subject/object/topic particles!

[maknaelove]

Annyonghaseyo everyone... I just get confused on how to determine if a word is a subject, object or a topic! Please help me. I get confused when I hear neun, neul, i/ga..... (

please help me.... I will really appreciate it if someone will help me....
and I think it will be better if you give me examples....

thanks!

[timandyou]

I will briefly explain this.... hmmm

Let's compare with English.
Remember - the grammar, especially words' order, is totally opposite! (so if you want to improve Korean fast, you must think like Korean not like English)

Here are examples.
in English, I(subject) like(verb) books (object)
in Korean, 나(I)(subject) 책(books)(object) 좋아한다(like)(verb)
But there are more...

You need to put subject particles after Subject - (은/는) (이/가)
and you also need to put object particles after Object - (을/를)

Therefore,
나 책 좋아한다 becomes
나는 책을 좋아한다.

so if you want to distingish which part is subject, search for (은/는/이/가)
same to object, in order to find object, search for (을/를)

Remember this as well!
If you say "나 책 좋아한다" in Korea, everyone would understand you perfectly.
even if you say, "나 좋아한다 책" in Korea, everyone would understand you totally.
However, it wouldn't help you improve your Korean skill because further, you would need to say a long sentence in case; for example, "저 어린 아이는 파란색 책을 좋아해"
see, now you get my point.

It's better to say clearly, 나는 책을 좋아합니다. and more importantly, it's very important for you to know exactly what portion of a sentence is Subject/Object/Verb.

There are much more... much more to explain about this grammar.
But, it's better to stop for now. One thing at a time is better than many things at a time!
Practice some simple sentences in Korean. That will help you a lot!!!
cheers,

[maknaelove]

thank you so much! I really appreciate it. But I am also confused between object and topic.

Because in the audio.., they say object marking particle and topic marking particle. Are they just the same or are they different?

Thank you so much... I am very happy that someone answered my question. Kamsahamnida!

[trutherous]

Hi maknaelove,

Nice to see you here. I am a fellow student of Korean language.

An additional note:

In conversation the subject is sometimes dropped from a sentence so that 나는 김치를 좋아해요 {(I는 kimchi를 liking-do) e.g. I like kimchi} can be said simply 김치를 좋아해요 -'kimchi is liked' and it is assumed that the one who is speaking is the one who likes kimchi. It is true you can drop the markers and still be understood by Koreans, but it drove me crazy with confusion when I was first learning Korean and Koreans would drop the subject entirely or drop the subject and object markers from sentences - I would be wondering "Who does kimchi like?"

Anyway, the best way to learn these markers is to learn by phrases and sentences, you'll pick them up naturally as you practice. Some of the explanation won't make much sense until you have a basic feel for their use.

나는 I (am)
나를 Me
나의 My (mine)

Catch ya later - keep up the great work!

George

[timandyou]

You are really good, george~~!
Thanks for your explanation.
cheers,

[maknaelove]

waaah! thanks George! You're great!

Kamsahamnida again...