

You do not need to memorize every Korean particle before you start making sentences. Instead, ask these three questions:

1. Does it show the role of the noun? It may be a 격조사.
2. Does it add meaning such as “only,” “also,” topic, contrast, or politeness? It may be a 보조사.
3. Does it connect two nouns? It may be a 접속조사.

Once you understand these three basic functions, Korean particles become much easier to organize and learn.