Korean grammar patterns

284 grammar patterns from beginner to advanced, each with a clear explanation, examples and look-alike comparisons.

Level 1 TOPIK I · beginner · 44 patterns

• N이에요/예요is N, am N, are N (polite)
• N이/가 아니에요is not N (negative of N이에요/예요)
• N이/가 있다/없다there is / there isn't; have / don't have
• -아/어요polite everyday ending (present)
• -ㅂ/습니다formal polite statement ending
• -ㅂ/습니까?formal polite question ending
• -았/었-past tense (did, was)
• -지 않다do not, is not (negation of verbs and adjectives)
• -고and; and then
• -고 싶다want to (do)
• -(으)세요please do (polite request); honorific present
• -(으)시-subject honorific (shows respect to the subject)
• -(으)십시오please do (formal polite command)
• -(으)ㄹ 거예요will, be going to (plan); will probably (guess)
• -(으)ㄹ까요?shall we/I …?; do you think …?
• -(으)ㅂ시다let's (do) (formal)
• -(으)러 가다/오다go/come (somewhere) to do
• -지만but, although
• -아/어서because, so (reason); and then (sequence)
• -고 있다be doing (progressive); be wearing
• -지 못하다cannot, could not
• -(으)ㄹ 수 있다/없다can / cannot; be possible / impossible
• -아/어 주다/드리다do something for someone
• -지 마세요please don't (do)
• -(으)ㄹ게요I will (promise, decision toward the listener)
• -네요oh, …! (reaction on noticing something)
• -(으)니까because, since (reason); when (I did …, I found)
• -(으)면if; when(ever)
• -기 전에before (doing); before N
• -(으)ㄴ 후에after (doing); after N
• -(으)ㄹ 때when, at the time of
• -(으)려고 하다intend to, plan to; be about to
• -아/어야 하다/되다must, have to
• -아/어도 되다may, it's okay to (permission)
• -(으)면 안 되다must not, not allowed to
• -아/어 보다try doing; have done (experience)
• -지요…, right? (seeking agreement); of course
• -겠-will, intend to (formal); must be (guess)
• -거나or (between actions or states)
• -(으)ㄹ래요I'll (choose to); do you want to …?
• -(으)ㄴ/는noun modifier, present (A-(으)ㄴ, V-는)
• -(으)ㄴ/는데and, but (background or contrast)
• -(으)ㄴ 적이 있다/없다have done / have never done (experience)
• N이/가 되다become N

Level 2 TOPIK I · beginner · 55 patterns

• -(으)ㄴnoun modifier for a past action (verbs): the N that someone did
• -(으)ㄹnoun modifier for future / not yet done: the N to do, the N I will do
• -는 것nominalizer: turns a verb into a noun (doing, the act of -ing)
• -기nominalizer -ing (in set phrases, hobbies, skills, lists)
• -고 싶어 하다(someone else) wants to — third-person desire
• -(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ 것 같다seem, look like; I think (guess or soft opinion)
• -기 때문에because (of); N 때문에 = because of N
• -(으)면서while (doing): two actions at the same time
• -는 동안while, during (a span of time); N 동안 = for/during N
• -고 나서after (finishing) doing
• -(으)ㄹ까 하다be thinking of doing (a tentative plan)
• -기로 하다decide to; agree / arrange to (with someone)
• -(으)ㄹ 줄 알다/모르다know / not know how to (a learned skill)
• -아/어 있다be in a state (the result of an action continues)
• -군요oh, I see (reaction to a newly realized fact)
• -게-ly (adverb from an adjective); so that (purpose)
• -게 되다come to (do), end up (doing), it turned out that
• -아/어지다become (change of state with adjectives); be done (passive)
• -(으)면 좋겠다I wish, I hope (that)
• -는 게 좋겠다it would be better to, you'd better (soft advice)
• -(으)ㄴ 지since (doing): how much time has passed since an action
• -는 중이다be in the middle of (doing); N 중 = during N, in N
• -아/어 버리다do completely; end up doing (relief or regret)
• -기 시작하다begin to, start doing
• -(으)ㄴ/는데요soft ending: hint, hesitation, background, polite disagreement
• -나요/-(으)ㄴ가요soft, polite question ending
• -지 말고don't do A — do B instead
• -아/어 보이다look, seem (adjective, judged from appearance)
• -(으)려고in order to, with the intention of
• -(으)려면if you want to (do), to (do) … (goal as a condition)
• -(으)면 되다all you have to do is; it's enough to; you can just
• -아/어도even if, even though
• N(이)라서because it is N (reason with a noun)
• -거든요you see, because (giving a reason the listener doesn't know)
• -다가while doing … (then): an action is interrupted or switched
• -기 위해(서)in order to; N을/를 위해(서) = for (the sake of) N
• -아/어야겠다I should, I'd better (the speaker's decision or resolve)
• -아/어하다turns a feeling adjective into a verb (someone shows that feeling)
• -지 않아도 되다don't have to, need not
• -(으)ㄴ/는지/(으)ㄹ지whether, if; what/where/when … (embedded question)
• -기(가) 쉽다/어렵다easy / hard to do (also: convenient, good to do)
• -아/어 놓다/두다do in advance (for later); leave something in that state
• -는 게 어때요?how about (doing)? (polite suggestion)
• N이/가 아니라not N but (another N); not A but B
• N(이)라고 하다be called N; say "…" (direct quotation)
• -ㄴ/는다고 하다indirect speech: (someone) says that …
• -냐고 하다indirect speech: (someone) asks whether / what …
• -(으)라고 하다indirect speech: (someone) tells (someone) to do
• -자고 하다indirect speech: (someone) suggests doing … together ('let's')
• -잖아요you know (reminding someone of something they know)
• -든지either … or; whether … or; any- (anytime, anything)
• -(으)ㄴ/는 대신(에)instead of (doing); in return for; but to make up for it
• -기도 하다also do, sometimes do; both … and (-기도 하고 -기도 하다)
• -는 길에on the way to / from (somewhere)
• -기 바라다hope that, wish that (formal)

