Korean Language Overview
Particles and Word Order in Korean
One of the most distinctive features of Korean grammar is the use of particles, which mark the grammatical role of each word. Thanks to these particles, Korean allows flexible word order without changing the meaning of a sentence.
1. Basic Word Order in Korean
The default word order is SOV (Subject–Object–Verb).
Example: I eat an apple. → 나는 사과를 먹는다.
2. Functions of Korean Particles
- 이/가 – subject markers
- 을/를 – object markers
- 은/는 – topic markers
- 에 / 에서 – time/place markers
Because particles indicate each word’s role, the sentence meaning remains clear even when the order changes.
3. Comparison with English
English relies on fixed word order (SVO) to show grammatical roles.
Example: Tom loves Mary ≠ Mary loves Tom
In contrast, Korean allows variations while keeping the same meaning:
나는 사과를 먹는다. 사과를 나는 먹는다. 먹는다, 나는 사과를.
4. Comparison with Japanese, Chinese, and Spanish
Japanese also uses particles and permits flexible word order—very similar to Korean.
Chinese depends heavily on word order (like English) because it lacks particle-based marking.
Spanish has verb conjugation that marks the subject, allowing more variation than English but still less flexibility than Korean.
5. Conclusion
Korean’s particle system enables high word-order flexibility.
For learners, understanding that “particles mark roles; word order is flexible” is essential for mastering Korean sentence structure.