10 Essential Particles (Part 2) - SECRETKOREAN

1. -씩 (At a time, each) 

Form: -씩 (After a final consonant or a vowel) 

Example: 한 사람씩, 천 원씩, 두 번씩 

“-씩” can be used as a particle that can be used in a sentence to add meaning [at a time, each]. It is often attached to the end of a word, and the words are usually counter words such as 시간 (hour), 개 (object), 명 (person), etc. It can also be used to express the frequency of action in a given period of time.

“-씩” is literally more like ‘each’ in English and shows that you do something each time, one by one. However, you can also use ‘-씩’ to express something that you want to do more than one thing “at a time” if you want to do many things at once. (At a time =한 번에) 

“-씩” is often attached to the end of whatever counter word is used together with the particle “-에.” 

하루에 2시간씩 일해요 

(I work 2 hours each day) 

한 번에 세 사람씩 들어오세요 

(Please come in three persons at a time)

한 시간에 한 번씩 손을 씻으세요 

(Wash your hands once each hour) 

태희는 숙제를 한 번에 두 개씩 합니다 

(Taehee does two homework at a time) 

병관이는 일주일에 두 번씩 운동을 합니다 

(Byunggwan does exercise twice a week) 

천 원씩이에요 

(They are 1,000 won each) 

Note:

조금 = Little

조금씩 = Little by little 

가끔 = Once in a while

가끔씩 = Sometimes

2. -끼리 (In a group, among themselves) 

Form: -끼리 (After a final consonant or a vowel) 

Example: 친구끼리, 팀끼리, 학생끼리 

“-끼리” can be used as a particle that can be used in a sentence to add meaning [in a group]. It can also mean “only between,” “only with,” or “among” depending on context. It attaches directly after a word and carries out the action as a group (not with others).

친구들끼리 밥을 먹습니다 

(The students are eating in a group) 

가족끼리 비밀이 어딨어? 

(Are there secrets between family members?) 

한달에 한 번 우리들끼리 만나요 

(Let’s hang out only amongst ourselves once a month) 

매일 아침 같은 반 학생끼리 모입니다 

(Every morning students in the same class gather together in a group) 

3. -뿐 (Only)

Form: -마다 (After a final consonant or a vowel) 

Example: 친구뿐, 당신뿐, 학생뿐 

“-뿐” can be used as a particle that represents “only” (and nothing more). It attaches directly after a word and finishes the sentence by conjugating “-이다” (to be). It can only be used with the copula “-이다.” We will discuss how to conjugate it with verbs in more detail in another book.

나는 너뿐이야 

(You are the only one for me) 

믿을 수 있는 사람은 가족뿐입니다 

(The family is the only one that I can trust) 

그곳을 갈 수 있는 사람은 학생들뿐입니다 

(The students are the only one who can go there) 

You can also use it to disparage a person by saying that the noun is the only good thing about him/her.

태희가 가진 건 돈뿐이야

(Money is the only thing that Taehee has = Taehee is rich) 

*It can also be used to boast about one’s fortune as a joke 

내가 잘하는 건 영어뿐이다 

(English is the only thing that I am good at) 

4. -만큼 (As ~ as ~)

Form: -만큼 (After a final consonant or a vowel) 

Example: 친구만큼, 한국만큼, 학생만큼 

“-만큼” can be used as a particle that represents “as (much) ~ as ~.” It can be used when you are making a comparison of an amount whether it is how pretty you are or how much you can speak Korean. It expresses that two different entities have more or less the same characteristics in terms of quantity or quality.

한국은 인도만큼 아름다워요 

(Korea is as beautiful as India) 

태희는 민구만큼 키가 작아요 

(Taehee is as short as Mingu) 

제 동생은 제 친구만큼 똑똑합니다 

(My brother/sister is smart as much as my friend) 

워렌 버핏은 빌 게이츠만큼 돈이 많습니다 

(Warren Buffet is as rich as Bill Gates) 

5. -짜리 (Individual value) vs -어치 (Total value) 

Form: -짜리 (After a final consonant or a vowel) 

Example: 천 원짜리, 만 원짜리 

Form: -어치 (After a final consonant or a vowel) 

Example: 천 원어치, 만 원어치 

“Money value + -짜리” can be used to express the individual value and amount of an item.

이 가방은 백만 원짜리입니다 

(The value of this bag is one million won) 

만 원짜리 있어? 

(Do you have 10,000 won?) 

방 하나짜리 아파트에 살아요 

(I am living in an apartment with one room) 

“Money value + -어치” can be used to express the total value and amount of the list of items.

바나나 5,000원어치 주세요 

(Please give me five thousand won worth of bananas) 

사탕, 시금치, 포도 모두 10,000원어치입니다 

(It comes to ten thousand won altogether for candies, spinaches, and grapes) 

*-치 can be used in the context of saying some period’s worth.

헬스장 한 달치 얼마예요? 

(How much is the fitness membership for one month?) 

