-(으)ㄹ 뿐만 아니라 Grammar in Korean: Meaning and How to Use It

What you'll learn

• Attach -(으)ㄹ 뿐만 아니라 to verbs, adjectives and nouns.
• Use 도 in the second clause to say "also".
• Space 뿐 correctly after a verb and after a noun.
• Choose between -(으)ㄹ 뿐만 아니라, -(으)ㄴ/는 데다가 and -고.

Prerequisites: the lesson on -고, and the modifier ending -(으)ㄹ. Time: about 15 minutes.

Key facts

• -(으)ㄹ 뿐만 아니라 adds a second fact. The second fact is as strong as the first, or stronger.
• The first clause ends in the modifier -(으)ㄹ: 맛있을, 갈, 먹을.
• 뿐만 아니라 is written as separate words after a verb or adjective, and attached after a noun.
• The second clause usually contains 도, the particle that means "also" or "too".
• Both facts usually lean in the same direction, either both good or both bad.

Listen to two model sentences.

The next section defines the pattern.

What Does -(으)ㄹ 뿐만 아니라 Grammar Mean?

-(으)ㄹ 뿐만 아니라 means "not only ... but also." It is a connective, a pattern that joins one clause to the next. The first clause states a fact. The second clause adds another fact, and the listener hears that the second is a bonus.

The pattern is built from three parts.

Put together, 맛있을 뿐만 아니라 is literally "it is not just the matter of being tasty." You do not need the literal meaning to use the pattern, but it explains why the first clause has a modifier ending and why the second clause often brings an "also".

In both examples, the two facts are about the same person or thing, and both are positive. The second clause uses 도, as in 값도 and 춤도. The next section shows how to build the form.

How Do You Form -(으)ㄹ 뿐만 아니라?

The rule has two parts. First, build the modifier -(으)ㄹ on the stem. Second, write 뿐만 아니라 after it as separate words. A modifier ending is an ending that lets a verb or an adjective describe a noun that follows. Here the word that follows is 뿐.

Stems Ending in a Vowel

After a vowel, add ㄹ to the last syllable as a final consonant.

Stems Ending in a Consonant

After a consonant, add 을.

Add 뿐만 아니라 after the modifier: 먹을 뿐만 아니라. In speech, the whole phrase is said together. For example, 먹을 뿐만 아니라 sounds like [머글뿐마나니라]. Here 뿐만 아니라 is said [뿐마나니라], because the ㄴ of 만 links to the vowel of 아니라. RR writes ppunman anira.

Irregular Stems and Nouns

Irregular stems follow the usual rules for the modifier -(으)ㄹ.

The ㄹ stems are easy here. 살다 + -(으)ㄹ is simply 살, with no extra ㄹ added. The same holds for 알다 ("know") and 만들다 ("make"): 알 뿐만 아니라, 만들 뿐만 아니라.

For nouns, there are two forms. A noun can take 뿐만 아니라 directly: 한국어뿐만 아니라 영어도 해요 ("I speak not only Korean but also English"). The particle 뿐 is attached with no space. When the first part is a noun predicate, use 이다: 그는 학생일 뿐만 아니라 가수예요 ("He is not only a student but also a singer"). The form 일 is the -(으)ㄹ form of 이다.

The next section builds a full sentence.

Worked Example: Building 그 식당은 맛있을 뿐만 아니라 값도 싸요

Say that a restaurant is tasty and also cheap. Follow five steps.

1. Pick the first fact. "Tasty" is 맛있다. The stem is 맛있.
2. Check the last sound. 맛있 ends in a consonant (ㅆ), so add 을: 맛있을.
3. Add the connector. 맛있을 뿐만 아니라 means "not only tasty." Write it as separate words.
4. Pick the second fact and add 도. "The price is cheap" is 값이 싸요. Replace 이 with 도 to say "the price is also cheap": 값도 싸요.
5. Join them. 그 식당은 맛있을 뿐만 아니라 값도 싸요.

You'll know it worked when the first clause ends in -(으)ㄹ followed by a space and 뿐만 아니라, and the second clause has 도 and the polite ending 요. The topic 그 식당은 stays at the start and covers both clauses.

The next section covers tense and sentence types.

Which Tenses and Sentence Types Work with -(으)ㄹ 뿐만 아니라?

The first clause takes the modifier -(으)ㄹ. If you want a past fact, add 았/었 before it. The last verb gives the speech level and the sentence tense.

An example with two past clauses: 어제는 비가 왔을 뿐만 아니라 바람도 많이 불었어요 means "Yesterday it not only rained but was also very windy." Both verbs are in the past, so both clauses describe the past. 왔을 is said [와쓸].

Three constraints control the choice of words.

