만 (only) - Only, Just

In Korean, 만 is a particle. This means it attaches directly to the end of a noun. No spaces allowed! It is like a tiny backpack that the noun carries around. The coolest thing about 만 is how it interacts with other particles. It is a bit of a bully to subject and object markers. If you want to say "only coffee," you don't need the object marker 을/를. You just swap it out. However, with other particles like "at" or "to," 만 is much more polite. It sits right behind them and lets them stay. It is a versatile little word that adapts to the situation.

1. 1Using 만 is easier than choosing a Netflix show on a Friday night. Follow these simple steps:
2. 2Pick your noun. Let's use 물 (water).
3. 3Decide if it is the subject or object. If you are saying "I drink only water," 물 is the object.
4. 4Drop the usual markers like 이/가 or 을/를.
5. 5Attach 만 directly to the noun: 물만.
6. 6For other particles like 에 (at/to) or 에서 (at/from), keep them! Add 만 after: 학교에서만 (only at school).
7. 7There is no need to worry about batchim (final consonants). 만 stays the same whether the word ends in a vowel or a consonant. It is the low-maintenance friend we all need.

You will use 만 constantly. Imagine you are at a restaurant. You are on a budget, so you tell the waiter, "I'll only have the kimchi stew." You would say 김치찌개만 주세요. It clearly sets a limit.

In a job interview, you might want to show off. You could say, "I only worked at top companies." That would be 대기업에서만 일했어요. It adds a layer of exclusivity.

In your personal life, it is great for secrets. "Only tell Minjun!" becomes 민준이에게만 말해. It creates a boundary. It is also perfect for those "just five minutes" moments when you are hitting the snooze button. 5분만 더... (Just 5 more minutes) is a phrase every Korean learner masters early on.

Don't confuse 만 with the English word "just" when it means "recently." If you just finished your homework, 만 won't help you. You need 방금 or 막 for that.

Also, avoid using 만 when you are trying to say "just" in the sense of "simply." For example, "I'm just looking" in a shop is usually 그냥 구경하고 있어요. 만 is strictly about exclusion. It means "this and nothing else." If you aren't excluding other options, 만 might sound a bit weird.

The biggest mistake is the "Particle Pile-up." You might feel tempted to say 커피를만. It feels safe because you know coffee is the object. But stop right there! This is a grammar traffic jam. When 만 meets 을/를 or 이/가, it kicks them out. Just say 커피만.

Another slip-up is the placement with location particles. Some people say 만에서 instead of 에서만. Remember: 만 is the caboose of the train. It almost always comes last when paired with other particles. If you put it in the wrong spot, it’s like wearing your socks over your shoes. People will understand, but it looks a bit funny.

You might have heard of 밖에. This also means "only," but it has a negative vibe. Think of 만 as "I only have one apple (and that's fine)" and 밖에 as "I only have one apple (and I'm sad about it)." 밖에 must always be followed by a negative verb like 없다 (to not have).

There is also 뿐. This is more formal and often used in writing or songs. If you are at a karaoke bar singing a dramatic ballad, you'll hear 너뿐이야 (It's only you). In daily conversation, 너만 있어 is much more natural.