100 Korean Grammars for Beginners (TOPIK I Grammars)

Korean Grammars for Beginners is a free Korean grammar library made online by Korean Topik. The grammar list is useful for TOPIK 1 learners who are aiming for Level 1 and 2.

The beginner grammars lessons feature:

- Concise and clear grammar explanation
- Variety of daily life based examples
- Comparing grammars to avoid confusion

You may interest in our Korean grammars for Intermediate Learners:

90 Korean Grammars for Intermediate Learners (TOPIK 2 Grammars)

Hope you enjoy the lessons.

1. Expressing Korean Alphabets, Numbers, Dates and Times in Korean

1.1 Korean Alphabet: How to Read, Write, and Pronounce

1.2 Numbers in Korean = Sino-Korean and Native-Korean

1.3 Dates and Times in Korean = reading Year/Month/Date/Day & Hour/Minute


2. Expressing Tenses and Negation in Korean

2.1 Present Tense in Korean = A/V/N-(스)ㅂ니다 or A/V-아/어요.

2.2 Past and Past Perfect Tense in Korean = A/V-았/었어요 and A/V-았/었었어요.

2.3 Future and Progressive Tense in Korean = V-(으)ㄹ 거예요 and V-고 있다

2.4 Negative Expressions in Korean = (1) 아니다, 없다, 모르다; (2) V-지 않다, 안 V; (3) 못 V, V-지 못하다

2.5 N요 grammar = An honorific ending used as a short answer to a question

3. How to Use Particles in Korean

3.1 N-은/는 vs 이/가 = 'topic marker' vs 'subject marker' in Korean

3.2 을/를 and N의 = 'object particle' and 'possessive particle' in Korean

3.3 N와/과, N (이)랑, N하고 = 'and' ~ listing particle in Korean

3.4 N에, N에서 time & place particles in Korean = at/on (time), in/on/at/to (place)

3.5 N에서 N까지, N부터 N까지, N에게/한테(서) grammar = from…to, from..until, to/from N

3.6 N도 and N만 particles = also/too, only/just

3.7 N-밖에 grammar = ‘only’ or ‘nothing but’ ~(negative form) express only one option available

3.8 N(으)로, N쯤 particles = to/by/using, about/around

3.9 N(이)나 particle = or/no less than

3.10  N처럼/ N같이 particle = like/same

3.11 N보다, N마다 particles in Korean = more...than/-er...than, every/all


4. Expressing Listing and Contrast in Korean 

4.1 V-고, V-거나, V-지만 grammar = ‘and’, ‘or’, ‘but’ in English

4.2 A-ㄴ/은데, N-인데, V-는데 grammar = (1) 'but', (2) 'so/and' in English

5. Expressing Time Events in Korean 

5.1 N 전에/후에, V기 전에, V(으)ㄴ 후에 grammar = before/ago, after/later

5.2 A/V-아/어서 grammar = (1) and/ (in order) to, (2) because (of)/ so that…

5.3 V-(으)면서 grammar = while/during…~actions occurs simultaneously

5.4 V-고 나서 grammar = and then, after doing ~express sequential events

5.5 V-자마자 grammar = as soon as, right after ~something occurs right after the end of an action or event

5.6 V-(으)ㄴ 지 grammar = how long has been 'since' I did something

5.7 N 때, A/V-(으)ㄹ 때 grammar = when, during ~express the time when an action occurs or its duration

5.8 N 중, V-는 중 grammar = in the middle of N/V, currently doing

5.9 N 동안, V-는 동안 grammar = during /for N, while V-ing

6. Expressing Ability in Korean

6.1 V-(으)ㄹ 수 있다/없다 grammar = can/ can't do V ~express possibility to do/ not do something

6.2 V-(으)ㄹ 줄 알다/모르다 grammar = know how to/ don’t know how to V

7. Expressing Demands, Permission, and Prohibition in Korean

7.1 V-(으)세요 grammar = (1) honorific ending ~show respect, (2) making requests politely

7.2 V-지 마세요 grammar = please don’t V~ requesting someone not to do something politely

7.3 V-아/어야 하다 grammar = must, have to ~express necessity to do something

7.4 V-아/어도 되다 grammar = may, can I...? ~ask permission or approval for a behavior

7.5 V-(으)면 안 되다 grammar = may not, not allowed ~express prohibition or limitation of an action

7.6 A/V-지 않아도 되다 (안 A/V-아/어도 되다) grammar = don’t have to ~express the unnecessary of a behavior

8. Expressing Hopes in Korean

8.1 V-고 싶다 and -고 싶어 하다 grammar = want to, prefer to ~express one's wish or hope

8.2 A/N/V-(으)면 좋겠다 grammar = hope, wish ~express desire, wish, or hope that has not been realized

8.3 V-기 바라다 grammar = (1) hope, wish; (2) please do, be requested ~express one’s hope or request something formally

9. Expressing Reasons and Causes in Korean

9.1 A/V-아/어서 grammar = (1) and/ (in order) to, (2) because (of)/ so that…

9.2 A/V-(으)니까 grammar = (1) because/ since, (2) when/ do sth to discover

9.3 N/A/V-기 때문에 grammar = because (of), since ~Express a reason or cause of a situation

10. Expressing Requests and Assisting in Korean

10.1 V-아/어 주다 and V-아/어 주세요 grammar = assist / please do ~assisting someone or making a request to someone

10.2 V-아/어 줄게요, V-아/어 줄까요? grammar = Shall I, Let me, I will ~attempt to help someone

10.3 부탁, 부탁하다/드리다 and -아/어 달라고 부탁하다 grammar = to ask for a favor ~politely ask someone a favor to do something

