Lesson 4. How to say “only” (Particles 만, 밖에)​

In today’s lesson, we’re going to learn two ways to say only, using 만(only) and 밖에(nothing but.) 

Let’s get started.

1. 만 Particle and its meaning : “only”

만 is a particle that is used to mean “only” or “just” and is added directly to a noun to get the meaning of “only Noun”.

Noun + 만: Only Noun

For example:

저는 사과만 먹어요. – I eat only apples.

그 학생만 숙제를 했어요. – Only that student did the homework.

Depending on the position of 만 in a sentence, it can have be either subject or object. For example:

지수만 매운 음식이 좋아요. – Only Jisoo likes spicy food. (만 is placed after a subject.)

지수는 매운 음식만 좋아요. – Jisoo likes only spicy food. (만 is placed after an object.)

저만 한국어를 공부해요. – Only I learn Korean. (만 is placed after a subject.)

저는 한국어만 공부해요. – I learn only Korean.(만 is placed after an object.)

Note that you don’t need put additional subject or object particles(은/는, 이/가, 을/를) when using 만. If you do so, you put extra emphasis on the noun you add ~만 to.

e.g.
이 일은 저만 할 수 있어요. (O) – Only I can do this work.

이 일은 저만이 할 수 있어요. (O) – Only I can do this work. (Puts more emphasis.)

우리 가족은 엄마만 요리를 할 수 있어요. (O) – In my family, only my mom can cook.

우리 가족은 엄마만이 요리를 할 수 있어요. (O) – In my family, only my mom can cook. (Pusts more emphasis.)

나는 너만 사랑해. (O) – I only love you.
나는 너만을 사랑해. (O) – I only love you. (Puts more emphasis.)

만 can also be attached after other particles, like 에게, 한테, (으)로, 에서, 에, 동안 etc.

e.g.
엄마가 선물을 저한테만 줬어요. Mom gave the gift only to me.

저는 여섯 시에만 공부해요. I study only at 6 o’clock.

저는 도서관에 십 분 동안만 있었어요. I was at the library for only ten minutes.

저는 침대에서만 자요. I only sleep in bed.

2. ~밖에

밖 means “outside” and 밖에 means “outside of something.”

밖에 is also a particle that means “nothing but.”

A. The first meaning of ~밖에 is “outside” 

날씨가 더워서 밖에 안 가요. – I won’t go outside because it’s hot.

저는 집 밖에 있어요. – I’m outside the house.

밖에 가고 싶지 않아요. – I don’t want to go outside.

B. The second meaning of ~밖에 is “only” or to be more precise “nothing but”. It has to be followed by a negative verb.

가족 밖에 > nothing but family 

돈 밖에 > nothing but money

문제 밖에 > nothing but problems

만 and 밖에 can be interchangeably used to mean “only,” except that for 밖에, a negated verb has to follow.

Noun + 밖에 + Negative Verb: Only Noun / Nothing but Noun

There are different ways to negate a verb : 

안 + Verb

Verb Stem + ~지 않다

저는 물만 마셔요. – I drink only water.

= 저는 물밖에 안 마셔요. / 저는 물밖에 마시지 않아요. – I only drink water.

아빠는 김치만 좋아해요. Dad only likes Kimchi.

= 아빠는 김치밖에 안 좋아해요. Dad only likes Kimchi.

*There are verbs that don’t follow the same verb negation rule, and have their own negative forms:

있다 (to have) > 없다 (not to have)   [안 있다 (X)]

알다 (to know) >모르다 (not to know)   [안 알다 (X)]

잘하다 (to do well) > 못하다 (to do poorly) [안 잘하다 (X)]

김치 밖에 없어요. – There’s only kimchi or There’s nothing but kimchi. (=김치만 있어요.)

저는 모국어 밖에 못해요. – I can only speak my mother tongue well. (=저는 모국어만 잘해요.)

그 사람 밖에 몰라요. – He/She is the only person I know. (=그 사람만 알아요.)

[Quick Summary]:

Noun + 만: Only Noun

Noun + 밖에 = Outside of Noun

Noun + 밖에 + Negative Verb: Only Noun / Nothing but Noun