American Learns Korean Day33: Subject Marker 이/가 (Focus & New Information)

American Learns Korean Day33 Goal: 이/가 is a “spotlight,” not just “the subject”

Here’s the blunt truth: if you memorize 이/가 only as a “subject particle,” you will freeze in real conversations.

For beginners, this is the best mental model:

Focus: “This is the key point.”
New information: “This is newly introduced.”
Answer: “This is the answer to the question.”

So 이/가 works like a spotlight on what matters most in the moment.

Form rule (10 seconds)

Noun ends with a final consonant (batchim) → 이
학생이, 김밥이, 책이, 사람이
Noun ends without batchim → 가
커피가, 학교가, 차가, 고양이가

Very common in conversation:

제가 / 네가 / 누가 (저+가, 너+가, 누구+가)

Use #1: The answer to a question is usually 이/가

This is the most important Day33 pattern. If the question uses 누가/뭐가/어디가, the answer naturally uses 이/가 too.

Q: 누가 학생이에요? (Who is a student?)
A: 제가 학생이에요. (I am.)
Q: 뭐가 맛있어요? (What is tasty?)
A: 김밥이 맛있어요. (Kimbap is.)
Q: 어디가 좋아요? (Which place is good?)
A: 여기가 좋아요. (Here is.)
Q: 뭐가 필요해요? (What do you need?)
A: 시간이 필요해요. (I need time.)

Key idea: 이/가 often functions as an “answer marker.”

Use #2: Introducing new information (first time in the conversation)

Newly introduced things often take 이/가 because they become the focus.

여기 고양이가 있어요. (There’s a cat here.)
밖에 사람이 많아요. (There are many people outside.)
지금 문제가 있어요. (There’s a problem right now.)
제 친구가 있는데, 그 친구가 의사예요. (I have a friend, and that friend is a doctor.)

This pattern will keep coming back (especially with 있어요/없어요 later).

Use #3: Emphasis / “It’s THIS one”

이/가 becomes powerful when you’re choosing, correcting, or stressing “this one.”

제가 할게요. (“I’ll do it.” = I, not someone else.)
이게 맞아요. (“This is correct.” = this is the answer.)
김밥이 제일 맛있어요. (“Kimbap is the best.” = spotlight on kimbap.)

You don’t need to overthink “emphasis.” Just remember: answers + new info + spotlight.

은/는 vs 이/가: Only 3 pairs you must know today

Don’t chase perfect theory. These pairs give you real intuition.

Pair 1: Topic (은/는) vs Answer (이/가)

저는 학생이에요. (As for me, I’m a student.)
제가 학생이에요. (I’m the one who is a student—answer/emphasis.)

Pair 2: “About kimbap” vs “What’s tasty?”

김밥은 맛있어요. (Talking about kimbap as the topic.)
김밥이 맛있어요. (Answer/focus: kimbap is what’s tasty.)

Pair 3: General statement vs “the problem”

한국어는 재미있어요. (In general / as a topic.)
한국어가 어려워요. (Korean is the thing that’s difficult right now.)

Mini Dialogue 1: Q→A (answer spotlight)

A: 누가 했어요? (Who did it?)
B: 제가 했어요. (I did.)
A: 누가 도와줬어요? (Who helped?)
B: 친구가 도와줬어요. (A friend helped.)

Mini Dialogue 2: New info + focus

A: 뭐가 필요해요? (What do you need?)
B: 시간이 필요해요. (I need time.)
A: 밖에 뭐가 있어요? (What’s outside?)
B: 차가 있어요. 사람이 많아요. (There are cars. Many people.)

Speaking Drill 1: “Answer autopilot” (5 minutes)

Answer within 2 seconds. Your answer must include 이/가.

누가 왔어요? → ___가 왔어요.
뭐가 좋아요? → ___가 좋아요.
어디가 멀어요? → ___가 멀어요.
뭐가 있어요? → ___가 있어요.
누가 도와줘요? → ___가 도와줘요.

Sample answers:

제가 왔어요. / 이게 좋아요. / 여기가 멀어요. / 고양이가 있어요. / 친구가 도와줘요.

Speaking Drill 2: “New information” frames (5 minutes)

Swap the noun and say 5 examples for each frame.

여기 ___가 있어요.
밖에 ___이/가 많아요.
지금 ___이/가 필요해요.
___이/가 문제예요.

Examples:

여기 사람이 있어요.
밖에 차가 많아요.
지금 시간이 필요해요.
시간이 문제예요.

Quiz + Answer Key

1) Choose 은/는 or 이/가

누가 학생이에요? → 제___ 학생이에요.
커피___ 좋아요. 하지만 차___ 별로예요.
뭐___ 맛있어요? → 김밥___ 맛있어요.
저는 한국어___ 공부해요. (Hint: not a subject particle here.)

Answers

제가 (answer)
커피는, 차는 (contrast/topic)
뭐가, 김밥이 (question/answer)
You don’t use 이/가 here → 저는 한국어를 공부해요.
Purpose: break the habit of forcing 이/가 everywhere.

2) Make both versions (topic vs focus)

( ) 맛있어요.
Example: 김밥은 맛있어요. / 김밥이 맛있어요.

Homework (10 minutes)

Create 6 questions using 누가/뭐가/어디가 and answer them immediately (5 min)
Say 5 sentences with “여기 ___가 있어요” (3 min)
Put 2 은/는 sentences and 2 이/가 sentences side-by-side and compare (2 min)
Example: 저는 학생이에요 / 제가 학생이에요

3 In-Post Cartoon Image Ideas (prompt-ready)

Q→A focus (이/가) classroom scene
Prompt: “Cute 2D cartoon classroom. Teacher bubble: ‘누가 학생이에요?’ Student bubble: ‘제가 학생이에요!’ Highlight ‘가’ in bold. Clean blue background, high readability.”
New info introduction (고양이가 있어요) scene
Prompt: “2D anime-style living room. A cat appears. Speech bubble: ‘여기 고양이가 있어요.’ Emphasize ‘고양이가’ in bold. Minimal clutter, readable text.”
은/는 vs 이/가 comparison card
Prompt: “Split card infographic. Left: ‘은/는 = Topic/Contrast’ with example ‘저는 학생이에요.’ Right: ‘이/가 = Focus/Answer’ with example ‘제가 학생이에요.’ Clean layout, large Korean text.”

Americans learns korean – Day32 (Review Day32 again)

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