-밖에 - Only (negative) | Korean Grammar Documentation

-밖에 is a particle meaning "only" that must always be used with negative verbs. It emphasizes the small amount or limited nature of something, often implying disappointment or insufficiency.

Structure

Noun + -밖에 + Negative verb

Meaning: "only [noun]" (with regret/disappointment)

Critical Rule: -밖에 ALWAYS requires a negative verb (안/못)

Basic Pattern

Required Negative Form

Must use negative:

하나밖에 없어요 (There's only one)
조금밖에 안 먹었어요 (Ate only a little)
10분밖에 안 걸려요 (Takes only 10 minutes)

Cannot use positive:

❌ 하나밖에 있어요 (WRONG)
✅ 하나밖에 없어요 (CORRECT)

Negation Methods

Using 안 (Don't/Not)

안 + Verb:

하나밖에 안 먹었어요 (Ate only one)
조금밖에 안 알아요 (Know only a little)
한국어밖에 안 해요 (Do only Korean)

Using 못 (Can't)

못 + Verb:

하나밖에 못 샀어요 (Could buy only one)
조금밖에 못 먹어요 (Can eat only a little)

Using -지 않다/못하다

More formal negation:

하나밖에 사지 않았어요 (Bought only one)
조금밖에 먹지 못해요 (Can eat only a little)

Using 없다 (Don't have/There isn't)

Common with 없다:

돈이 없어요 → 돈밖에 없어요 (WRONG)
돈만 있어요 → 돈밖에 없어요 (There's only money)

vs -만 (Only)

Key Difference

-만 (neutral "only"):

물만 마셔요 (I drink only water - neutral)
Can use with positive or negative verbs

-밖에 (limited "only" with regret):

물밖에 안 마셔요 (I drink only water - implying that's all available)
MUST use with negative verbs

Nuance Comparison

Same meaning, different feeling:

하나만 있어요 (There's only one - neutral)
하나밖에 없어요 (There's only one - wishing there were more)

-만: Neutral limitation -밖에: Disappointed limitation

Common Usage Patterns

Quantity Expressions

Small amounts:

조금밖에 없어요 (There's only a little)
하나밖에 안 남았어요 (Only one is left)
두 개밖에 못 샀어요 (Could buy only two)

Money

Limited funds:

천 원밖에 없어요 (I have only 1,000 won)
만 원밖에 못 줘요 (Can give only 10,000 won)

Time

Short duration:

10분밖에 없어요 (There's only 10 minutes)
하루밖에 안 걸려요 (Takes only one day)
일주일밖에 못 있어요 (Can stay only one week)

People

Few people:

나밖에 없어요 (There's only me)
두 명밖에 안 왔어요 (Only two people came)
한 명밖에 못 가요 (Only one person can go)

With Different Verbs

With 없다 (Don't have/Not exist)

Most common combination:

이것밖에 없어요 (There's only this)
물밖에 없어요 (There's only water)
한 개밖에 없어요 (There's only one)

With 안 + Action Verb

Limited action:

한국어밖에 안 해요 (Do only Korean)
집에밖에 안 가요 (Go only home)
공부밖에 안 해요 (Do only studying)

With 못 + Action Verb

Inability limitation:

조금밖에 못 먹어요 (Can eat only a little)
하나밖에 못 골라요 (Can choose only one)

With 모르다 (Don't know)

Limited knowledge:

이것밖에 몰라요 (Know only this)
조금밖에 몰라요 (Know only a little)

Time Expressions

Duration

Short time periods:

1시간밖에 안 걸려요 (Takes only 1 hour)
5분밖에 없어요 (There's only 5 minutes)
하루밖에 못 쉬어요 (Can rest only one day)

Frequency

Rare occurrence:

한 번밖에 안 왔어요 (Came only once)
두 번밖에 못 봤어요 (Saw only twice)

Emphasis Patterns

Double Emphasis

Emphasizing scarcity:

정말 하나밖에 없어요 (Really, there's only one)
딱 10분밖에 없어요 (Exactly only 10 minutes)

With 겨우 (Barely)

Emphasizing small amount:

겨우 천 원밖에 없어요 (There's barely 1,000 won)
겨우 조금밖에 못 먹었어요 (Could eat barely a little)

