Unit 20: Even (The Last Remaining) (-마저)

We just learned -조차. There is another word for "even" in Easy Korean: -마저. While -조차 focuses on "not being able to do the absolute minimum," -마저 focuses on "the last remaining thing."

Meaning

"Not only did everything else happen, but even this last remaining thing is gone/happening too." It often carries a feeling of despair or giving up.

Structure

Noun + -마저

• 너 (you) -> 너마저 (Even you [are leaving me / doing this]?)
• 희망 (hope) -> 희망마저 (Even the last bit of hope [is gone])

Examples

• 믿었던 친구마저 떠났어요. (Even the friend I trusted left.) -> Everyone else left, and now this last friend too.
• 비가 오는데 바람마저 불어요. (It's raining, and to make it worse, even the wind is blowing.)
• 마지막 기회마저 놓쳤어요. (I lost even the final opportunity.)