Korean particles explained: 은/는 vs 이/가, 을/를, 에 vs 에서 and more

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Particles are the small endings that attach to Korean nouns to show what job the word is doing in the sentence. English mostly uses word order and prepositions for this; Korean uses particles, which is why the word order can be flexible. Get the common ones right and your sentences suddenly sound natural.

The batchim rule

Most particles come in two forms, chosen by whether the noun ends in a consonant (batchim) or a vowel:

책 (ends in a consonant) + 은, 이, 을, 과
친구 (ends in a vowel) + 는, 가, 를, 와

Learn the pairs together and this becomes automatic.

은/는: the topic

은/는 marks the topic: what you are talking about. It often carries a feeling of "as for...".

저는 학생이에요. As for me, I am a student.
오늘은 바빠요. Today, I am busy.

It is also used for contrast:

커피는 좋아해요. (But maybe not tea.) I like coffee, at least.

이/가: the subject

이/가 marks the grammatical subject, and often highlights new information or answers "who" or "what".

누가 왔어요? 민수가 왔어요. Who came? Minsu came.
비가 와요. It is raining (rain is coming).

은/는 vs 이/가

This is the question every learner asks. Some useful rules of thumb:

Introducing yourself or a general fact: 은/는. 저는 캐나다 사람이에요.
New information, or the answer to "who/what": 이/가. 여기가 어디예요? 이게 뭐예요?
Contrast: 은/는.
With 있다/없다 and 좋다 when describing what exists or what you like: often 이/가. 시간이 없어요. 한국 음식이 좋아요.

In real speech, both can be correct in the same sentence with a shift of emphasis, so listen to how natives answer questions.

을/를: the object

을/를 marks the direct object, the thing the action is done to.

밥을 먹어요. I eat rice / a meal.
영화를 봐요. I watch a film.

In casual speech it is often dropped: 밥 먹었어?

에 vs 에서

Both relate to places, but they do different jobs.

에: destination, location where something exists, and time. 학교에 가요 (I go to school). 집에 있어요 (I am at home). 세 시에 만나요 (Let's meet at three).
에서: the place where an action happens, and "from". 카페에서 공부해요 (I study at a café). 서울에서 왔어요 (I came from Seoul).

A quick test: if someone is *doing* something there, use 에서. If something simply *is* there, or you are *going* there, use 에.

도: also, too

도 replaces 은/는, 이/가 or 을/를 and means "also" or "even".

저도 가요. I am going too.
김치도 먹어요. I eat kimchi as well.

의: possessive

의 works like "of" or "'s". It is written 의 but usually pronounced like 에 in this use.

친구의 가방, my friend's bag.

With pronouns it contracts: 저의 becomes 제, 나의 becomes 내, 너의 becomes 네 (often said 니 in speech to avoid confusion with 내).

와/과 and 하고: and, with

All three join nouns ("A and B") or mean "with".

와/과 is more written and formal: 빵과 우유, 친구와 함께.
하고 is the everyday spoken choice: 빵하고 우유 주세요.
랑/이랑 is even more casual: 친구랑 놀았어요.

Note that these join nouns only. To join verbs or clauses ("I ate and slept"), use -고: 먹고 잤어요.

A few more to learn next

에게/한테 (to a person): 친구한테 전화했어요.
으로/로 (by means of, towards): 버스로 가요.
부터 and 까지 (from, until): 아홉 시부터 다섯 시까지.
만 (only): 물만 마셔요.

How to practise

Write five sentences about your day, then check each particle.
When you read, circle every 은/는 and 이/가 and ask why the writer chose it.
Shadow short dialogues from dramas and notice where particles are dropped.

Which particle gives you the most trouble? Post a sentence you are unsure about in the comments and others can help.