Study for TOPIK
TOPIK Grammar by Level
Pick the test you're taking, or your level, and you'll find the particles and grammar patterns for it, each with its own lesson, examples and practice. Each level builds on the one before, so if you're aiming for level 3, levels 1 and 2 are part of it too.
These lists keep growing. I'm adding new lessons level by level from the official curriculum, so more particles and grammar patterns will show up here as they're ready.
TOPIK levels explained
TOPIK has six levels, split across two tests. TOPIK I is the beginner test and gives level 1 or 2. TOPIK II is the intermediate and advanced test and gives levels 3 to 6. You take one test, and your score decides the level you get.
| Level | Test | Score you need | What you can do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | TOPIK I | 80 of 200 | Introduce yourself, shop, order food, and talk about yourself, your family, hobbies and the weather in simple sentences. |
| Level 2 | TOPIK I | 140 of 200 | Handle everyday errands like the phone, the post office or a bank, and talk about familiar topics. |
| Level 3 | TOPIK II | 120 of 300 | Get by in daily life without trouble and start talking about social topics you know. |
| Level 4 | TOPIK II | 150 of 300 | Understand fairly simple news stories and articles, handle some everyday work tasks, and talk about social and abstract topics. |
| Level 5 | TOPIK II | 190 of 300 | Handle, to some extent, the Korean you need for professional work or research, including unfamiliar topics in politics, economics, society and culture. |
| Level 6 | TOPIK II | 230 of 300 | Use Korean fairly accurately and fluently for professional work or research, even on unfamiliar topics. |
Scores are for the paper test. The internet-based test (TOPIK IBT) uses a different scale. A result is valid for two years.
Where these levels come from
Every lesson is tagged with its level in the official curriculum for learners of Korean from the National Institute of Korean Language (국립국어원, gungnipgugeowon), the 국제 통용 한국어 표준 교육과정 (gukje tongyong hangugeo pyojun gyoyukgwajeong), "International Standard Curriculum of Korean". It sorts Korean grammar into six levels, matching TOPIK's six-level scale, where TOPIK I covers levels 1 and 2, and TOPIK II covers levels 3 to 6.
TOPIK's official site doesn't publish a grammar list, so this curriculum is the closest thing to an official one.