Korean grammar

Every grammar guide of Lingora’s Korean A1 course, with examples you can listen to.

01Verbs: Past TenseTo change a verb into the past tense, you must add a suffix to the verb stem. The verb stem is what remains after removing 다 (da) from the dictionary…
02Politely Referring to a PersonIn Korean, referring to people requires careful word choice based on social status and familiarity. You cannot simply use neutral words like "person" or…
03He and She with '그' & '그녀'Direct translations of the English pronouns he and she exist in Korean, but they function differently than in English. The words 그 (gŭ) - he and 그녀…
04Connective Forms of Verbs & AdjectivesTo conjugate Korean verbs and adjectives into complex tenses or to connect them with auxiliary verbs, you must often use the "connective form." This form…
05Connective Suffix '서'The suffix -서 (sŏ) connects two verb or adjective clauses. It attaches to the verb stem following the same vowel harmony rules used for the polite…
06Indicating a Reason with '서'The ending 서 (sŏ) is attached to verb or adjective stems to connect two clauses. It indicates that the first clause is the cause or reason for the second…
07Expressing 'also' with '도'The particle 도 (do) corresponds to the English words also, too, or as well. It is attached directly to the end of the noun it modifies to indicate that…
08Casual Politeness LevelCasual speech, often referred to as 반말 (ban·mal), indicates a high level of intimacy or a downward social hierarchy. It is strictly used with close…
09Verbs: Continuous StateTo express that an action is currently happening or that a state is being maintained, Korean uses the pattern Verb Stem + -고 있다 (-go iss·da). This is…
10Verbs: Continuous ActionTo express that someone is "in the middle of" doing something, Korean uses the pattern -는 중이다 (-nŭn jung·i·da). This structure combines the verb stem,…
11Softening a Statement with '보다'The verb 보다 (po·da) literally means to see. However, when it is attached to another verb using the connector -아 (-a) or -어 (-ŏ), it acts as an auxiliary…
12Making a Suggestion with '자'The ending -자 (-ja) is attached to verb stems to propose doing an activity together with the listener. It corresponds directly to the English phrase…
13Verbs: Normal PolitenessThe polite speech level, often called the "Yo" style because sentences end in 요 (yo), is the most useful speech level for learners. It is polite enough…
14Adjectives: Normal PolitenessThe polite speech level, often called the "해요체 (hæ·yo·chʰe)" style, is the standard form of communication in South Korea for most daily interactions. It…
15Expressing 'to be' with '이다'The verb 이다 (i·da) functions as the Korean equivalent of the English "to be" (am, are, is), but it is used specifically for identification and equation…
16Emphasis with '네'The ending 네요 (ne·yo) is a verb ending used to express immediate realization, surprise, or admiration. It indicates that the speaker has just perceived…
17Casual Questions with '니'The ending 니 (ni) is a casual interrogation suffix used to ask questions. It is attached directly to the verb or adjective stem. While standard casual…
18Negating a StatementIn Korean, there are two primary ways to negate a verb or adjective: a short form using 안 (an) and a long form using -지 않다 (-ji an·tʰa). While they…
19Usage of '것'The word 것 (kŏt) is a dependent noun that literally translates to thing, object, or fact. Because it is a dependent noun, it cannot be used alone; it…
20Emphasized Negation with '지는'The standard long negation pattern -지 않다 (-ji an·tʰa) can be modified by adding the topic marker 는 (nŭn) after 지 (ji). This creates the form -지는 않다…
21ClassifiersWhen counting nouns in Korean, you cannot simply use a number directly with a noun (like "three apples"). Instead, you must use a "classifier" or…
22Nouns: Genitive Case Marker '의'The particle 의 (ŭi) functions as a possession marker, linking two nouns to indicate ownership, origin, or a specific relationship. It is attached to the…
23Topic Marker '는/은'The topic markers 은 (ŭn) and 는 (nŭn) are particles attached to a noun to indicate what the sentence is talking about. They mark the "topic" of the…
24Nouns: Subject Case Marker '가/이'The subject marking particles 이 (i) and 가 (ga) are attached to the end of a noun to indicate that it is the grammatical subject of the sentence. In…
25Nouns: Complement Marker '가/이'The particles 이 (i) and 가 (ga) are primarily known as subject markers, but they play a specific role as complement markers in certain sentence…
26Expressing 'with' with '랑'The particle 랑 (rang) and its variant 이랑 (i·rang) are attached to nouns to connect them or to indicate accompaniment. In English, this covers the…
