Lesson 15
There are a few different ways to say “only” in Korean, but to prevent your brain from being overloaded, only one of those ways will be covered in this lesson.
Using -만 [-man] is one of the most widely used and basic ways of saying “only”. Simply add -만 after a noun, pronoun, or noun form (-기 [-gi]) of a verb.
- Adding -만 after nouns and pronouns
이것 + 만 = 이것만 [i-geon-man] = only this
Ex) 이것만 살 거예요. [i-geon-man sal kkeo-ye-yo.] = I will only buy this.
저 + 만 = 저만 [jeo-man] = me only, I only
Ex) 저만 들었어요. [jeo-man deu-reo-sseo-yo.] = Only I heard.
커피 + 만 = 커피만 [keo-pi-man] = only coffee
Ex) 아침에는 커피만 마셔요. [a-chi-me-neun keo-pi-man ma-syeo-yo.] = I drink
only coffee in the morning.
아침에만 커피(를) 마셔요. [a-chi-me-man keo-pi-reul ma-syeo-yo.] = I drink coffee only
in the morning.
- Adding -만 after noun forms of verbs
* To add -만 after a verb, change the verb into its noun form using -기, then add -만 하다 [-man ha-da] which literally translates to “only do [noun]”.
듣다 [deut-tta] = to hear; to listen
듣 + 기 = 듣기 [deut-kki] = listening (noun form)
듣 + -기 + -만 하다 = 듣기만 하다 [deut-kki-man ha-da] = to only listen
Ex) 듣기만 했어요. [deut-kki-man hae-sseo-yo.] = I only listened (and did not talk).
보다 [bo-da] = to see, to look
보 + 기 = 보기 [bo-gi] = seeing, looking
보 + -기 + -만 하다 = 보기만 하다 [bo-gi-man ha-da] = to only see, to just look
Ex) 보기만 할 거예요. [bo-gi-man hal kkeo-ye-yo.] = I will only look (and not touch it).
Sample Sentences
오늘만 일찍 왔어요. [o-neul-man il-jjik wa-sseo-yo.]
= I got here early only today.
오늘 = today
일찍 = early
왔어요. = I came, I got here.
맥주만 주문했어요. [maek-jju-man ju-mun-hae-sseo-yo.]
= I only ordered beer.
맥주 [maek-jju] = beer
주문했어요. [ju-mun-hae-sseo-yo.] = I ordered.
왜 이것만 샀어요? [wae i-geon-man sa-sseo-yo?]
= Why did you only buy this?
사다 [sa-da] = to buy
샀어요. = I bought it.
이것 [i-geot] = this, this stuff
왜 = why
어제 놀기만 했어요. [eo-je nol-gi-man hae-sseo-yo.]
= I did nothing but play yesterday.
놀다 [nol-da] = to play
어제 = yesterday
영화는 집에서만 봐요. [yeong-hwa-neun ji-be-seo-man bwa-yo.]
= I watch movies only at home.
영화 = a movie
집에서 = at home