Learn Hardcore Korean: jeopsiwa geureuseun sikgisecheokgie neoheumyeon pyeonrihaeyo. - It’s convenient to put plates and bowls in the dishwasher.

와 (after a vowel) and 과 (after a consonant) are noun-connecting particles meaning “and.” They link two or more nouns directly. 그리고 is a conjunction that connects clauses or sentences (“and then…”), not nouns within a single phrase.

Why is there only 은 attached to 그릇 and not to 접시?

When listing nouns, Korean often attaches the particle only to the last noun. Here, 접시와 그릇은 means “as for plates and bowls.” The 와 connects the two items, and 은 marks the combined phrase as the topic.

What does the -에 in 식기세척기에 indicate?

-에 is the locative/directional particle that means “to,” “at,” or “in.” In 식기세척기에 넣으면, it shows the destination: “into the dishwasher.”

How does the conditional ending -으면 in 넣으면 work?

-으면 attaches to verb stems ending in a consonant to form “if…” or “when…” For 넣다 (stem 넣-), you drop the final ㅎ and add -으면, giving 넣으면 (“if you put [it/them] in”).

Why is the topic marker on 그릇 은 and not 는?

Both 은 and 는 mark the topic, but 은 follows nouns ending in a consonant, 는 follows those ending in a vowel. Since 그릇 ends in the consonant ㄹ, we use 은.

What nuance does 편리해요 convey compared to 편해요?

편리하다 means “to be convenient” (practical, efficient), while 편하다 means “to be comfortable” or “to feel at ease.” Here, 식기세척기에 넣으면 편리해요 highlights the practical convenience of using a dishwasher.

Is 식기세척기 a compound word? How is it built?

Yes. It’s Sino-Korean:
• 식기(食器) = 食 (eat/food) + 器 (vessel) = tableware.
• 세척(洗滌) = 洗 (wash) + 滌 (rinse) = washing.
• 기(機) = machine.
Put together, 식기세척기 is “tableware washing machine.”

Why isn’t there a subject marked with 가/이 in this sentence?

Korean often omits obvious subjects when context makes them clear. Here, the topic marker 은 on 접시와 그릇 implies they are what we’re talking about, so no separate 이/가 is needed. The actor (“you” or “we”) is also dropped because it’s understood from context.

Could I omit 와 and say 접시, 그릇은 식기세척기에 넣으면 편리해요?

Yes. In informal speech or writing, a comma can list nouns (접시, 그릇은…). But using 와/과 for “and” sounds more natural and clear in most contexts.