• Same subject. The two clauses usually share the same subject. In 그는 노래를 잘할 뿐만 아니라 춤도 잘 춰요, the subject 그는 covers both. A new subject in the second clause is possible when the two things are clearly related, but it is less common.
• Same direction. Both facts should be positive, or both negative. 이 가게는 맛도 없을 뿐만 아니라 비싸요 ("This shop has not only bad food but is also expensive") is natural, because both are bad. If one fact is good and one is bad, use -지만 instead.
• Equal or stronger. The second fact should be as important as the first, or more important. The pattern works like a builder: it adds. A weaker second fact sounds odd.

The second clause is almost always a statement. Commands and suggestions are rare, because the pattern adds facts, not requests. A yes/no question can follow: 맛있을 뿐만 아니라 값도 싸요? ends with a rise.

The next section compares the pattern with its neighbours.

How Is -(으)ㄹ 뿐만 아니라 Different from -(으)ㄴ/는 데다가?

Both mean "on top of that." They differ in form, register and strength.

The feeling is also different. -고 simply lists two facts. 뿐만 아니라 draws attention to both and tells the listener that one fact was not enough. -(으)ㄴ/는 데다가 piles facts on, as in a spoken list of reasons.

Compare these three sentences.

• 이 식당은 맛있고 싸요. The restaurant is tasty, and it is cheap.
• 이 식당은 맛있을 뿐만 아니라 싸요. Not only is it tasty, it is also cheap. (The speaker is making a case.)
• 이 식당은 맛있는 데다가 싸요. It is tasty, and on top of that it's cheap. (Casual, as if adding to a list.)

All three are correct. The second one is best for a review or an argument, and the first one is best for a plain description.

The next section covers spacing and other edge cases.

Variations and Edge Cases of -(으)ㄹ 뿐만 아니라

Spacing of 뿐

The word 뿐 has two spellings. After a verb or an adjective with -(으)ㄹ, 뿐 is a dependent noun, so it is separated by a space: 맛있을 뿐만 아니라. After a noun, 뿐 is a particle, so it is attached: 한국어뿐만 아니라. This follows the Korean spelling rules (한글 맞춤법) on particles and dependent nouns. In 뿐만 아니라, the words 뿐만 and 아니라 are separate words, so the full pattern has a space before 아니라 too.

The Shorter Form 뿐 아니라

You can drop 만: 맛있을 뿐 아니라 값도 싸요. The meaning is the same. 뿐만 아니라 is slightly more common in careful writing and speech. Both forms are correct.

뿐이다: Only

The word 뿐 also appears with 이다 to mean "only": 그는 노래를 잘할 뿐이에요 means "He only sings well (and nothing else)." Do not confuse 뿐이에요 ("only") with 뿐만 아니라 ("not only").

이것뿐이에요 is said [이걷뿌니에요].

Leaving out 도

도 is not grammatically required. 그 식당은 맛있을 뿐만 아니라 값이 싸요 is correct. But 도 makes the "also" idea clear, so the sentence sounds more natural with it. Use 도 after the noun, or 도 after another particle like 에서도 or 에게도: 그 가수는 한국뿐만 아니라 외국에서도 인기가 많아요 means "That singer is popular not only in Korea but also abroad."

Joining Nouns Instead

-(으)ㄹ 뿐만 아니라 can join nouns, but plain "A and B" is usually said with a particle. For "A and B", see 와/과 and with particle. For "A or B", see (이)나 or particle.

The next section lists the mistakes that appear most often.

What Mistakes Do Learners Make with -(으)ㄹ 뿐만 아니라?

Learners make seven predictable mistakes. Each has a reason and a fix.

Learners often use the wrong modifier. Actually the first clause needs -(으)ㄹ. Wrong: 맛있는 뿐만 아니라 and 맛있어요 뿐만 아니라. Right: 맛있을 뿐만 아니라. Fix: use the stem plus ㄹ or 을, and nothing else.

Learners often leave out 도. Actually the second clause normally echoes "also". Less natural: 값이 싸요 alone sounds flat. Better: 값도 싸요. Fix: add 도 to the thing you are adding.

Learners often put the weaker fact last. Actually the pattern builds up. Wrong: 그 식당은 아주 맛있을 뿐만 아니라 조금 가까워요. Right: put the less important fact first and the stronger one second. Fix: ask which fact would convince the listener more, and put it last.

Learners often mix good and bad facts. Wrong: 맛있을 뿐만 아니라 비싸요. Right: 맛있지만 비싸요. Fix: use -지만 when one fact is good and one is bad.

Learners often get the spacing wrong. Wrong: 맛있을뿐만아니라 and 한국어 뿐만 아니라. Right: 맛있을 뿐만 아니라 and 한국어뿐만 아니라. Fix: space 뿐 after -(으)ㄹ, and attach it after a noun.