Location/Direction

Limited locations

Only one place:

여기밖에 없어요 (It's only here / There's nowhere else)
집밖에 안 가요 (Go only home / nowhere else)
한국밖에 몰라요 (Know only Korea)

Ability/Knowledge

Limited ability

Can do only one thing:

이것밖에 못 해요 (Can do only this)
한국어밖에 못 해요 (Can speak only Korean)

Limited knowledge

Know only a little:

조금밖에 몰라요 (Know only a little)
이름밖에 몰라요 (Know only the name)

Possession

Limited belongings

Have only a little:

돈이 조금밖에 없어요 (Have only a little money)
친구가 한 명밖에 없어요 (Have only one friend)
옷이 이것밖에 없어요 (Have only this clothing)

Common Expressions

Daily Phrases

Frequently used:

이것밖에 없어요 (There's only this)
조금밖에 없어요 (There's only a little)
이것밖에 못 해요 (Can do only this)
지금밖에 없어요 (There's only now)

Limited time:

지금밖에 시간이 없어요 (There's time only now)
오늘밖에 못 가요 (Can go only today)

Apologetic contexts

Expressing limitation:

이것밖에 못 드려요 (Can give only this - sorry)
이것밖에 없어서 죄송해요 (Sorry there's only this)

Formality Levels

Casual

-밖에 + casual negative:

하나밖에 없어 (There's only one)
조금밖에 안 먹었어 (Ate only a little)

Polite

-밖에 + -요:

하나밖에 없어요 (There's only one)
조금밖에 안 먹었어요 (Ate only a little)

Formal

-밖에 + formal negative:

하나밖에 없습니다 (There's only one)
조금밖에 먹지 않았습니다 (Ate only a little)

Combining with Other Particles

-밖에 + 없다

Most common combination:

이것밖에 없어요 (There's only this)
Structure: Noun + 밖에 + 없다

-밖에 + 안 + Verb

Action limitation:

한국어밖에 안 해요 (Do only Korean)
Structure: Noun + 밖에 + 안 + Verb

-밖에 + 못 + Verb

Inability limitation:

조금밖에 못 먹어요 (Can eat only a little)
Structure: Noun + 밖에 + 못 + Verb

Contextual Nuances

Disappointment

Expressing regret:

하나밖에 없어요 (There's only one - wish there were more)
조금밖에 못 샀어요 (Could buy only a little - wanted more)

Insufficiency

Not enough:

시간이 10분밖에 없어요 (There's only 10 minutes - not enough)
돈이 만 원밖에 없어요 (Have only 10,000 won - insufficient)

Exclusivity (neutral)

Simply only:

이 방법밖에 없어요 (There's only this method - the only way)

Comparison Patterns

-만 vs -밖에

When to use which:

Positive verb → Use -만
- 물만 마셔요 (Drink only water)
Negative verb + emphasis on limitation → Use -밖에
- 물밖에 안 마셔요 (Drink only water - nothing else available)

Interchangeability

Can often convert:

하나만 있어요 (There's only one) ✓
하나밖에 없어요 (There's only one) ✓

But nuance differs:

-만: Neutral observation
-밖에: Emphasizes limitation/scarcity

Common Mistakes

❌ Incorrect: 하나밖에 있어요 (positive verb)

Missing required negative

✅ Correct: 하나밖에 없어요

Proper negative form

❌ Incorrect: 물밖에 마셔요 (positive verb)

Must use negative

✅ Correct: 물밖에 안 마셔요

Proper negative construction

❌ Incorrect: 돈밖에 (incomplete sentence)

Missing verb entirely

✅ Correct: 돈밖에 없어요

Complete with negative verb

Summary Table

Pattern	Example	Meaning	Note
Noun + 밖에 + 없다	하나밖에 없어요	There's only one	Most common
Noun + 밖에 + 안 + V	물밖에 안 마셔요	Drink only water	Negative action
Noun + 밖에 + 못 + V	조금밖에 못 먹어요	Can eat only a little	Inability
Time + 밖에 + 없다	10분밖에 없어요	There's only 10 min	Time limitation
Number + 밖에 + 안/못	두 개밖에 못 샀어요	Could buy only two	Quantity limit
Noun + 밖에 + 모르다	이것밖에 몰라요	Know only this	Limited knowledge