Level 3 TOPIK II · intermediate · 60 patterns

• -아/어casual speech (반말): statement/question; -자 let's; -아/어라 do it
• -ㄴ/는다plain style (해라체): writing, diaries, news; to close juniors
• -구나Oh, so …! (casual exclamation on realizing something)
• -던that (someone) used to do / was doing (unfinished)
• -았/었던that (once) did / was — completed past, often no longer true
• -았/었었-had done / used to (past situation that is no longer true)
• -더라고요I saw/found that … (telling what one personally experienced)
• -(으)ㄹ 테니까since (I) will …; since it will probably … (+ request/advice)
• -(으)ㄴ/는 편이다tend to; be rather / on the … side
• -(으)ㄹ 수밖에 없다have no choice but to; can't help but be
• -아/어 가지고so, because; and then (with it) — casual -아/어서
• -았/었다가did … and then (undid it / something else happened)
• -(으)ㄹ까 봐(서)for fear that, worried that (something might happen)
• -지 않으면 안 되다must, have to (strong: it won't do if not)
• -기는 하다it is true that …, (but); do …, (but)
• -기는요Not at all; what do you mean … (modest or mild denial)
• -(으)ㄹ 만하다be worth doing; be OK / doable
• -도록so that, in order that; to the point that; until
• -도록 하다make sure to …; (I) will see to it; have someone do
• -기만 하다only do, do nothing but; be just (so)
• -(으)ㄹ수록the more …, the more …
• -자마자as soon as
• -는 바람에because (something unexpected happened) — negative result
• -(으)ㄹ 뿐만 아니라not only … but also
• -(으)ㄹ지도 모르다might, may (uncertain possibility)
• -나 보다it seems that, I guess (inference from what one sees)
• -아/어 오다/가다have been doing up to now (오다) / keep doing onward (가다)
• -게 하다make / let someone do; make something be
• -이/히/리/기-passive verbs: be seen, be caught, be opened, be held
• -이/히/리/기/우/구/추-causative verbs: feed, dress, make cry, wake (someone) up
• -느라(고)because (I was busy) doing …
• -아/어야only if, only when (necessary condition)
• -(으)ㄴ/는 척하다pretend to (do / be)
• -(으)ㄹ 뻔하다almost, nearly (did — but it didn't happen)
• -(으)ㄴ/는 덕분에thanks to (good result)
• -는 데in doing, for (doing) — with time, cost, use, help
• -(으)ㄴ/는 줄 알다/몰랐다thought (wrongly) that … / didn't know that …
• -(으)ㄹ걸요I guess …, probably … (soft guess, often against expectation)
• -(으)ㄹ 수도 있다could, might (one possibility)
• -ㄴ/는대요they say that … (contracted indirect speech)
• -ㄴ/는다고요I said …! / You mean …? (repeating or echoing what was said)
• -아/어 달라고 하다ask (someone) to do something for oneself (indirect request)
• N(이)라도at least N, N or something (not ideal, but acceptable)
• N에 대해(서)about, regarding N
• N에 따라(서)according to, depending on N
• N에 비해(서)compared to N
• -(으)ㄴ/는 김에while (doing it) anyway, since (one is) at it
• -(으)면서도even though, while (also) — contrast within one subject
• -고 말다end up doing (regret); will definitely do (determination)
• -는 대로as soon as; just as, in the way that
• -(으)ㄹ 겸also to …; for the dual purpose of …
• -(으)ㄴ 채(로)with (something) still in that state; as it is
• -(으)ㄹ 텐데would/should probably … (expectation, often with concern)
• -(으)ㄹ 정도로to the extent that, so … that
• -는 사이(에)while, in the (short) time that
• -(으)ㄹ 리가 없다there's no way that …; it can't be that …
• -(으)ㄴ/는데도even though, despite (a real fact)
• -(으)ㄴ/는 데다(가)on top of, in addition to (…, and also)
• -고 해서because … (among other reasons)
• -ㄴ/는다면서(요)I heard that …, right?; (while) saying that …

