KOREAN LEVEL UP › Korean grammar › -(이)나마
Korean Grammar “-(이)나마”: Meaning and Usage (TOPIK 5)
How to attach it
A particle attaches directly to the noun, and its form depends on the noun’s last sound. Compare the nouns below.
| Korean | Meaning | With the particle | Romanization |
|---|---|---|---|
| 나라 | country | 나라나마 | naranama |
| 음식 | food | 음식이나마 | eumsiginama |
| 선물 | gift | 선물이나마 | seonmurinama |
What changes
- After a noun ending in a consonant, 이 appears before the ending (음식이나마); after a vowel, 이 is dropped (나라나마).
Explanation
시간이 없지만 잠깐이나마 만나서 이야기하고 싶어요.
“-(이)나마” means “even if only ~ / at least” and expresses that something is not ideal, but one is willing to settle for it. Use “나마” after a noun ending in a vowel and “이나마” after one with a final consonant. The sentence means “I don’t have much time, but I’d like to meet and talk, even if only briefly.” It is close to “-(이)라도.”
Pronouncing the example sentence
Example sentence: 시간이 없지만 잠깐이나마 만나서 이야기하고 싶어요.
Said aloud, it sounds like [시가니 업찌만 잠까니나마 만나서 이야기하고 시퍼요].
| Syllable | Letters (consonant + vowel + final) | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| 시간이 | ||
| 시 | ㅅ+ㅣ | si |
| 간 | ㄱ+ㅏ+ㄴ | [가] ga |
| 이 | ㅇ+ㅣ | [니] ni |
| 없지만 | ||
| 없 | ㅇ+ㅓ+ㅄ | [업] eop |
| 지 | ㅈ+ㅣ | [찌] ji |
| 만 | ㅁ+ㅏ+ㄴ | man |
| 잠깐이나마 | ||
| 잠 | ㅈ+ㅏ+ㅁ | jam |
| 깐 | ㄲ+ㅏ+ㄴ | [까] kka |
| 이 | ㅇ+ㅣ | [니] ni |
| 나 | ㄴ+ㅏ | na |
| 마 | ㅁ+ㅏ | ma |
| 만나서 | ||
| 만 | ㅁ+ㅏ+ㄴ | man |
| 나 | ㄴ+ㅏ | na |
| 서 | ㅅ+ㅓ | seo |
| 이야기하고 | ||
| 이 | ㅇ+ㅣ | i |
| 야 | ㅇ+ㅑ | ya |
| 기 | ㄱ+ㅣ | gi |
| 하 | ㅎ+ㅏ | ha |
| 고 | ㄱ+ㅗ | go |
| 싶어요 | ||
| 싶 | ㅅ+ㅣ+ㅍ | [시] si |
| 어 | ㅇ+ㅓ | [퍼] peo |
| 요 | ㅇ+ㅛ | yo |
A ㅇ at the start of a syllable is silent; at the end of a syllable it sounds like “ng”.
Sound changes in this phrase
- Linking: when a syllable ending in a consonant (patchim) is followed by a syllable that starts with a vowel, the consonant moves over to the next syllable. 간이 → [가니]
- Tensing: after a final ㄱ, ㄷ or ㅂ sound, ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ, ㅅ and ㅈ become tense (ㄲ, ㄸ, ㅃ, ㅆ, ㅉ). 없지 → [업찌]
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 없다 | adjective | to not exist, to not have | TOPIK level 1 |
| 만나다 | verb | to meet | TOPIK level 1 |
| 이야기 | noun | story, talk | TOPIK level 1 |
Practice
Test yourself before you move on. Tap an answer.
Question 1 Choose the word that fits the blank: 시간이 없지만 잠깐____ 만나서 이야기하고 싶어요.
Show the answer
Answer: 시간이 없지만 잠깐이나마 만나서 이야기하고 싶어요.
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