Korean Grammar Guide
TOPIK 1 Grammar: The Complete Guide to All 46 Patterns
Date: October 19, 2026
Introduction
TOPIK 1 is the beginner level of the TOPIK (Test of Proficiency in Korean) exam, and its grammar list is the foundation of everyday Korean. If you can use these 46 patterns, you can introduce yourself, talk about your day, make plans, and hold a simple conversation.
This guide lists all 46 TOPIK 1 grammar patterns taught on Learn Korean Today, grouped by function in the order we recommend learning them. Every pattern links to its own lesson with a full explanation and real example sentences taken from Korean news articles, so you can see how native speakers actually use it.
New to Korean grammar? Start with the particles in Part 1 and work your way down. Studying for the TOPIK 1 exam? Use the parts as a checklist and mark off each pattern as you master it.
This guide lists all 46 TOPIK 1 grammar patterns taught on Learn Korean Today, grouped by function in the order we recommend learning them. Every pattern links to its own lesson with a full explanation and real example sentences taken from Korean news articles, so you can see how native speakers actually use it.
New to Korean grammar? Start with the particles in Part 1 and work your way down. Studying for the TOPIK 1 exam? Use the parts as a checklist and mark off each pattern as you master it.
Part 1. Particles — the Building Blocks
Particles are small words attached to nouns that show each noun's role in the sentence. Korean word order is flexible because particles do the organizing, so these come first.
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 이/가 | subject particle | 비가 와요.It's raining. |
| 은/는 | topic particle | 저는 학생이에요.I'm a student. |
| 을/를 | object particle | 물을 마셔요.I drink water. |
| 의 | possessive ('s) | 친구의 책a friend's book |
| 에 | to / at (place, time) | 학교에 가요.I go to school. |
| 에서 | at / from (place of action) | 집에서 공부해요.I study at home. |
| (으)로 | by means of / toward | 버스로 가요.I go by bus. |
| 에게 | to (a person) | 선생님에게 물어봐요.I ask the teacher. |
| 한테 | to (a person, spoken) | 친구한테 말해요.I tell my friend. |
| 와/과 | and (nouns) | 사과와 바나나apples and bananas |
| (이)랑 | and / with (casual) | 친구랑 놀아요.I hang out with my friend. |
| 하고 | and / with | 동생하고 살아요.I live with my younger sibling. |
| (이)랑 (같이) | together with | 가족이랑 같이 여행해요.I travel together with my family. |
| 도 | also, too | 저도 가요.I'm going too. |
| 만 | only | 물만 마셔요.I only drink water. |
| 부터 | from (starting point) | 오늘부터 시작해요.It starts from today. |
| 까지 | until / as far as | 서울까지 가요.I go as far as Seoul. |
| 부터 ~ 까지 | from ~ to ~ | 9시부터 5시까지 일해요.I work from 9 to 5. |
| 에서 ~ 까지 | from (place) ~ to (place) | 집에서 학교까지 멀어요.It's far from home to school. |
Part 2. Sentence Endings — How Polite, How Finished
Korean sentences change their ending depending on who you are talking to. These six endings cover formal speech, everyday polite speech, suggestions, and requests.
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -ㅂ/습니다 | formal polite statement | 매일 운동합니다.I exercise every day. |
| -ㅂ/습니까? | formal polite question | 어디에 갑니까?Where are you going? |
| -아/어요 | informal polite ending | 지금 가요.I'm going now. |
| -(으)세요 | please (polite request) | 앉으세요.Please sit down. |
| -(으)ㅂ시다 | let's | 같이 갑시다.Let's go together. |
| -(으)ㄹ까요? | shall we / should I? | 창문을 열까요?Shall I open the window? |
Part 3. Negation — Saying "Not" and "Cannot"
Korean has several ways to say no, and they are not interchangeable. This part is small, but examiners love it.
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -지 않다 | not (does not) | 오늘은 춥지 않아요.It's not cold today. |
| -지 못하다 | cannot (unable to) | 수영하지 못해요.I can't swim. |
| 이/가 아니다 | is not | 이것은 제 가방이 아니에요.This is not my bag. |
| -(으)ㄹ 수 없다 | cannot | 오늘은 갈 수 없어요.I can't go today. |
| -지 말다 | do not (prohibition) | 늦지 마세요.Please don't be late. |
Part 4. Ability, Desire, and Obligation
These four patterns let you talk about what you can do, want to do, and have to do — the core of everyday planning conversations.
