How to FEEL the Topic Marker (은/는) | Korean FAQ

[@bano363]

Topic marker Beginner; 'Damn this is difficult 😵' Intermediate; 'I got this 😎' Advanced; 'Damn this is difficult 😵'

[@GoBillyKorean]

Reuploaded because the audio volume was too low. Should be fixed now!

[@cherylschaeffer7832]

Perfect!

[@user-lt6qi6kg6h]

Yes..It is perfect now..👍🏻

[@caiosipriano3173]

Thank you

[@AJGO44]

The best teacher I've found. My favorite teacher.

[@randomk-popstan1436]

He isn't a native tho

[@jamesjoke7633]

저도

[@azariele]

@@randomk-popstan1436 He's lived in Korea I think

[@randomk-popstan1436]

@@azariele Oh yes. I just figured out he studied Korean for 16 years. OML HE MUST BE BETTER THAN A NATIVE

[@azariele]

@@randomk-popstan1436 he may be better than some!

[@menear]

i really like the example with pineapples. i imagined a situation where there were several fruits on the table and someone asked me if they could eat the pineapple, and i found myself answering 파인에플은 먹어도 돼요

[@letstrytobekind]

A friend at Bangtan Academy suggested this video to me when we were crying over the difference between topic/subject markers in a study group today, and this is one of the best explanations I've found so far! I think it's because you're using gestures and tone of voice to explain what the markers are doing. Since direct translation to English just doesn't work at all for these two particles, this more visceral explanation really helps. 정말 감사합니다!

[@Amipalovestwilight]

I'm learning about phonetics in different languages right now, and I think you found a great explanation for how to use the topic marker! Languages have different ways of stressing important information in a sentence and I think this is a great example of that. While in English (and in German, my mother tongue) it is done by simply saying the word more loudly and / or in a higher or lower tone than the rest of the words, Koreans use topic markers to highlight the most important part of the sentence.

[@cloubyy]

this is such a good explanation 😭😭 im not sure which sources to use to study korean, as korean textbooks can often talk formally or not show different ways/formalitys, and im not very familiar with other channels, so ive been using ONLY your videos, and man… ive learned SO much from just you… ur an awesome teacher :) super thankful!! keep up the great work!!!!

[@elskulena]

ahhhh how's your progress going?

[@cloubyy]

@@elskulena its been going pretty well!! taking a break tho :)

[@jjkoreanjjkorean]

민감한 주제인데.. 현장에선 여러가지 이유로 가르치기가 애매해요. 하지만 가르쳐야 하는데... 빌리쌤, 최고. ^^!

[@raenter]

"Eat the pineapple, don't touch the strawberries." Topic markers make a difference, much like commas.

[@rraoul3000]

안녕하세요 빌리, this "feel(ing") added to my basic understanding of this marker. Although I got it, this gave me a little extra understanding (something you are very good at adding to your videos). As difficult as the markers are to understand, I followed your suggestion to not worry about it too much and reviewed it frequently. But I am a little obsessed with getting an understanding and I agree with you, after a while, you begin to understand better; especially as they compare and contrast with each other. 고마줘요.

[@CW-xf1li]

Your intonation in the english example helped loads. Thank you!

[@triciak4765]

Thanks Billy! I feel Korean to me is always two steps forward....1.5 back lol. One day I think I've got it and the next I'm thinking do I know anything?! But like you said at the end, just have to keep exposing myself to the language and keep practicing! Thanks for these awesome short videos ~~비리선생님 (은/는)수업을 감사합니다^^

[@vince6454]

At first I thought the topic marker was a bit useless, but now I realize it's useful for longer explanations i.e. when you're talking about a lot of sub'topics.' Another nuance of the topic marker Billy쌤 already taught but I think needs more emphasis is the fact that it doesn't clearly specify the role of its marked word i.e. it can function like a subject or an object marker. For example, 나는 엄마가 사랑해. 엄마가 나를 사랑해. Like I said the topic marker on its own is a vague indicator of role, but given context in a maybe slightly longer explanation, A: 내 엄마 매일 집에 없고 일만 하니까 내가 없애면 신경쓰지 않을 것 같은데. 나를 사랑하지 않는 것 같아. 다른 어머니보다 훨씬 다르더라고. B: 나는 엄마가 집에 자주 없어도 사랑하는 편인 것 같은데 넌 슬퍼하면 내가 이해해, 니 마음고생도 알아 I can instantly know that 나 is the object.

