Usage of -가: NV-가
-가 (or -이) is the subject marker in Korean.
It is used to indicate who or what is performing an action.
It helps distinguish subjects clearly from other parts of the sentence.
Indicating the Subject of a Sentence
If a noun ends in a vowel, use -가 (고양이 → 고양이가).
If a noun ends in a consonant, use -이 (사람 → 사람이) instead.
Example:
사람이 와요. → “The person comes.” (사람 ends in a consonant, so -이 is used.)
고양이가 귀여워요. → “The cat is cute.” (고양이 ends in a vowel, so -가 is used.)
Emphasizing the Subject
-가 (or -이) helps differentiate between who or what is performing an action.
Example:
내가 했어요. → “I did it.” (Emphasizes that I did it, not someone else.)
선생님이 가르쳐요. → “The teacher teaches.”
Contrast with -은 / -는 (Topic Markers)
The topic markers -은 / -는 are used when making comparisons or general statements.
The subject marker (-가) focuses on the subject’s action or description.
Example:
고양이는 귀엽다. → “Cats (in general) are cute.”
고양이가 귀엽다. → “This cat is cute.”
See also:
-이, -은, -는