Word & grammar comparisons
Side-by-side guides for words Koreans and learners mix up — with examples and a quick quiz on each page.
만 vs 뿐: Differences in Limitation
만 (man) · 뿐 (ppun)
만 and 뿐 both mean 'only,' but 만 indicates simple limitation, while 뿐 carries nuance of emphasis and exclusion.
또 vs 다시: The Subtle Difference Between Repetition and Restart
또 (tto) · 다시 (da-si, dasi)
또 is used when an action or event repeats one or more times, while 다시 is used when an action or state restarts anew from the beginning.
아직 vs 벌써 vs 이제: Understanding Time Nuances
3-way아직 (a-jik, ajik) · 벌써 (beol-sseo, beolsseo) · 이제 (i-je, ije)
아직 (ajik), 벌써 (beolsseo), and 이제 (ije) all relate to time, but 아직 emphasizes ongoing state, 벌써 highlights earlier-than-expected completion, and 이제 stresses a changed current state.
으로 vs 에: Direction vs Destination
으로 (eu-ro, euro) · 에 (e)
‘으로’ indicates direction or means, while ‘에’ marks destination or location.
에 vs 에서: Place vs Action Location
에 (e) · 에서 (e-seo, eseo)
'에' indicates existence or destination, while '에서' marks the location where an action takes place.
그래서 vs 그러니까: Choosing Natural Korean Connectors
그래서 (geu-rae-seo, geuraeseo) · 그러니까 (geu-reo-ni-kka, geureonikka)
그래서 smoothly connects cause and effect, while 그러니까 emphasizes or reconfirms conclusions to the listener.