일주일치 식량이에요 

(This is the meal for one week) 

6. -까지밖에 (Only up to) 

Form: -까지밖에 (After a final consonant or a vowel) 

Example: 친구까지 밖에, 여기까지 밖에, 저녁까지 밖에 

‘까지’ indicates that the end of a range related to something or status like ‘Up to’, and ‘밖에’ indicates something that is ‘inevitable’, ‘other than that’, or ‘willingly accept’ like ‘Only’. It is used as ‘까지밖에’ to express that the situation only allows up to the point of the preceding expression. It is translated as “only up to” in English.

숙제를 여기까지 밖에 못했어요 

(I did my homework only up to here) 

다음주 목요일까지 밖에 못가요 

(I can go only up to next Thursday) 

오늘은 점심까지 밖에 못 먹었어요 

(I had a meal only up to lunch today) 

7. -(이)야말로 (Indeed)

Form: -이야말로 (After a final consonant), -야말로 (After a vowel) 

Example: 친구야말로, 물이야말로, 학생이야말로 

“-(이)야말로” is used to emphasize the importance of the noun, but it does that by confirming that noun. There might be other nouns, but you are talking about this noun, not the other noun. Whatever other nouns there are, this noun is the most important or the noun you need to focus on the most now.

나야말로 미안해 

(I indeed am sorry = there are other people, but I am sorry) 

이번 시합이야말로 우리가 꼭 이겨야 합니다 

(This is indeed the competition that we must win) 

태희야말로 우리에게 꼭 필요한 사람입니다. 

(Taehee is indeed the person that we need = There are other people, but we need him) 

한국이야말로 꼭 가 봐야 할 나라입니다 

(Korea is indeed the country that you must visit without fail) 

그거야말로 최고의 방법이라고 생각합니다 

(I think that would be indeed the best method = There might have been other ideas, but let’s talk about this method) 

8. -(이)ㄴ들 (Even if, regardless of) 

Form: -인들 (After a final consonant), -ㄴ들 (After a vowel) 

Example: 친구인들, 일인들, 어딘들, 말한들 

“-(이)ㄴ들” is used to indicate the fact that even if you acknowledge some hypothetical condition given in the preceding clause, the result in the following clause will be different from what is expected. It is used with a question word to represent that one would take action regardless of what the preceding noun is.

The interrogative forms -겠어요? and -(으)ㄹ까요? are used to emphasize the meaning of the following clause.

날 수 있다면, 어딘들 못 가겠어요? 

(If I can fly, I will go to any place regardless of where it is) 

내가 진실을 말한들 나를 믿어 줄까(요)? 

(They would not trust me even if I said the fact) 

부모로서 무슨 일인들 못하겠습니까? 

(As a parent I can do anything regardless of what it is) 

화가 나면 친구인들 무슨 소용이겠어요? 

(If I get upset, what’s the point even if they are my friends?) 

배가 고프면 무엇인들 못 먹겠습니까? 

(If someone is hungry, there is nothing he/she cannot eat regardless of what it is) 

누구말도 듣지 않는데, 내 말인들 듣겠니? 

(He does not listen to anyone, would he listen even if I say?) 

9. -(은/는)커녕 (Let alone) 

Form: -은 커녕 (After a final consonant), -는 커녕 (After a vowel), -커녕 (After a final consonant or a vowel) 

Example: 친구는커녕, 물은커녕, 저녁커녕 

This form is used to express that whatever comes before it is something that will likely not happen. Also by doing that, it shows that whatever comes after it has an even lower chance of happening. It is often used in negative sentences to express that even a less preferred option than the preceding noun is not available for the given situation. It means “let alone” in English.

How to use

A + ~커녕 + B

A: It is likely not going to happen 

B: It will definitely not happen (It has an even lower chance of happening than A) 

아침(은)커녕 점심도 못 먹었습니다 

(I didn’t eat lunch let alone breakfast) 

나는 집에서(는)커녕 학교에서도 전혀 공부를 안 한다 

(I don’t study at all even at school let alone at home) 

사람(은)커녕 개미 한 마리도 안 보인다 

(I can’t even see one ant, let alone a person) 

그는 감사하기는커녕 욕을했다 

(He swore at me let alone thanking me) 

*Advanced*

This form is used with nouns. Remember that action verbs can also be changed to nouns using “기”. With action verbs just take the stem of the action verb and attach ‘~기는 커녕’.

*도움이 되다(verb) = To be helpful 

도움이 되기는커녕 방해만 된 것 같아 죄송해요.

(I’m sorry because I think I was only a disturbance, let alone being helpful) 

10. ~깨나 (Quite)

Form: -께나 (After a final consonant or a vowel) 

Example: 친구깨나, 힘깨나, 나이깨나 

“~깨나” is a particle that one has the characteristics of the preceding noun to a considerable degree or that expresses more than a certain meaning. It can mean ‘Quite’ in English.

그 강아지 힘깨나 쓰게 생겼네요.

(That puppy looks quite strong)

그 사람 얼굴을 보니 성질깨나 있겠네요.

(He must be quite bad-tempered by looking at his/her face) 

돈깨나 있다고 남을 깔보면 되겠니?

(Are you looking down on others for your considerable amount of money?)