[@GoBillyKorean]

I've actually already made a full video about how to use the Topic and Subject markers which covers that sort of difference. kzbin.info/www/bejne/e2PNo4qnd6mcoq8

[@zagg8687]

@@GoBillyKorean 감사합니다 샘

[@kemii_io706]

.

[@cherylschaeffer7832]

Thank you for adjusting the audio. Much better. The video gives even more emphasis to the topic marker now. Thank you!

[@p3cassso636]

this was a perfect way to explain it! comparing its unique nuance to a very familiar nuance for english speakers lol i thought i had it down but now i feel like i really get it

[@elskulena]

감사합니다wow thank you. Ive been struggling so bad with particles

[@thegreatsalad]

Watch to the end guys! This video helped so much. Thank you!!

[@KoreaWithKids]

Nicely done. 😁 I will save it for when people have questions.

[@sajjedinas.874]

This is a difficult thing to get right and I was a bit stuck. This explanation helps, thanks 👍

[@eundongpark1672]

Billy! This is a very cool enhancement to all the other explanations I've seen over the years. Thanks dude! Very cool. I suspect I've been over using it.

[@derpderp9281]

oh yeah, the audio was weird, I even thought it was my computer acting up, much clearer now! but too bad I lost my comment in the other video :( hope you don't mind me commenting again

[@mhogan24]

One of the most useful explanations of this difficult topic that I’ve seen!! 감사합니다!!

[@carolinaparra124]

Excelent! Just today I was studying them, this video helped me a lot :)

[@martinashmore5723]

Another great explanation - thank you!

[@flanalexagan]

you’re the goat for this video 고맙습니다 !!!

[@Meyra_]

Languages are amazing!

[@RicardoDizonLefthanded]

I always review this topic. And this video is the best explanation.

[@jacksonm4247]

Just sitting here watching and raising my voice in weird ways to feel the particles 😆

[@tzveeble1679]

Wouldn't you just say: 삘리 입니다 rather than 제가 삘리? If called up from a crowd as in 누구는 삘리? You'd answer 저는 빨리. Am I on the right track here? Funny that Korean adopted the word for pineapple from English, when it's Ananas in about 100 languages 😄 아나나스 - how about?

[@calajane9881]

Particles... The eternal struggle /o\

[@onlyfaniii]

Sir. Billy! Can i ask if I can make the verb be the object of the main verb?

[@GoBillyKorean]

Can you give me an example of what you mean?

[@onlyfaniii]

Like sir I want to say "the movie tells me to run" and I translate it to 영화가 저에게 run(object marker) 말합니다.

[@GoBillyKorean]

If you're using "tell" then that could be a quoting form. I have several videos about quoting forms, such as this one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sGKUfoyaq8x9mrs

[@onlyfaniii]

@@GoBillyKorean thank you for replying me!

[@onlyfaniii]

After i watched the video you recommend to me. Sir can you correct my translation? The movie "tells me to run" -------> 영화가 "저에게 달린다"고 전합니다

[@snowflakes90]

I…….. eat pineapple 🍍 😂😂 I liked that ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

[@wolf-bass]

주제표지는 나에게 두통을 준다~~ ㅠㅠ

[@renkio]

Ok so it's like は and が in Japanese

[@GoBillyKorean]

Kind of, but not quite: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bWrShJqDlNppqbM

[@renkio]

@@GoBillyKorean Thanks - really liked the background history in that video. Yeah I've noticed the subtle differences between Korean and Japanese particles (e.g. 로 vs で and 에 vs へ), but the similarities also make me wonder if they might be loan words, cognates, or just coincidence. Maybe the truth is somewhere in between.