N은/는

은/는 is a particle (조사): a small word that attaches to the end of a noun and tells you what job that noun does in the sentence. 은/는 marks the topic — the thing the sentence is about, like English “as for…”. 저는 호야예요 is literally “As for me, (I) am Hoya.” The particle changes with the last sound of the noun: 은 after a batchim (final consonant), 는 after a vowel. Nothing else changes, so the rule takes two seconds to check. The particle is also how you ask the question back: put 은/는 on a name and add 요 — 호야 씨는요? — “And you, Hoya?” It works the same for “And what about…?” questions. Finally, 은/는 can show contrast (“this one, but not that one”); you will meet that in Unit 2. One thing to notice: 저 (“I”, polite) is the word you use with teachers, shop staff and new people. 나 also means “I”, but it is casual.