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The learning path

All 164 grammar topics in the order in which they support one another — numbered from 1 to 164.

The level is the crossbar, not the queue. Within a level several strands run side by side: someone working on the present tense can learn the articles alongside it, without either having to wait for the other. The waiting happens between levels — skip one and you are working on something that is missing three prerequisites.

The number is calculated, not assigned: level, then strand, then area. It changes when a topic is added, and that is as it should be — a fixed number would only be right until somebody writes something new.

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1 Hangul and the sound rules, particles, the polite -yo form.

Steps 1 to 36 of 164

Hangul, sounds and the basic sentence11

  1. 1The letters and the syllable blockFourteen consonants and ten vowels, stacked into one square block per syllable.
  2. 2Plain, aspirated, tense: 가, 카, 까Korean sorts its consonants by breath and tension, not by voice — and builds new vowels by joining two.
  3. 3Final consonants: seven sounds at the end of a blockMany letters can close a syllable, but only seven sounds are said there.
  4. 4Linking: 먹어요 sounds like 머거요A final consonant before a vowel is said at the start of the next syllable — and ㅎ there falls silent.
  5. 5The verb comes lastKorean puts the verb at the end and everything else in front of it, with particles saying who does what.
  6. 6A is B: 이에요/예요A noun plus 이에요 after a consonant or 예요 after a vowel says what something is.
  7. 7A is not B: 아니에요“Is not” has a word of its own, 아니에요, with 이 or 가 on the noun before it.
  8. 8There is, I have: 있어요/없어요One verb says “there is”, “is somewhere” and “I have”; its opposite is 없어요.
  9. 9Yes–no questions and answering 네/아니요A polite question is the statement with a rising voice, and 네 means “that’s right” — even after a negative question.
  10. 10Question words: 뭐, 누구, 어디 …A question word stands where the answer will stand, and takes particles like any noun.
  11. 11This, that, that over there: 이/그/저Three words where English has two: near me, near you or already known, and over there.

Particles, numbers and counters13

  1. 12The topic particle 은/는은/는 marks what the sentence is about — "as for …" — and often sets it against something else.
  2. 13The subject particle 이/가이/가 marks the subject — who or what does something, or is somewhere — and puts the weight on it.
  3. 14The object particle 을/를을/를 marks the thing an action is done to — what you eat, read, buy or watch.
  4. 15에: to a place, at a place, at a time에 marks where something goes or is, and when something happens.
  5. 16에서: where something happens, and "from"에서 marks the place where an action happens and the place a movement starts from.
  6. 17Also and too: the particle 도도 means "also" or "too", and it takes the place of 은/는, 이/가 and 을/를.
  7. 18And between nouns: 와/과, 하고, (이)랑Three ways to say "and" or "with" between nouns — one meaning, three registers.
  8. 19From and until: 부터 and 까지부터 marks when something starts and 까지 where or when it ends; a starting place takes 에서.
  9. 20Sino-Korean numbers: 일, 이, 삼The regular set of numbers, used for dates, money, minutes, floors, phone numbers and anything above about a hundred.
  10. 21Native Korean numbers: 하나, 둘, 셋The older Korean set, used for counting things and people, for hours and for age — and four of them change shape before a counter.
  11. 22Counters: 개, 명, 마리 and the restKorean rarely puts a number straight before a noun: it counts with a counter word, and the counter decides which set of numbers to use.
  12. 23Telling the time: 세 시 이십 분Hours are counted with native numbers, minutes with Sino-Korean ones — in the same breath.
  13. 24Dates: months, days and weekdaysYear, month, day, from large to small, all with Sino-Korean numbers — and two months that change their spelling.

The verb and its endings10

  1. 25The stem and 다: how a verb is cutEvery verb is listed with 다 at the end; take it off, and what is left is the stem that all endings attach to.
  2. 26The polite present -아요/어요One ending for statements, questions and suggestions — and the last vowel of the stem decides whether it is 아요 or 어요.
  3. 27Requests: -(으)세요 and -아/어 주세요-(으)세요 invites someone to do something, -아/어 주세요 asks them to do it for you, and -(으)십시오 is the formal version of signs and announcements.
  4. 28The past tense -았/었-One syllable between the stem and the ending makes any verb or adjective past: 가요 becomes 갔어요.
  5. 29The future with -(으)ㄹ 거예요The verb is turned into a modifier before 거 (thing) and the copula: 갈 거예요, "I will go" or "I am going to go".
  6. 30Not: 안 before the verb안 goes directly before the verb or adjective: 안 가요, "I don't go" or "I'm not going".
  7. 31Cannot: 못 before the verb못 before a verb says that something cannot be done, however much you want: 못 가요, "I can't go".
  8. 32Verbs that are negative already: 없다, 모르다, 아니다Three common verbs have their own negative partner, and Korean uses it instead of 안: 없어요, not 안 있어요.
  9. 33The vowel 으 drops: 쓰다 → 써요A stem ending in the vowel 으 loses it before -아요/어요: 쓰다 becomes 써요, 바쁘다 becomes 바빠요.
  10. 34Want to: -고 싶다Add -고 싶어요 to a verb stem to say what you want to do.