27Retrospective Modifier '던'The suffix 던 (dŏn) is a retrospective modifier. It attaches to the stem of a verb or adjective to modify the noun that follows it. While it translates to…
28Providing Context with '는데'The suffix 는데 (nŭn·de) (and its variations 은데/ㄴ데 (ŭn·de/n·de)) is one of the most common and versatile connective endings in Korean. It connects two…
29Nouns: Accusative Case Marker '를/을'The object marking particles 을 (ŭl) and 를 (rŭl) indicate the direct object of a sentence. The direct object is the noun that receives the action of the…
30Verbs: Formal PolitenessThe formal polite speech level, often called the 하십시오체 (ha·ship·shi·o·chʰe) style, is the highest standard level of politeness in Korean. It creates a…
31Honorific Speech in KoreanKorean honorifics are a system used to show respect towards the person you are talking about (the subject) or the person you are talking to (the…
32Purpose for Coming or Going with '러'To express the purpose of movement—specifically "going" or "coming" somewhere to do something—Korean uses the suffix (으)러 ((ŭ)·rŏ). This pattern connects…
33Adjectives: Attributive FormIn Korean, adjectives function very similarly to verbs. They are often called "descriptive verbs." When an adjective appears at the end of a sentence, it…
34Korean NumeralsKorean utilizes two distinct number systems: the Native Korean system and the Sino-Korean system (derived from Chinese characters). The two systems are…
35Expressing 'only' with '만'The particle 만 (man) functions like the English word only. It is a suffix attached directly to the end of a noun, pronoun, or number to indicate…
36Expressing Purpose with '려고'To express intention or purpose in Korean, use the ending -(으)려고 (-(ŭ)ryŏ·go). This structure connects two actions: the first part describes the goal…
37Nouns: Instrumental Case Marker '로'The particle 로 (ro) or 으로 (ŭ·ro) is a versatile suffix attached to nouns. It primarily indicates the method, tool, or means used to perform an action. It…
38Softening a Question with '되다'In Korean culture, asking direct questions about personal information using "What is...?" can sometimes sound blunt or interrogative. To sound polite and…
39Questions with '나'The ending 나 (na) is a question ending used in spoken Korean. It functions similarly to the standard question endings, but it carries a specific nuance…
40Giving Additional Information with '고'The particle 고 (go) is a connective ending used to link two or more verbs or adjectives together. It functions similarly to the English word and. It…
41Nouns: Case Marker '에서'The particle 에서 (e·sŏ) attaches to nouns indicating a place. It serves two primary functions: marking the location where an action takes place, or…
42Existance with '있다' and '없다'The verbs 있다 (it·da) and 없다 (ŏp·ta) are two of the most fundamental words in Korean. They function as opposites and cover two distinct concepts that are…
43Nouns: Case Marker '에'The particle 에 (e) is a versatile suffix attached to nouns. It primarily functions to indicate direction, static location, or time. Depending on the…
44Expressing 'and' with '과/와'The particles 와 (wa) and 과 (gwa) are two-sided connectors used to link nouns together. They correspond to the English words and or with, depending on the…
45Expressing Change of State with '지다'To describe a change in condition or state, the auxiliary verb 지다 (ji·da) is attached to an adjective. This construction changes the meaning of a…
46Indirect Questions with '는지'The ending 는지 (nŭn·ji) is used to connect a question clause to a main verb. It functions like the English "whether" or "if," or connects question words…
47Location Particle '데'The word 데 (de) is a "bound noun," which means it functions as a noun but cannot stand alone in a sentence. It primarily means "place," "spot," or…
48'to seem' and 'be seen' with '보이다'The verb 보이다 (po·i·da) is the passive and causative form of the verb 보다 (po·da) - to see. While 보다 (po·da) is an active action performed by a subject (I…
49Nouns: PluralUnlike English, where most nouns must change form to indicate whether they are singular or plural (e.g., "apple" vs. "apples"), Korean nouns are…
50Forbidding with '지 말다'To create a negative command or prohibition (telling someone not to do something), Korean uses the pattern -지 말다 (-ji mal·da). This structure is formed…
51Expressing a Desire with '고 싶다'To express a desire to perform an action, attach the ending 고 싶다 (go sip·da) to the stem of a verb. This pattern corresponds to the English phrase "want…
52Expressing a Desire with '래'The ending -(으)ㄹ래 (-(ŭ)l·læ) is a verb suffix used in spoken Korean to express an immediate intention, a choice, or to ask for the listener's preference.…
