Unit 23: It's Just That (-(으)ㄹ 뿐이다)

🍂 Level 5 · Nuance & Detail

Unit 23: It's Just That (-(으)ㄹ 뿐이다)

In Easy Korean, when you want to strongly express that there is nothing else other than the action/state mentioned, you use -(으)ㄹ 뿐이다 (It is only... / I merely...).

Structure

Verb / Adjective Stem + -(으)ㄹ 뿐이다

  • 가다 -> 갈 뿐이다 (I just go / I only go)
  • 먹다 -> 먹을 뿐이다 (I just eat / I only eat)
  • 친구이다 -> 친구일 뿐이다 (We are just friends)

Difference from -만

  • -만 (only) attaches to nouns: 물만 (only water).
  • -(으)ㄹ 뿐이다 attaches to verbs/adjectives and shows the limitation of an action or state.

Examples

  • 저는 구경할 뿐이에요. 안 살 거예요. (I am just looking around. I won't buy it.)
  • 우리는 그냥 친한 친구일 뿐이에요. (We are merely close friends.)
  • 조금 피곤할 뿐이에요. 괜찮아요. (I am just a little tired. I am fine.)
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