Clauses and how they join2

  1. 35And, and then: -고-고 joins two clauses as "and" or "and then", and it goes onto the stem without any change.
  2. 36But: -지만-지만 joins two clauses that pull in different directions, like "but" or "although".

2 Tenses, the first connectives, the formal form.

Steps 37 to 88 of 164

Hangul, sounds and the basic sentence4

  1. 37Nasalisation and ㄹ: 국물 sounds like 궁물k, t and p before n or m become ng, n and m; ㄹ turns into n after m and ng, and n next to l becomes l.
  2. 38Aspiration and palatalisation: 축하 and 같이ㅎ melts into a neighbouring k, t, p or j, and a final t before i turns into ch or j.
  3. 39Leaving out what is knownKorean drops whatever the listener already knows — and avoids the word “you” almost entirely.
  4. 40Adjectives are verbs: 날씨가 좋아요A Korean adjective means “to be X” and conjugates like a verb, with no word for “be”.

Particles, numbers and counters9

  1. 41은/는 or 이/가: choosing between topic and subject이/가 brings in something new or answers "who?" and "what?"; 은/는 talks about something already known or sets it against something else.
  2. 42The possessive 의 and its contractions의 links two nouns like "of" or "'s" — and in speech it is usually contracted or left out.
  3. 43Only: the particle 만만 means "only" or "just" and sits on the word it restricts — after any other particle.
  4. 44Direction, means and change: (으)로(으)로 marks the direction you head in, the tool or way you use, what something is made of, and what it turns into.
  5. 45To and from a person: 에게, 한테, 께A person you give, send or say something to takes 에게, 한테 or 께 — never 에.
  6. 46Comparing with 보다: than, 더 and 덜B with 보다, then the adjective as it is: Korean has no "-er", only a particle on the thing you compare against.
  7. 47Every and each: 마다 and 씩마다 means "every", 씩 means "each" or "at a time" — one counts the occasions, the other shares out the amount.
  8. 48Money: 원, 만 and 얼마예요Prices are Sino-Korean numbers with 원, and anything from ten thousand upwards is counted in 만.
  9. 49First, second, third: 첫째 and 번째Native 첫째 and 두 번째 count in order; Sino-Korean numbers with a counter name a position or a rank.