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 | can / be able to | 한국어를 할 수 있어요.I can speak Korean. |
| -고 싶다 | want to | 한국에 가고 싶어요.I want to go to Korea. |
| -아/어/여야 하다 | have to / must | 내일까지 끝내야 해요.I have to finish by tomorrow. |
| -아/어/여야 되다 | have to / must | 약속을 지켜야 돼요.You have to keep a promise. |
Part 5. Connecting Ideas — Longer Sentences
Once you know the basics, these patterns join clauses together so you can say when, if, before, after, and in order to.
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -고 있다 | be ~ing (in progress) | 지금 공부하고 있어요.I'm studying now. |
| -고 | and (then) | 밥을 먹고 잤어요.I ate and then slept. |
| -(으)면 | if / when | 시간이 있으면 전화하세요.If you have time, please call. |
| -(으)ㄹ 때 | when | 집에 갈 때 전화해요.I call when I go home. |
| -기 전에 | before | 자기 전에 이를 닦아요.I brush my teeth before sleeping. |
| -(으)ㄴ 후에 | after | 수업 후에 만나요.Let's meet after class. |
| -(으)러 가다 | go in order to | 책을 사러 가요.I'm going to buy a book. |
| -(으)러 오다 | come in order to | 한국어를 배우러 왔어요.I came to learn Korean. |
| -아/어/여 주다 | do (for someone) | 친구가 도와줘요.My friend helps me. |
Part 6. Comparison and Quantity
Three patterns for comparing things and talking about regular routines.
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 보다 | more than | 오늘은 어제보다 더워요.Today is hotter than yesterday. |
| 처럼 | like / similar to | 가수처럼 노래해요.She sings like a singer. |
| 마다 | every / each | 주말마다 등산해요.I hike every weekend. |
Common Confusions at TOPIK 1
은/는 vs 이/가
Both mark the subject, but 은/는 presents the topic ("as for…") while 이/가 identifies or introduces the subject. When you introduce something new, 이/가 is usually the safe choice: 고양이가 있어요 ("There is a cat"). When you then talk about it, switch to 은/는: 고양이는 귀여워요 ("The cat is cute").
에 vs 에서
Use 에 for a destination, a point in time, or where something exists. Use 에서 for the place where an action happens, or the starting point of movement. Compare: 학교에 있어요 ("I am at school") with 학교에서 공부해요 ("I study at school").
에게 vs 한테
Same meaning ("to a person"). 한테 is more common in casual speech; 에게 sounds more written and formal.
-지 않다 vs -지 못하다
-지 않다 means you do not do something (choice or fact). -지 못하다 means you cannot do it (ability or circumstance). 저는 술을 마시지 않아요 = "I don't drink." 저는 수영하지 못해요 = "I can't swim."
How to Study These 46 Patterns
1. Go in order. Particles first — every Korean sentence needs them. Endings next, so you can finish sentences politely.
2. Learn one pattern, then meet it in the wild. Each lesson on this site ends with example sentences from real Korean articles. After studying a pattern, read a beginner reading lesson and hunt for it.
3. Review with flashcards. The words in each reading lesson are collected in our flashcard decks with native audio and spaced repetition.
4. Use the example counts as a map. The patterns with the most examples on this site — like -고 있다 with 51 — are the ones real Korean uses most. If you are short on time, start there.
2. Learn one pattern, then meet it in the wild. Each lesson on this site ends with example sentences from real Korean articles. After studying a pattern, read a beginner reading lesson and hunt for it.
3. Review with flashcards. The words in each reading lesson are collected in our flashcard decks with native audio and spaced repetition.
4. Use the example counts as a map. The patterns with the most examples on this site — like -고 있다 with 51 — are the ones real Korean uses most. If you are short on time, start there.
What to Learn Next
Finished the list? Move on to TOPIK 2 Grammar (38 patterns), or browse the full grammar library by TOPIK level. And if you want to see TOPIK 1 grammar in action, our beginner reading lessons use exactly these patterns.
All 46 patterns above are from the TOPIK 1 grammar list on Learn Korean Today. Each linked lesson includes a full explanation and example sentences from real Korean articles.
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