[Korean grammar] N밖에

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사과가 한 개밖에 안 남았어요.
There’s only one apple left.


냉장고에 우유밖에 없어요.
There’s nothing but milk in the refrigerator.


선물을 한 개밖에 못 받았어요.
I only received one present.


Grammar Focus:
밖에 expresses the only thing or option available, with no possibility of anything else. It corresponds to ‘only’ or ‘nothing but’ in English. The word that comes before 밖에 has a connotation of being very small or few in number, and a negative form must follow it.




Although 밖에 is always followed by a negative form, it cannot be followed by 아니다, nor can it be followed by imperative or propositive forms.
• 민우는 학생밖에 아니에요.  (X)
• 토마토를 조금밖에 사지 마세요. (X)
->토마토를 조금만 사세요. (〇)
Please buy only a few tomatoes.

• 10분밖에 기다리지 맙시다. (X)
->10분만 기다립시다. (〇)
Let’s wait just 10 minutes.


Conversation:
A: 그 책을 많이 읽었어요? Did you read much of that book?
B: 어려워서 다섯 쪽밖에 못 읽었어요.
It’s difficult, so I could only read five pages.

A: 파티에 사람들이 많이 왔어요?
Did a lot of people come to the party?
B: 30명을 초대했어요. 그런데 20명밖에 안 왔어요.
I invited 30 people, but only 20 came.

A: 시간이 얼마나 남았어요? How much time is left?
B: 10분밖에 안남았어요.
There are only 10 minutes remaining.

The particles 밖에 and 만 have similar meanings, but while 만 can be used in both positive and negative sentences, 밖에 is used in negative sentences only.




Click below:
N이/가
N은/는
N을/를
N와/과, N(이)랑, N하고
N의
N에 ①
N에 ②
N에서
N에서 N까지, N부터 N까지
N에게/한테
N도
N만
N밖에
N(으)로
N(이)나①
N(이)나 ②
N쯤
N처럼, N같이
N보다
N마다

>> Full of 'Korean grammar in use - Beginner': Click here

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