11. Expressing Experiences in Korean

11.1 V-아/어 보다 grammar = try, have tried ~ tell or ask someone to try or experience something

11.2 V-(으)ㄴ 적이 있다, V-아/어 본 적이 있다 grammar = have done, have tried ~express the past experience

12. Expressing Suggestions and Asking Opinions in Korean

12.1 V-(으)ㄹ까요? grammar = (1) shall we, why don’t we…? (2) shall I, should I…?

12.2 V-ㅂ/읍시다 grammar = let’s, shall we ~suggest someone doing something together

  

12.3 V-(으)시겠어요? grammar = would you like, why not...? ~politely suggesting or asking for preference

12.4 V-(으)ㄹ래요 grammar = (1) do you want to, how about? (2) be going to, will

13. Expressing Plans and Intentions  in Korean

13.1 A/V-겠어요 grammar = (1) will, plan to; (2) looks, sounds

13.2 V-(으)ㄹ게요 grammar = (I) will ~express intention or promise to do something

13.3 V-(으)ㄹ래요 grammar = (1) do you want to, how about? (2) be going to, will

14. Expressing Purpose and Intention in Korean

14.1 V-(으)러 가다/오다 grammar = go/come (to somewhere) to do something

14.2 V-(으)ㄹ 생각이다 grammar = thinking of, planning to ~express that someone has a thought of doing something

14.3 V-(으)려고 하다 grammar = plan to, intend to ~express intention or plan that has yet to be done

14.4 V-(으)려고 grammar = in order to, so that ~express intention or purpose to do something

14.5 N을/를 위해서, V-기 위해서 grammar = for (the sake of), (in order) to

14.6 V-기로 하다 grammar = decide to, promise to ~make a promise with oneself or someone

15. Expressing Comparison in Korean

15.1 N-에 비해(서) and N-보다 grammar = compared to N, than N ~express comparison of two things

16. Expressing Conjecture (or Guess) in Korean

16.1 A/V-겠어요 grammar = (1) will, plan to; (2) looks, sounds

16.2 A/V-(으)ㄹ까요? grammar = (3) do you think, I wonder if ~express a supposition of an action or state

16.3 A/V-(으)ㄹ 거예요 grammar = (2) I think ~express a supposition based on a direct basis

16.4 A-(으)ㄴ 것 같다, V-는 것 같다 grammar = look like, seem, I think ~express a supposition based on subjective reasons

16.5 A-ㄴ/은가 보다, V-나 보다 grammar = guess, must be ~express inference or assumption based on an objective basis

16. Expressing Suppositions and Conditions in Korean

17.1 A/V-(으)면 grammar = if, when ~express a supposition or a condition about a fact ...

17.2 V-(으)려면 grammar = if you want/ intend to…then you should…

16.3 N/A/V-아/어도 grammar = even if, regardless of ~a situation occurs regardless of the previous action

18. Expressing State-of-Being in Korean

18.1 V-고 있다 (2) grammar = ~be wearing/taking off ~state of wearing/taking off something

18.2 V-아/어 있다 grammar = 'V-ed/-ing' ~express the continuing state of a completed action

18.3 A-아/어지다 = to get/become ~express a change over time

18.4 V-게 되다 grammar = became, came to, been decided ~express a change from one state to another

19. Confirming Information in Korean

19.1 -ㄴ/은/는지 + V grammar = V + who/what/where/how/when +clause

19.2 V-는 데 걸리다/들다 grammar = take/ cost (time, money) to do something

19.3 A/V-지요? grammar = isn't / don't /..., right? ~to confirm information

20. Expressing Discovery or Surprise

20.1 -는군요, -는구나, and -군 grammar = I see that, I didn't realize that ~express surprise

20.2 N(이)네요, A/V-네요 grammar = really, certainly, wow ~ express surprise or agree with someone

20.3 A-(으)ㄴ데요, V-는데요 grammar = (1) well, (2) why/what, (3) wow, (4) set background information

21. Expressing Quotations in Korean

21.1 Direct quotations in Korean 라고 했다, 하고 했다 = said/asked/written

21.2 Indirect quotation in Korean 다고 하다 = said ~citing of what someone said

21.3 Indirect quotation in Korean 냐고 하다 = asked ~citing of what someone asked

21.4 Indirect quotation in Korean 자도 하다 = suggested ~citing of what someone suggested

21.5 Indirect quotation in Korean 라고 하다 = told ~citing of what someone requested

21.6 Indirect Quotations in Korean 대요, 래요, 재요, 냬요 = said, asked, told (casual form)

22. Irregular Conjugations and Common Connective Adverbs in Korean

22.1 Korean ㄷ, ㅂ, ㅅ-irregular verbs and adjectives (Part 1)

22.2 Korean ㅎ, ㅡ, ㄹ, 르-irregular verbs and adjectives (Part 2)

22.3 Common connective Korean adverbs: 그래서, 그러나, 그럼, 그런데, 그래도

23. Expressing Suffix Changes in Parts of Speech 

23.1 A/V-은/는/을 N grammar = N that A/V ~noun modifier

23.2 V-기 grammar = V-ing in English ~turn a verb or a phrase into nouns

23.3 A-게 grammar = '...-ly' or 'in a ... manner' ~turn an adjective into an adverb

23.4 A-아/어하다 grammar =~turn an adjective into a verb

24. Expressing Politeness in Korean  

24.1 N-께/께서/께서는, N-님, V-시 and essential honorific words: meaning & grammar

24.2 A-(으)ㄴ가요? V-나요? grammar = are/do you...?, Is it...?~used to politely or gently ask a question

24.3 A/V-ㄴ/은/는 건가요? V-(으)ㄹ 건가요? grammar = are/was you...? will you...? ~used to politely or gently ask a question