-밖에 (nothing but/only)

-밖에 (nothing but/only)

-밖에 (nothing but/only) is a Korean particle that conveys the idea of exclusivity, similar to the particle '-만.' However, there are key differences between the two.

While '-만' can be used in both positive and negative sentences to emphasize 'only' or 'just,' '-밖에' is primarily used in negative sentences with words like '안,' '지 않다,' '못,' '지 못하다,' '없다,' and '모르다.' The focus of '-밖에' is on 'nothing but' or 'no more than,' emphasizing the limitations of the subject or the action.

Here is a comparison between '-만' and '-밖에' with explanations and example sentences:

1. '-만' (only/just):

It's used in both positive and negative sentences.

• Example: 저는 사과만 먹어요. (I eat only apples.)

2. '-밖에' (nothing but/no more than):

It's Primarily used in negative sentences.

• Example: 저는 사과밖에 못 먹어요. (I can eat nothing but apples.)

Now, let's look at some more example sentences using '-밖에':

1. 시간이 한 시간밖에 안 남았어요. (There's only one hour left.)

2. 그는 몇 단어밖에 몰라요. (He knows only a few words.)

3. 이 문제를 풀기 위한 시간이 일주일밖에 없어요. (I have only a week to solve this problem.)

4. 여기에는 책밖에 없어요. (There's nothing here but books.)

5. 그녀는 돈이 천 원밖에 없어요. (She has no more than 1,000 won.)

Here are more example sentences illustrating the usage of '-밖에' in conjunction with '안,' '지 않다,' '못,' '지 못하다,' '없다,' and '모르다.'

1. '-밖에' with '안':

• Example: 저는 커피밖에 안 마셔요. (I don't drink anything but coffee.)

2. '-밖에' with '지 않다':

• Example: 저는 운동을 하루에 한 시간밖에 하지 않아요. (I don't exercise more than an hour a day.)

3. '-밖에' with '못':

• Example: 그는 수영을 10분밖에 못해요. (He can't swim for more than 10 minutes.)

4. '-밖에' with '지 못하다':

• Example: 그녀는 일주일 동안 자지 못 했어요. (She couldn't do anything but sleep for a week.)

5. '-밖에' with '없다':

• Example: 이 가게에는 간식밖에 없어요. (There's nothing but snacks in this store.)

6. '-밖에' with '모르다':

• Example: 제 친구는 기본적인 한국어밖에 몰라요. (My friend only knows basic Korean and nothing more.)

As shown in these examples, '-밖에' is primarily used in negative sentences and highlights the limitations or exclusivity of the subject or action in various contexts.

As you can see, '-밖에' emphasizes the limitations and exclusivity in the given context, whereas '-만' can be used in a broader range of situations to indicate 'only' or 'just.'