Expression dictionary — full article
Listing & Addition · plural suffix; group indicator
The particle N+들 is a grammatical marker used in Korean to indicate that a noun (N) refers to multiple items, people, or entities. It functions similarly to the plural '-s' or '-es' in English, but its usage in Korean has some distinct characteristics.
들 is primarily attached directly after a noun to explicitly state its plurality. For example, '학생' (student) becomes '학생들' (students).
While 들 clearly marks plurality, its use is often optional in Korean, especially when the context already implies multiple items, or when a number or quantifier is present. For instance, if you say "사과 세 개" (three apples), adding '들' to '사과' is redundant and usually omitted. However, using 들 can add emphasis or clarity when the plurality might otherwise be ambiguous.
Beyond just nouns, 들 can also be attached to:
The particle 들 is straightforward to use as it attaches directly to the end of a noun without any changes based on the noun's final consonant or vowel.
One of the most significant differences between Korean and English regarding plurality is that plural markers are often optional in Korean. Unlike English, where 's' is almost always required for plural nouns, Korean relies heavily on context, numbers, and quantifiers to convey plurality.
Using 들 makes the plurality explicit and can sometimes add a nuance of emphasis or collectiveness. For example, '사람' means 'person' or 'people'. '사람들' specifically means 'people' (a group of them), making the plurality unambiguous.
When 들 is used with pronouns like '우리' (we) or '너희' (you all), it often intensifies the sense of 'all of us' or 'all of you'. When used with adverbs like '다' (all) to form '다들', it means 'everyone' or 'all of them' and is commonly used in conversational Korean.