Level 4 TOPIK II · intermediate · 57 patterns

• -더니(I saw that) … and then / but now (observed change or result)
• -았/었더니I did … and then (I found / the result was) …
• -던데(요)I noticed that … (recalling my own experience, inviting a reaction)
• -더군요I found / noticed that … (recollected realization)
• -ㄴ/는다면if (hypothetical); -았/었다면: if … had (contrary to fact)
• -거든if, when (followed by a request, suggestion or intention)
• -다가는if you keep doing … (something bad will happen) — warning
• -(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ 만큼as much as, to the degree that; since (given that it is so)
• -(으)ㄴ/는 반면(에)whereas, while on the other hand (contrasting two facts)
• -(으)ㄴ/는 탓에because of, due to (blaming it for a bad result); N 탓에
• -(으)ㄴ/는 모양이다it appears that, it looks like (inference from evidence)
• -(으)ㄴ/는 듯하다seem, appear (softer, more written than -(으)ㄴ/는 것 같다)
• -듯(이)as if, like; just as
• -(으)ㄹ 게 뻔하다it's obvious that …, surely will (a predictable, usually bad result)
• -기 마련이다be bound to, it's natural that … (general truth)
• -(으)ㄹ 뿐이다only, merely; it's just that … (nothing more)
• -지 않을 수 없다cannot help but …, have no choice but to … (double negative)
• -(으)ㄴ/는 셈이다it amounts to …, it's practically (as good as) …
• -다 보면if you keep doing …, (eventually) …
• -다 보니(까)as (I) kept doing …, (I found that) …
• -고 보니(까)after doing …, (I realized / found that) …
• -아/어 봤자even if you do … (it's no use / it won't make much difference)
• -더라도even if, even though (hypothetical concession)
• -(으)므로because, since (formal / written)
• -(으)며and; while (written equivalent of -고 / -(으)면서)
• -길래since, because (I saw / heard that …) — reason for my action
• -아/어서 그런지maybe because …, perhaps it's because …
• -(으)ㄹ걸 그랬다I should have … (regret); -지 말걸: I shouldn't have …
• -았/었어야 했다should have done (but didn't); had to
• -지 그래요?why don't you …? (advice); -지 그랬어요?: you should have …
• -(으)ㄴ/는걸요actually …, you know (mild objection, surprise or excuse)
• -고말고요of course, certainly (strong agreement)
• -ㄴ/는다는(the N) that says …; (news, fact) that … (quoted modifier)
• -ㄴ/는다니(요)What, …?! (surprise or disbelief at what was said)
• -ㄴ/는다고 해도even if (we suppose / it is said that) …
• -ㄴ/는다고 해서just because … (doesn't mean …)
• -(으)ㄹ까 싶다I'm thinking of …; (worried) that … might
• -(으)려던 참이다was just about to …, was just going to …
• -(으)려다(가)was going to … but (changed plans / something happened)
• -(으)ㄹ 경우(에)in case of, if (a certain situation arises); N의 경우
• -(으)ㄴ 끝에after (a long effort or process), finally …; N 끝에
• -는 도중(에)in the middle of (doing), on the way
• -기보다(는)rather than …
• -기만 하면whenever …, every time; as long as (you just) …
• -고도even after doing, despite having done
• -아/어다(가)do … (to something in one place), then take/bring it elsewhere
• -아/어 내다manage to …, finally accomplish (through effort)
• -다(가) 말다stop (doing) halfway, start … but not finish
• -(으)ㄹ까 말까whether or not to … (hesitating)
• -(으)시지요please do …; why don't you / shall we … (polite, to a superior)
• N은/는 물론(이고)not to mention N, N of course (and also …)
• N에 의하면according to N (citing a source)
• N을/를 통해(서)through, via N (means, channel, experience)
• N(으)로 인해(서)due to, because of N (formal)
• N에도 불구하고despite N, in spite of N
• -ㄴ/는다니까(요)I told you …! (insisting, repeating what you said)
• N에 달려 있다depend on N, be up to N

