Korean Vocabulary Guide
Essential Korean Words for Beginners: 60 Core Words from Real Articles
Date: October 23, 2026
Introduction
What are the first Korean words you should learn? These 60. Every word on this list is one you will actually meet in the beginner reading lessons on Learn Korean Today — real Korean articles, graded for learners. That is deliberate: instead of a textbook list you might never see again, this is the vocabulary of real Korean writing, starting with the words a beginner meets first.
Each word comes with its romanization, its meaning, and a real example sentence from a lesson on this site. The words are grouped by theme — people, places, things, actions, describing words, and time & entertainment — so you can learn them in sets of ten.
New to Korean? Learn the words in Part 1 first, then read a beginner lesson and watch for them. Studying for TOPIK 1? Pair this list with our TOPIK 1 grammar guide — words plus the patterns that hold them together.
Each word comes with its romanization, its meaning, and a real example sentence from a lesson on this site. The words are grouped by theme — people, places, things, actions, describing words, and time & entertainment — so you can learn them in sets of ten.
New to Korean? Learn the words in Part 1 first, then read a beginner lesson and watch for them. Studying for TOPIK 1? Pair this list with our TOPIK 1 grammar guide — words plus the patterns that hold them together.
Part 1. People
The people you talk about — and talk to — every day.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 친구 chingu | friend | 친구에게 인사해요.I greet my friend. |
| 가족 gajok | family | 가족이 함께 있어요.The family is together. |
| 학생 haksaeng | student | 학생들이 공부해요.Students study. |
| 아내 anae | wife | 아내는 착해요.My wife is kind. |
| 아버지 abeoji | father | 아버지는 착한 사람입니다.My father is a good person. |
| 할머니 halmeoni | grandmother | 할머니가 있어요.There is a grandmother. |
| 가수 gasu | singer | 그는 가수예요.He is a singer. |
| 의사 uisa | doctor | 의사는 병원에서 일해요.The doctor works at a hospital. |
| 손님 sonnim | customer | 손님들이 많이 기다리고 있어요.Many customers are waiting. |
| 이름 ireum | name | 같은 이름이에요.They have the same name. |
Part 2. Places & Travel
Where daily life happens, and how you get there.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 집 jip | house; home | 미국에 집이 있어요.There is a house in the USA. |
| 학교 hakgyo | school | 배재 고등학교는 유명해요.Baejae High School is famous. |
| 회사 hoesa | company | 한국 회사가 커요.Korean companies are big. |
| 가게 gage | store; shop | 편의점 가게예요.It's a convenience store. |
| 시장 sijang | market | 서문시장에 많은 상인들이 있어요.There are many merchants at Seomun Market. |
| 은행 eunhaeng | bank | 은행에 돈이 있어요.There is money in the bank. |
| 지하철 jihacheol | subway | 지하철 방송을 했어요.She did subway announcements. |
| 버스 beoseu | bus | 버스를 타요.I take the bus. |
| 아파트 apateu | apartment | 아파트가 비싸요.The apartment is expensive. |
| 여행 yeohaeng | trip | 한국 여행을 가요.I go on a trip to Korea. |
Part 3. Everyday Things
Objects and essentials — including what comes on the table.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 돈 don | money | 돈을 벌어요.I earn money. |
| 가방 gabang | bag | 좋은 가방을 가져요.I have a nice bag. |
| 의자 uija | chair | 의자에 앉아서 운동할 수 있어요.You can exercise while sitting in a chair. |
| 사진 sajin | photograph | 옛날 사진을 봤어요.I saw an old photograph. |
| 편지 pyeonji | letter | 주인이 편지를 썼어요.The owner wrote a letter. |
| 카드 kadeu | card | 회사 카드로 밥을 먹었어요.I ate with the company card. |
| 음식 eumsik | food | 한국 음식이 맛있어요.Korean food is delicious. |
| 국수 guksu | noodles | 국수는 맛있어요.Noodles are delicious. |
| 라면 ramyeon | instant noodles | 라면을 먹어요.I eat ramyeon. |
| 요리 yori | cooking; dish | 새로운 요리를 배워요.I learn a new dish. |
Part 4. Everyday Actions
