Library · 62 grammar patterns
Korean Verb Endings and Grammar Patterns
The verb endings you meet first. Particles attach to nouns and say who does what; these attach to verbs and say how: can, want to, must, if, because.
62 patterns in 11 groups, one colour each. Pick a group above to pick it out.
01NewTOPIK 1있다/없다itda/eopdaThere Is, To HaveSays that something exists, where it is, or that you have it: 시간 있어요? (sigan isseoyo), "do you have time?".02TOPIK 1(으)세요(eu)seyoPlease Do (Polite Request)Asks someone politely to do something, or asks about them with respect: 앉으세요 (anjeuseyo), "please sit".03TOPIK 1습니다/ㅂ니다seumnida/mnidaFormal Speech (습니다)The formal polite ending, used in news, announcements, presentations and first meetings: 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida).04TOPIK 1(으)ㅂ시다(eu)psidaLet's (Group Suggestion)Suggests doing something together: 갑시다 (gapsida), "let's go". Used with a group or with people your own age.05TOPIK 1(으)시(eu)siHonorific (Showing Respect)Goes inside the verb to show respect for the person doing it: 오셨어요 (osyeosseoyo), "(she) came".06TOPIK 2는/(으)ㄴ/(으)ㄹneun/(eu)n/(eu)lDescribing Nouns (는/은/을)Turns a verb or adjective into a description that goes before a noun: 먹는 사람 (meongneun saram), "a person who's eating".07TOPIK 2는 것neun geotTurning Verbs into Nouns (는 것)Turns a verb into a noun so you can like it, hate it or talk about it: 노래하는 것 (noraehaneun geot), "singing".08TOPIK 2기giTurning Verbs into Nouns (기)Turns a verb or adjective into a noun, mostly in set patterns: 먹기 싫어요 (meokgi sireoyo), "I don't feel like eating".09TOPIK 1(으)ㄹ 수 있다(으)ㄹ 수 없다(eu)l su itda / (eu)l su eopdaCan / CannotExpresses ability or possibility.10TOPIK 2아/어/여도 되다a/eo/yeodo doedaPermissionAsking for or granting permission. 'May I...?'11TOPIK 1못지 못하다mot / ji motadaCannot (Inability)Expresses inability — you want to, but something prevents it.12TOPIK 1지 않다ji antaNegation (Not)Long form negation pattern.13TOPIK 2지 마세요ji maseyoDon't (Telling Someone Not To)Tells someone not to do something: "don't…", or "let's not…".14TOPIK 1고 싶다go sipdaDesire (Want to)Expresses the speaker's desire to do something.15NewTOPIK 3(으)면 좋겠다(eu)myeon joketdaI Wish / I HopeSays what you hope for, or wish were different: 주말이면 좋겠어요 (jumarimyeon jokesseoyo), "I wish it were the weekend".16TOPIK 2(으)ㄹ래요(eu)llaeyoWant To? (Choosing)Says what you want to do, or asks what the other person wants: 뭐 먹을래요? (mwo meogeullaeyo), "what do you want to eat?".17TOPIK 1(으)려고 하다(eu)ryeogo hadaIntention (Planning to)Expressing an intention or plan to do something.18TOPIK 2기로 하다giro hadaDecide To / Agree ToSays you've decided, or agreed with someone, to do something: 가기로 했어요 (gagiro haesseoyo), "I decided to go".19TOPIK 2(으)ㄹ까 보다(eu)lkka bodaIn Case / I'm Thinking OfSays you're worried something might happen, or that you're thinking of doing something: 늦을까 봐 (neujeulkka bwa), "in case I'm late".20TOPIK 2(으)ㄹ게요(eu)lgeyoI'll… (Promising)Tells the listener what you'll do, like a small promise: 전화할게요 (jeonhwahalgeyo), "I'll call you".21TOPIK 1(으)ㄹ까요?(eu)lkkayoSuggestion (Shall we?)Asking for someone's opinion or suggesting doing something together.22TOPIK 1아/어/여야 하다a/eo/yeoya hadaObligation (Must)Expressing obligation or necessity.23TOPIK 2(으)ㄹ 수밖에 없다(eu)l subakke eopdaHave No Choice But ToSays there's no other option, or that something is bound to be so: 갈 수밖에 없어요 (gal subakke eopseoyo), "I have no choice but to go".24TOPIK 1(으)러(eu)reoPurpose (Going to)Indicates the purpose of going or coming somewhere.25NewTOPIK 3도록dorokSo That / Until (Purpose & Degree)Says what something is for, or how far it goes: 늦지 않도록 일찍 나왔어요 (neutji antorok iljjik nawasseoyo), "I left early so I wouldn't be late".26TOPIK 2(으)면(eu)myeonCondition (If)Expresses a condition. 