53Expressing a Suggestion with '래'The verb ending -(으)ㄹ래 (-(ŭ)l·læ) is a versatile grammar structure used to express intention or to ask for someone's opinion regarding a choice. It…
54Verbs: Passive VoiceIn the passive voice, the subject of the sentence is the one receiving the action, rather than the one performing it. While English uses the auxiliary…
55Expressing 'have to'To express obligation—meaning "must", "have to", or "need to"—Korean uses a specific sentence structure. You must attach the particle 야 (ya) to the…
56Expressing 'need to'To express obligation, necessity, or duty ("have to", "must", "need to"), Korean uses a grammatical structure combining a conjugated verb stem with the…
57Expressing 'should be' with '야지'The ending 야지 (ya·ji) attaches to verb stems to express necessity, obligation, or determination. It carries the meaning of "have to," "should," or "ought…
58Expressing Uncertainty with '것 같다'The phrase 것 같다 (gŏt gat·da) is one of the most common ways to express opinions, assumptions, or uncertainty in Korean. While it literally translates to…
59Questions with 'ㄴ가'The ending -(으)ㄴ가 (-(ŭ)n·ga) is a question form attached to the stems of adjectives (descriptive verbs) and the copula 이다 (i·da) - to be. It serves two…
60Nouns: Dative Case MarkersTo indicate who is the recipient or target of an action (the person you are giving something to, talking to, or visiting), Korean uses specific dative…
61Personal PronounsUnlike English, where pronouns like "I," "you," and "he" are essential for a complete sentence, Korean frequently omits them. If the subject of the…
62Polite Suffix '요'The suffix 요 (yo) indicates the polite informal speech level in Korean. This is the most versatile and widely used speech style in daily life. It is…
63Questions with 'ㄹ까'The ending -(으)ㄹ까 (-(ŭ)l·gga) is a versatile question form used to express suggestions, offers, or uncertainty. It attaches directly to the verb or…
64Expressing Ability with 'ㄹ 수 있다'To express ability ("can") or inability ("cannot") in Korean, you use the pattern -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 (-(ŭ)l su it·da) or -(으)ㄹ 수 없다 (-(ŭ)l su ŏp·da). This…
65Expressing Speculation and Politeness with '겠'The suffix 겠 (get) is a versatile grammatical element inserted between a verb stem and the sentence ending. It does not change form based on the…
66Verbs: Neutral PolitenessThe "Plain Form" (often called the Neutral Form) is a speech level used to make objective statements. Its politeness level depends entirely on the medium…
67Emphasis with '걸'The ending 걸 (kŏl) is a contraction of the bound noun 것 (kŏt), meaning "thing" or "fact," and the object particle 을 (ŭl). When attached to a verb stem…
68Verbs: Future TenseThe future tense in Korean is primarily formed using the suffix -(으)ㄹ (-(ŭ)l). This suffix acts as a future marker or participle. Depending on the ending…
69Honorific Case MarkersTo show respect to people of higher social status, such as elders, teachers, parents, or bosses, standard case markers are replaced with honorific…
70Emphasis with '구나'The suffix 구나 (gu·na) is an exclamatory ending used to express sudden realization, surprise, or discovery. It corresponds to English expressions like "I…
71Quotation SuffixesQuotation suffixes allow you to report what someone said, asked, thought, or suggested. In Korean, the grammatical structure changes depending on whether…
72Polite Emphasis with '죠'The ending 죠 (jyo) is a common contraction of 지요 (ji·yo). It is a versatile polite suffix used to seek agreement, confirm facts, or soften a statement.…
73Verbs: Honorific ImperativesThe ending -(으)십시오 (-(ŭ)·sip·si·o) is the most formal way to give a command, make a request, or give instructions. It corresponds to the formal polite…
74Verbal Nouns with '기'To turn a verb or adjective into a noun, you attach 기 (gi) to the verb stem. This functions similarly to the English gerund ending "-ing" (e.g.,…
75Making Adverbs with '게'To say how something is done, Korean turns an adjective into an adverb by attaching 게 (ke) to its stem. It does the job of English "-ly": quick →…
76Giving and Receiving with '주다' & '드리다'In Korean, the verb "to give" changes depending on the social status of the giver and the receiver. The two primary verbs are 주다 (ju·da) and 드리다…
77ParticiplesParticiples are verb endings that allow a verb to describe a noun, similar to an adjective. This creates a descriptive phrase that in English often uses…
78Expressing 'should' with '-야겠다'The structure -야겠다 (-ya·get·da) combines the obligation particle 야 (ya) with the suffix 겠 (get) to express a personal conclusion that something should or…