KoreanParticles
All TOPIK levels

TOPIK I · Beginner

TOPIK Level 1 Grammar List

34 particles and grammar patterns from level 1 of the official curriculum, each with its own lesson, examples and practice. At level 1 you can introduce yourself, shop, order food, and talk about yourself, your family, hobbies and the weather in simple sentences.

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.

Particles 14

은 / 는Topic Particleseun / neunSets the topic of the sentence. What are we talking about?이 / 가Subject Particlesi / gaIdentifies the grammatical subject of the sentence.을 / 를Object Particleseul / reulMarks the object receiving the action of the verb.에 / 에서Location Particlese / eseoMarking location and time. The difference depends on static vs dynamic verbs.과/와 / 하고 / 이랑Connectiongwa/wa / hago / irangMeans 'and' or 'with'.의PossessiveuiIndicates possession or relationship. Equivalent to 's or 'of'.(으)로Direction/Means(eu)roIndicates direction (towards) or method (using/by).도Also / ToodoMeans 'also' or 'too'. Replaces subject/object particles.만OnlymanIndicates exclusivity. Means 'only' or 'just'.부터 / 까지Range (From/To)buteo / kkajiDefines a range in time or place (From... To...).께서Honorific SubjectkkeseoA highly polite version of the subject particle (이/가).에게 / 한테 / 께Dative (To a person)ege / hante / kkeIndicates the recipient of an action (giving to, talking to).에게 and 한테 are level 1 in the official curriculum, and 께 is level 2.보다ComparisonbodaMeans 'than'. Used to compare two nouns.이에요/예요To Be (Is / Am / Are)ieyo/yeyoSays what something is: "I'm a student", "it's a book". It goes right after the noun.

Grammar patterns 20

(으)ㄹ 수 있다 / (으)ㄹ 수 없다Can / Cannot(eu)l su itda / (eu)l su eopdaExpresses ability or possibility.(으)러Purpose (Going to)(eu)reoIndicates the purpose of going or coming somewhere.고 싶다Desire (Want to)go sipdaExpresses the speaker's desire to do something.고 있다Progressive (Ing)go itdaIndicates an action currently in progress.지 않다Negation (Not)ji antaLong form negation pattern.(으)ㄹ까요?Suggestion (Shall we?)(eu)lkkayoAsking for someone's opinion or suggesting doing something together.(으)려고 하다Intention (Planning to)(eu)ryeogo hadaExpressing an intention or plan to do something.The official curriculum lists (으)려고 at level 1.아/어/여야 하다Obligation (Must)a/eo/yeoya hadaExpressing obligation or necessity.기 전에Before doinggi jeoneIndicates an action happens before another.(으)ㄴ 후에After doing(eu)n hueIndicates an action happens after another.못 / 지 못하다Cannot (Inability)mot / ji motadaExpresses inability — you want to, but something prevents it.아/어서Because / And Thena/eoseoLinks two clauses as cause-and-effect, or as a connected sequence of actions.(으)니까Because (Judgement)(eu)nikkaGives a reason based on the speaker's own judgement or discovery.고And (Linking)goJoins two verbs or adjectives with "and", or two actions with "and then".지만But (Contrast)jimanJoins two clauses where the second one goes against the first: "A, but B".(으)세요Please Do (Polite Request)(eu)seyoAsks someone politely to do something, or asks about them with respect: 앉으세요 (anjeuseyo), "please sit".겠Will / Must Be (Future & Guessing)getGoes inside the verb to say what you will do, or what you guess is true: 맛있겠다 (masitgetda), "that looks delicious".습니다/ㅂ니다Formal Speech (습니다)seumnida/mnidaThe formal polite ending, used in news, announcements, presentations and first meetings: 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida).(으)ㅂ시다Let's (Group Suggestion)(eu)psidaSuggests doing something together: 갑시다 (gapsida), "let's go". Used with a group or with people your own age.(으)시Honorific (Showing Respect)(eu)siGoes inside the verb to show respect for the person doing it: 오셨어요 (osyeosseoyo), "(she) came".

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.