All TOPIK levels
Intermediate and advanced · Levels 3–6
TOPIK 2 Grammar List (TOPIK II)
The grammar for TOPIK II, the intermediate and advanced test: 36 particles and grammar patterns from the official curriculum, sorted by level, each with its own lesson, examples and practice. It builds on everything in TOPIK I.
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.
Level 3Intermediate
Particles 13
아 / 야Vocative (Calling)a / yaUsed to call someone's name casually.쯤ApproximationjjeumMeans 'about', 'around', or 'approximately'.The official curriculum files 쯤 in its word list, as a level 3 suffix.(이)라고 / 고Quotation(i)rago / goMarks quoted speech or thoughts.씩Distribution / EachssikMeans 'each' or 'apiece'. Distributes items.The official curriculum files 씩 in its word list, as a level 3 suffix.대신에Instead ofdaesineMeans 'instead of'. Substitution or compensation.The official curriculum files 대신 in its word list at level 3, and -는 대신에 in its grammar list at level 3.만큼Extent / As much asman-keumIndicates a similar degree or extent.뿐Only / JustppunMeans 'only' or 'just'. Used for exclusivity.보고Recipient (Speech)bogoIdentifies the person being spoken to.대로According todaeroMeans 'according to' or 'following'.에 대해서/대해About / Regardinge daehaeseo/daehaeMeans 'about' or 'regarding' a certain topic.을/를 위해서/위해For the sake ofeul/reul wihaeseo/wihaeMeans 'for' or 'for the sake of' a person or cause.(으)로부터From (Source)(eu)robuteoMarks the origin or source that something comes from.요Polite 요 (on Anything)yoMakes a short answer or half a sentence polite: 커피요 (keopiyo), "coffee, please".
Grammar patterns 11
자마자As soon asjamajaIndicates that one action happens immediately after another.아/어도Even If / Even Thougha/eodoSays the second part holds no matter what the first part says: 비가 와도 가요 (biga wado gayo), "I'll go even if it rains".잖아요…, You Know (Reminding)janayoReminds the listener of something they already know, often to back up what you're saying: 오늘 토요일이잖아요 (oneul toyoirijanayo), "it's Saturday, you know".거든요Because, You See (Giving a Reason)geodeunyoGives 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".느라고Because I Was Busy …ingneuragoSays 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".도록So That / Until (Purpose & Degree)dorokSays 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".아/어 놓다Do in Advance / Leave It Donea/eo notaSays you did something and left it that way, often so it's ready for later: 예약해 놨어요 (yeyakae nwasseoyo), "I've booked it already".는 편이다Tend To / Fairly (Tendency)neun pyeonidaSays 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".는 중이다In the Middle Of (In Progress)neun jungidaSays you're in the middle of doing something: 지금 가는 중이에요 (jigeum ganeun jungieyo), "I'm on my way".(으)면 좋겠다I Wish / I Hope(eu)myeon joketdaSays what you hope for, or wish were different: 주말이면 좋겠어요 (jumarimyeon jokesseoyo), "I wish it were the weekend".나 보다It Seems (Guessing From What You Notice)na bodaGuesses something from what you see or hear: 불이 꺼졌어요. 자나 봐요 (buri kkeojyeosseoyo. jana bwayo), "The lights are off. They must be asleep".
Level 4Intermediate
Particles 11
조차 / 마저Evenjocha / majeoMeans 'even' or 'so far as'. Often negative nuance.마저 is level 4 in the official curriculum, and 조차 is level 5.든지Indifference / Anydeun-jiNo matter what/who/when/where.(이)라도Second Best(i)radoSuggests the 'next best' thing when the ideal is missing.치고(는)Standard / Exceptionchigo-neunExpresses a standard for comparison or exceptions.(으)로서As (Role/Status)(eu)roseoIndicates a status, capacity, or qualification. 'As a...'(으)로써By Means Of(eu)rosseoIndicates an instrument, means, or method. 'By using...'커녕Far from / Let alonekeonyeongUsed to indicate that even the basic thing is impossible, let alone the advanced thing.(이)란What Something Is (Defining)(i)ranPicks out a topic to say what it is or what it's really like: 사랑이란 (sarangiran), "love is…".(이)야Of Course / Sure, but (Emphasis)(i)yaStresses a word to say "as for this, of course", often before a "but".(이)나마Even If Only (Making Do)(i)namaAccepts something that isn't ideal: "even if it's only…", "at least…".(이)며A, B, Everything (Listing)(i)myeoLists things one after another to show there's a lot: 옷이며 신발이며 (osimyeo sinbarimyeo), "clothes, shoes, everything".
Level 5Advanced
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.