Level 5 TOPIK II · advanced · 42 patterns

• -기에since, because (written / formal)
• -(으)니since, as (reason); when (I did …, I found)
• -(으)나but, however (written)
• -되(do) …, but (with the condition that …)
• -고자in order to, wishing to (formal); -고자 하다 'intend to'
• -게끔so that (emphatic form of -게)
• -다시피as (you know/see); (do) almost as if
• -자as soon as, when (… then); N이자 'N and also'
• -기(가) 무섭게no sooner than, the (very) moment
• -(으)ㄹ지라도even if, even though (strong concession)
• -(으)ㄹ뿐더러not only … but also
• -느니rather than (doing that, I'd …)
• -(으)ㄹ 바에(야)if (I) have to …, (I might as well / I'd rather …)
• -다 못해unable to keep …, finally; so … that it goes beyond
• -기는커녕far from …, let alone …
• -고서(야)after doing; (only) after doing (did …)
• -아/어서야only when/after …; (with a question) how could … if …
• -았/었더라면if (only) … had (counterfactual past)
• -(으)ㄴ/는 가운데amid, while, in the midst of (formal)
• -는 통에because of (noise, chaos, commotion)
• -(으)ㄴ/는 이상since, now that (it is a fact that) …
• -는 한as long as …; unless … (-지 않는 한)
• -(으)ㄴ/는 마당에at this point / in a situation where … (already)
• -(으)ㄴ 나머지so (much) … that (as a result of excess)
• -(으)ㄴ/는 바what, that which; as (formal, written)
• -는 둥 마는 둥barely, half-heartedly (doing)
• -(으)나 마나no point in doing; whether you do it or not (same result)
• -기 십상이다be likely to (with a bad result)
• -기 일쑤이다often (do something bad), habitually
• -기 나름이다depend on how one does it
• -는 법이다it is natural that …, … always (general truth)
• -(으)ㄹ 법하다it is likely, it makes sense that
• -는 수가 있다it can happen that, may (warning)
• -(으)ㄹ 지경이다to the point of, on the verge of (an extreme state)
• -(으)ㄹ 나위(가) 없다needless to …; couldn't be better
• -(으)ㄹ 따름이다only, merely; nothing but (formal)
• -(으)ㄹ 줄이야who would have thought …! (surprise at the unexpected)
• -ㄴ/는다는 것이(I) meant to …, but (by mistake) …
• -아/어 대다keep doing (excessively, annoyingly)
• -(으)십사 하다humbly ask that (someone superior) do …
• N을/를 비롯해(서)including, starting with N (and others)
• N에 불과하다be nothing but N, merely N

Level 6 TOPIK II · advanced · 26 patterns

• -(으)ㄹ진대since, given that … (archaic; leads to a conclusion)
• -다손 치더라도even supposing that …, (still)
• -노라면if one keeps doing … (then eventually) (literary)
• -노라(고)I (hereby) declare that …; saying that I … (literary)
• -거니와not only … but also; (as I said) …, and
• -(으)ㄹ세라lest, for fear that … (literary)
• -(으)ㄹ망정even if …, (I won't …); … though it may be
• -(으)ㄴ들even if … (it would make no difference) (rhetorical)
• -(으)ㄹ지언정even if …, (never …); rather … than …
• -기로서니granted that …, (still, how can …?) (reproach)
• -건대as I (see / think / hear / hope) …
• -(으)ㄹ라치면whenever one is about to …, (something happens)
• -건만although …, (yet) (literary; expectation not met)
• -거늘since …, (how much more); … and yet (archaic)
• -(으)련만would …, but (it isn't/wasn't so) (literary)
• -(으)ㄴ즉(슨)when/since (I) did …; as for N (archaic)
• -기에 망정이지luckily …, otherwise (something bad would have happened)
• -는지라since, as (naturally) (literary)
• -기 그지없다extremely …, beyond words
• -기 짝이 없다extremely …, incomparably … (often negative)
• -(으)ㄴ/는 양as if …, pretending to … (literary)
• -(으)리라will surely …; I shall … (literary)
• -(으)ㄹ쏘냐how could … ? (of course not!) (archaic, rhetorical)
• -(으)소서please … (prayer, supplication; highest respect)
• -는 족족every time … (each one), as soon as …
• N을/를 막론하고regardless of N, no matter N