The verbs of an ordinary day, in their dictionary form.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 가다 gada | to go | 결혼식에 가지 않을 거예요.I won't go to the wedding. |
| 살다 salda | to live | 저는 서울에 살아요.I live in Seoul. |
| 걷다 geotda | to walk | 20분을 걸어요.I walk for 20 minutes. |
| 일하다 ilhada | to work | 한국에서 일해요.I work in Korea. |
| 배우다 baeuda | to learn | 피아노를 배우고 있어요.I am learning piano. |
| 만들다 mandeulda | to make | 맛있는 음식을 만들어요.Make delicious food. |
| 좋아하다 joahada | to like | 한국을 좋아해요.I like Korea. |
| 사용하다 sayonghada | to use | 카드를 사용했어요.I used the card. |
| 도와주다 dowajuda | to help | 트럭이 가족을 도와줬어요.The truck helped the family. |
| 결혼하다 gyeolhonhada | to marry | 그들은 2005년에 결혼했다.They married in 2005. |
Part 5. Describing Words
How Korean describes size, distance, difficulty and mood.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 많다 manta | many; a lot | 가게가 많아요.There are many stores. |
| 다르다 dareuda | different | 다른 인사가 있어요.There is a different greeting. |
| 멀다 meolda | to be far | 슈퍼마켓이 멀어요.The supermarket is far. |
| 어렵다 eoryeopda | to be difficult | 장을 보기가 어려워요.It is difficult to shop for groceries. |
| 쉽다 swipda | easy | 어릴 때가 더 쉬워요.It was easier when I was younger. |
| 빠르다 ppareuda | fast; rapid | 변화가 빨라요.The change is rapid. |
| 기쁘다 gippeuda | to be happy, joyful | 아이가 기뻐요.The child is happy. |
| 높다 nopda | to be tall, high | 탑이 높아요.The tower is tall. |
| 착하다 chakhada | to be good; to be virtuous | 착한 사람이 되고 싶어요.I want to be a good person. |
| 친절하다 chinjeolhada | to be kind | 흥부는 친절해요.Heungbu is kind. |
Part 6. Time & Entertainment
Words for when things happen — and what Korea watches and listens to.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 시간 sigan | hour; time | 1시간에 한 번 와요.It comes once per hour. |
| 요즘 yojeum | nowadays; recently | 요즘 변화가 많아요.There are many changes recently. |
| 매일 maeil | every day | 매일 써요.I use it every day. |
| 옛날 yennal | long ago | 옛날 옛날에 형제가 살았어요.Long ago, two brothers lived. |
| 미래 mirae | future | 미래가 좋아요.The future is good. |
| 영화 yeonghwa | film; movie | 이 영화는 재미있어요.This film is fun. |
| 드라마 deurama | television drama | 2003년 드라마 '노란손수건'에서 만났다.They met in the 2003 drama "Yellow Handkerchief." |
| 방송 bangsong | broadcast, TV show | 방송이 재미있어요.The broadcast is fun. |
| 노래 norae | song | 새로운 노래를 배웠어요.I learned a new song. |
| 온라인 ollain | online | 온라인에서 봤어요.I saw it online. |
How to Study These 60 Words
1. Go one part at a time. Ten words is a good day's work — say each word out loud with its example sentence.
2. Meet the words in the wild. After a part, read a beginner reading lesson and hunt for the words you just learned. They are there — this list was built from those lessons.
3. Review with flashcards. Every lesson's words are collected in our flashcard decks with audio and spaced repetition.
4. Learn the grammar that carries them. Words alone do not make sentences — the TOPIK 1 grammar guide covers the 46 patterns these words live in.
2. Meet the words in the wild. After a part, read a beginner reading lesson and hunt for the words you just learned. They are there — this list was built from those lessons.
3. Review with flashcards. Every lesson's words are collected in our flashcard decks with audio and spaced repetition.
4. Learn the grammar that carries them. Words alone do not make sentences — the TOPIK 1 grammar guide covers the 46 patterns these words live in.
What to Learn Next
Finished the 60? The natural next steps: the complete TOPIK 1 grammar guide, our free printable Hangul worksheets if your reading still feels slow, and the beginner lessons themselves — new ones are added every week.
All 60 words above are drawn from the vocabulary of the beginner lessons on Learn Korean Today, with example sentences taken from those lessons.
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