<aside> 📎 Please note that this is not “한국어 조금만 할 수 있어요. [han-gu-geo jo-geum-man hal ssu i-sseo-yo.] (I can speak a little bit of Korean.)” Although you will be understood if you say this, to sound more natural, please say “한국어 조금밖에 못해요.”

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In Level 2 Lesson 15, you learned how to use -만 [-man] with nouns, pronouns, or noun forms of verbs. The expression introduced in this lesson can only be used with negative verb conjugations and consists of two parts: -밖에 [-ba-kke] + negative verb conjugation.

The way this works is similar to saying “nothing else but” or “do not do anything other than” in English.

밖 [bak] = outside; outdoors밖에 = outside something; other than something; out of the range of something**-밖에** + negative verb conjugation = ONLY + verb

Conjugation:Noun + -밖에 + negative conjugation

Ex)콜라(를) 마시다 [kol-la(-reul) ma-si-da] = to drink cola콜라밖에 안 마시다 [kol-la-ba-kke an ma-si-da] = to only drink cola

돈(이) 있다 [don(-i) it-tta] = to have money돈(이) 없다 [don(-i) eop-tta] = to not have money돈밖에 없다 [don-ba-kke eop-tta] = to have nothing but money, to only have money

Q: Are -만 and -밖에 interchangeable?

A: The answer is yes and no. Sometimes they are interchangeable, but you have to change the verb to a negative form when using -밖에. -밖에 is generally used more than -만.

• 밖에 cannot be used with imperative sentences (sentences which request something or give instructions) including -아/어/여 주세요 (“do something for me”), so -만 must be used instead (i.e. 이것만 주세요 [i-geon-man ju-se-yo] = Give me this one only).

In addition, when the verb itself has a negative meaning, -만 is more commonly used than 밖에 (i.e. 저는 닭고기만 싫어해요 [jeo-neun dak-kko-gi-man si-reo-hae-yo] = I only hate chicken.)

Sample Sentences

한국인 친구가 한 명밖에 없어요.[han-gu-gin chin-gu-ga han myeong-ba-kke eop-sseo-yo.]= I only have one Korean friend.

한국인 친구는 한 명밖에 없어요.[han-gu-gin chin-gu-neun han myeong-ba-kke eop-sseo-yo.]= As for Korean friends, I only have one.

한국어 조금밖에 못해요.[han-gu-geo jo-geum-ba-kke mo-tae-yo.]= I can only speak a little bit of Korean.

이것밖에 없어요?[i-geot-ba-kke eop-sseo-yo?]= This is it?= You only have this?

우리 고양이는 참치밖에 안 먹어요.[u-ri go-yang-i-neun cham-chi-ba-kke an meo-geo-yo.]= My cat only eats tuna.

왜 공부밖에 안 해요?[wae gong-bu-ba-kke an hae-yo?]= Why do you only study?= Why do you do nothing but study?