'If...' or 'When...'27TOPIK 2(으)면서(eu)myeonseoWhile doingIndicates two actions happening simultaneously by the same subject.28TOPIK 2는 동안neun donganWhile / DuringSays something happens for as long as another action lasts: 자는 동안 (janeun dongan), "while I was sleeping".29NewTOPIK 3는 중이다neun jungidaIn the Middle Of (In Progress)Says you're in the middle of doing something: 지금 가는 중이에요 (jigeum ganeun jungieyo), "I'm on my way".30TOPIK 2다가dagaWas Doing, Then… (Switching)Stops one action and switches to another, or says what happened in the middle of it: 가다가 (gadaga), "on the way".31TOPIK 1기 전에gi jeoneBefore doingIndicates an action happens before another.32TOPIK 1(으)ㄴ 후에(eu)n hueAfter doingIndicates an action happens after another.33TOPIK 2(으)ㄴ 지(eu)n jiIt's Been … SinceSays how long it's been since something happened: 온 지 한 달 됐어요 (on ji han dal dwaesseoyo), "it's been a month since I came".34TOPIK 2(으)ㄹ 때(eu)l ttaeWhen (Time)Indicates the time when an action or state occurs.35TOPIK 3자마자jamajaAs soon asIndicates that one action happens immediately after another.36TOPIK 2아/어 주다a/eo judaDoing a FavorIndicates doing an action for the benefit of someone else.37TOPIK 2아/어 보다a/eo bodaTrying SomethingIndicates trying an action out, or having experienced it before.38TOPIK 2아/어 있다a/eo itdaResulting StateDescribes the state that remains after an action has finished.39TOPIK 1고 있다go itdaProgressive (Ing)Indicates an action currently in progress.40NewTOPIK 3아/어 놓다a/eo notaDo in Advance / Leave It DoneSays you did something and left it that way, often so it's ready for later: 예약해 놨어요 (yeyakae nwasseoyo), "I've booked it already".41TOPIK 1고goAnd (Linking)Joins two verbs or adjectives with "and", or two actions with "and then".42TOPIK 2거나geonaOr (Between Verbs)Joins two verbs or adjectives with "or": 자거나 쉬어요 (jageona swieoyo), "I sleep or rest".43TOPIK 1지만jimanBut (Contrast)Joins two clauses where the second one goes against the first: "A, but B".44NewTOPIK 3아/어도a/eodoEven If / Even ThoughSays the second part holds no matter what the first part says: 비가 와도 가요 (biga wado gayo), "I'll go even if it rains".45TOPIK 1아/어서a/eoseoBecause / And ThenLinks two clauses as cause-and-effect, or as a connected sequence of actions.46NewTOPIK 3아/어 가지고a/eo gajigoAnd Then, Because (Casual)Casual spoken Korean for "and then, with it" or "because": 사 가지고 왔어요 (sa gajigo wasseoyo), "I bought it and brought it".47TOPIK 1(으)니까(eu)nikkaBecause (Judgement)Gives a reason based on the speaker's own judgement or discovery.48NewTOPIK 3느라고neuragoBecause I Was Busy …ingSays you missed something or had a hard time because you were busy doing something else: 일하느라고 못 갔어요 (ilhaneurago mot gasseoyo), "I couldn't go because I was working".49NewTOPIK 3거든요geodeunyoBecause, You See (Giving a Reason)Gives a reason the listener didn't know, after the thing it explains: 배불러요. 아까 먹었거든요 (baebulleoyo. akka meogeotgeodeunyo), "I'm full. I ate earlier, you see".50TOPIK 2(으)ㄴ데는데(eu)nde / neundeBackground / ButSets up background information, contrast, or a soft lead-in before the main point.51TOPIK 2게geSo That / -ly (게)Turns an adjective into an adverb, or says what an action is for: 크게 (keuge), "loudly".52New(으)ㄹ 거예요(eu)l geoyeyoWill, Going To (Future Tense)The everyday Korean future tense, for plans and guesses: 갈 거예요 (gal geoyeyo), "I'm going to go".53TOPIK 1겠getWill / Must Be (Future & Guessing)Goes inside the verb to say what you will do, or what you guess is true: 맛있겠다 (masitgetda), "that looks delicious".54TOPIK 2는 것 같다neun geot gatdaSeems Like (Guessing)Says what you think is true without being sure: "I think…", "it seems…".55NewTOPIK 3나 보다na bodaIt Seems (Guessing From What You Notice)Guesses something from what you see or hear: 불이 꺼졌어요. 자나 봐요 (buri kkeojyeosseoyo. jana bwayo), "The lights are off. They must be asleep".56NewTOPIK 3는 편이다neun pyeonidaTend To / Fairly (Tendency)Says something is mostly true, more softly than saying it outright: 저는 일찍 자는 편이에요 (jeoneun iljjik janeun pyeonieyo), "I tend to go to bed early".57TOPIK 2네요neyoOh, …! (Noticing Something)Reacts to something you've just seen, heard or found out: 좋네요 (jonneyo), "oh, that's nice".58TOPIK 2(는)군요(neun)gunyoOh, I See (Realizing)Reacts to something you've just realized or been told: 그렇군요 (geureokunyo), "oh, I see".59TOPIK 2지요/죠jiyo/jyo…, Right? (Checking)Checks something you think the listener already knows: 덥죠? (deopjyo), "it's hot, isn't it?".60NewTOPIK 3잖아요janayo…, You Know (Reminding)Reminds the listener of something they already know, often to back up what you're saying: 오늘 토요일이잖아요 (oneul toyoirijanayo), "it's Saturday, you know".61TOPIK 2(으)ㄴ 적이 있다(eu)n jeogi itdaHave Ever Done (Experience)Says whether you've ever done something: 간 적이 있어요 (gan jeogi isseoyo), "I've been there".62TOPIK 2게 되다ge doedaEnd Up / Come To (Change)Says something came about, often not by your own choice: 가게 됐어요 (gage dwaesseoyo), "I ended up going".