KOREAN LEVEL UP › Korean grammar › -보다
Korean Grammar “-보다”: Meaning and Usage (TOPIK 1)
How to attach it
This particle does not change: it attaches to every noun in the same way, whatever the last sound is.
| Korean | Meaning | With the particle | Romanization |
|---|---|---|---|
| 나라 | country | 나라보다 | naraboda |
| 음식 | food | 음식보다 | eumsikboda |
| 선물 | gift | 선물보다 | seonmulboda |
Explanation
언니는 저보다 키가 커요.
“-보다” is a comparison particle meaning “than.” It attaches to the noun being compared against, with the same form after vowels and consonants. The sentence means “My older sister is taller than I am.” “-에게,” “-에서,” and “-까지” cannot express comparison.
Pronouncing the example sentence
Example sentence: 언니는 저보다 키가 커요.
It is pronounced just as it is written.
| Syllable | Letters (consonant + vowel + final) | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| 언니는 | ||
| 언 | ㅇ+ㅓ+ㄴ | eon |
| 니 | ㄴ+ㅣ | ni |
| 는 | ㄴ+ㅡ+ㄴ | neun |
| 저보다 | ||
| 저 | ㅈ+ㅓ | jeo |
| 보 | ㅂ+ㅗ | bo |
| 다 | ㄷ+ㅏ | da |
| 키가 | ||
| 키 | ㅋ+ㅣ | ki |
| 가 | ㄱ+ㅏ | ga |
| 커요 | ||
| 커 | ㅋ+ㅓ | keo |
| 요 | ㅇ+ㅛ | yo |
A ㅇ at the start of a syllable is silent; at the end of a syllable it sounds like “ng”.
Politeness level of the example
Ends in -요. The everyday polite style, and a safe choice with shop staff, colleagues, strangers and anyone older than you.
Words in the example sentence
These words from the TOPIK vocabulary lists appear in the phrase (shown in dictionary form).
| Korean | Part of speech | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 언니 | noun | older sister (said by a female) | TOPIK level 1 |
| 크다 | adjective | big | TOPIK level 1 |
Practice
Test yourself before you move on. Tap an answer.
Question 1 Choose the word that fits the blank: 언니는 저____ 키가 커요.
Show the answer
Answer: 언니는 저보다 키가 커요.
More grammar at this level
Learn this phrase by playing: typing drills and quizzes help it stick.
Practice in the gameRead this page in: 日本語 简体中文 繁體中文 Tiếng Việt Bahasa Indonesia Oʻzbekcha Монгол Français Español (México) ไทย