Learners often mix up 뿐만 아니라 and 뿐이다. Actually one means "not only" and the other means "only". Fix: look for 아니라 ("is not"). If it is there, the meaning is "not only".

Learners often change the ㄹ stem. Wrong: 사을 뿐만 아니라 and 살을 뿐만 아니라. Right: 살 뿐만 아니라. Fix: a ㄹ stem keeps its ㄹ and adds nothing.

The next section gives you practice.

Practice and Answers

Do the four tasks, then compare with the key.

Task 1: attach the pattern. Write the form with -(으)ㄹ 뿐만 아니라.

1. 크다
2. 먹다
3. 살다
4. 어렵다
5. 한국어 (noun)

Task 2: fix the error. Each sentence has one mistake. Rewrite it correctly.

1. 이 책은 재미있는 뿐만 아니라 유익해요.
2. 한국어 뿐만 아니라 영어도 해요.
3. 이 가게는 맛있을 뿐만 아니라 비싸요.

Task 3: translate. Write in Korean: "She is not only kind but also smart." and "It not only rained but was also windy."

Task 4: write your own. Write one sentence about a place that adds two good things, and one sentence about a person that adds two skills.

Answer key

1. (1) 클 뿐만 아니라 (2) 먹을 뿐만 아니라 (3) 살 뿐만 아니라 (4) 어려울 뿐만 아니라 (5) 한국어뿐만 아니라
2. (1) 이 책은 재미있을 뿐만 아니라 유익해요. (2) 한국어뿐만 아니라 영어도 해요. (3) 이 가게는 맛있지만 비싸요.
3. 그녀는 친절할 뿐만 아니라 똑똑해요. 비가 왔을 뿐만 아니라 바람도 불었어요.
4. Sample answers: 이 공원은 넓을 뿐만 아니라 조용해요. 그는 노래를 잘할 뿐만 아니라 춤도 잘 춰요. Any pair is correct if the first clause ends in -(으)ㄹ plus 뿐만 아니라 and the second adds a matching fact with 도.

If task 1 was correct, you have the formation rule. If task 2 was hard, check the spacing of 뿐. The next section points you to what comes after this lesson.

What Should You Learn after -(으)ㄹ 뿐만 아니라 Grammar?

After -(으)ㄹ 뿐만 아니라, the natural next pattern is -(으)ㄴ/는 데다가, the spoken way of saying "on top of that". To review the simplest "and", return to -고.

For a wider view, the parent page And / But Connectors lists every connector in this group. -(으)ㄹ 뿐만 아니라 sits at level B1 on the Intermediate Grammar list.

This lesson covers -(으)ㄹ 뿐만 아니라 in the polite, casual and formal styles. It does not cover every written variation. About this page. Last updated 2026-10-09. Revised Romanization follows the national rules and is shown only as a learning aid.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Does -(으)ㄹ 뿐만 아니라 Mean?

-(으)ㄹ 뿐만 아니라 means "not only ... but also". The first clause states one fact, and the second clause adds another fact on top. 그 식당은 맛있을 뿐만 아니라 값도 싸요 means "That restaurant is not only tasty but also cheap." The word 도 in the second clause echoes "also".

How Do I Attach -(으)ㄹ 뿐만 아니라 to a Verb or Adjective?

Use the stem plus ㄹ after a vowel and 을 after a consonant, then write 뿐만 아니라 as separate words: 갈 뿐만 아니라, 먹을 뿐만 아니라. ㄹ stems keep ㄹ (살 뿐만 아니라). For a noun, attach 뿐만 아니라 directly: 한국어뿐만 아니라. For 이다, use 일 뿐만 아니라.

Can -(으)ㄹ 뿐만 아니라 Be Used in the past Tense?

Yes. Put 았/었 before 을: 먹었을 뿐만 아니라, 왔을 뿐만 아니라. The first clause then describes a past fact. The tense of the whole sentence is usually shown on the last verb, so the two clauses normally share one time: 어제는 비가 왔을 뿐만 아니라 바람도 불었어요.

Is -(으)ㄹ 뿐만 아니라 Used in Speech or Only in Writing?

It is used in both. It is a little more formal and emphatic than -고, so you will meet it often in writing, speeches, interviews and reviews. In casual conversation, speakers often prefer -(으)ㄴ/는 데다가 or simply -고. It is still natural in polite speech, as in 맛있을 뿐만 아니라 싸요.

What Is the Difference between -(으)ㄹ 뿐만 아니라 and -(으)ㄴ/는 데다가?

Both add a second fact that leans the same way as the first. -(으)ㄹ 뿐만 아니라 sounds more formal, takes a noun directly (한국어뿐만 아니라) and often brings 도 into the second clause. -(으)ㄴ/는 데다가 is more spoken, and needs a modifier before 데다가: 맛있는 데다가.

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