The verb and its endings20

  1. 50The formal style: 갑니다, 먹습니다The ending of announcements, the news, presentations and first meetings — a final p-sound and 니다 after a vowel, 습니다 after a consonant.
  2. 51Choosing a speech levelEvery Korean sentence ends by saying how the speaker stands towards the listener: formally, politely or casually.
  3. 52The honorific -(으)시-: 가세요, 가셨어요-(으)시- goes between the stem and the ending whenever the subject of the sentence is someone you respect — never yourself.
  4. 53Honorific words: 드시다, 주무시다, 계시다A few everyday verbs and nouns have honorific forms of their own, and with a respected person the honorific ending alone is not enough.
  5. 54Let's: 갈까요?, 갑시다, 가자Three ways to say "let's", one for each speech level — and the politest of them is a question.
  6. 55The ending -겠-: intention, guess and set phrasesOne syllable before the ending that turns a statement into a firm intention, a guess from what you see, or a polite set phrase.
  7. 56The progressive -고 있다Stem plus -고 있어요 for an action under way: 먹고 있어요, "I am eating".
  8. 57How long: 동안, 만에 and 지나다동안 for how long something lasts, 만에 for how long until it happens, 지나다 for time going by.
  9. 58Long negation: -지 않다 and -지 못하다Instead of a word before the verb, -지 않다 (not) or -지 못하다 (cannot) after the stem: 가지 않아요, 가지 못해요.
  10. 59Don't: -지 마세요 and -지 맙시다Requests and suggestions are negated not with 안 but with the verb 말다 after -지: 가지 마세요, "please don't go".
  11. 60Stems in 리을 (l): 살다 → 사세요, 만들다 → 만듭니다A stem ending in l loses it before n, b and s, and never takes the extra 으 of an ending.
  12. 61Stems in 비읍 (b): 춥다 → 추워요, 돕다 → 도와요In most adjectives and some verbs, a final b becomes 우 before a vowel: 춥다, 추워요.
  13. 62Stems in 디귿 (d): 듣다 → 들어요, 걷다 → 걸어요In a handful of common verbs a final d becomes l before a vowel: 듣다, 들어요.
  14. 63Stems in 르: 모르다 → 몰라요, 부르다 → 불러요A stem in 르 drops its vowel before -아요/어요 and adds a second l: 모르다 becomes 몰라요.
  15. 64Can and cannot: -(으)ㄹ 수 있다/없다The future modifier, the noun 수 "way" and 있다 or 없다: there is a way to do it, or there is none.
  16. 65Must and have to: -아야/어야 하다The verb takes -아야/어야, "only if", and 하다 or 되다 follows: it has to be done.
  17. 66May and must not: -아도/어도 되다, -(으)면 안 되다"Even if you do it, it is fine" gives permission; "if you do it, it is not fine" forbids it.
  18. 67Try doing, and have done: -아/어 보다보다, "to see", after -아/어: do it and see — and in the past, "I have done it".
  19. 68Doing something for someone: -아/어 주다/드리다After -아/어, 주다 marks the action as a favour; 드리다 when the person helped is someone you respect.
  20. 69Have you ever: -(으)ㄴ 적이 있다/없다The past modifier, the noun 적 "occasion" and 있다 or 없다: there has been a time when — or never.

Clauses and how they join13

  1. 70Adjectives before a noun: 좋은, 예쁜, 맛있는In front of a noun, an adjective takes -은 after a consonant or adds n after a vowel; 있다 and 없다 take -는.
  2. 71Verbs before a noun, now: 자는 아이, 내가 읽는 책An action verb takes -는 to describe a noun: the child who is sleeping, the book I am reading.
  3. 72The thing that …: 것, 거 and -는 것The noun 것 after a modifier means “the thing that …” or turns a whole verb into a noun: 수영하는 것, swimming.
  4. 73When: -을 때 and 방학 때The noun 때 (time), after a verb with -을 or after a noun, says when something happens.
  5. 74Because, and then: -아서/어서-아서/어서 gives a reason or ties a second action to the first — and as a reason it never comes before a request.
  6. 75If and when: -(으)면-(으)면 turns the first clause into a condition: if it rains, when spring comes.
  7. 76Because, so please: -(으)니까-(으)니까 gives a reason the listener is meant to accept, and it is the "because" that can come before a request.
  8. 77Going somewhere to do something: -(으)러-(으)러 before a verb of going or coming says what you are going or coming to do.
  9. 78In order to, intending to: -(으)려고-(으)려고 names the purpose of any action, and -(으)려고 해요 says what you intend to do.
  10. 79Setting the scene: -는데 and -(으)ㄴ데-는데 lays down the background for what follows — a situation, a contrast, or a softened request.
  11. 80Or, between clauses: -거나-거나 offers two actions or states as alternatives: "or".
  12. 81Before and after: -기 전에, -(으)ㄴ 후에-기 전에 says "before doing"; -(으)ㄴ 후에 and -(으)ㄴ 다음에 say "after doing".
  13. 82Because, firmly: -기 때문에 and 때문에-기 때문에 gives a clear, often written reason; after a noun, 때문에 means "because of".

Stance, set patterns and the written style6

  1. 83Oh, look: noticing with -네요-네요 reacts to what you have just seen, heard, tasted or found out: “oh, it is …!”.
  2. 84Isn't it?: -지요 and -죠-죠 treats a sentence as something the listener will agree with: “isn't it?”, “of course”, and a gentler way to ask.
  3. 85I'll do it: the promise ending -(으)ㄹ게요A first-person “I will” offered to the listener: a promise, an offer, or telling them what you are about to do.
  4. 86Shall we?: -(으)ㄹ까요One ending, three questions: shall we …?, shall I …?, and do you think …?
  5. 87It seems, I think: -(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ 것 같다것 같아요 after a clause turns a statement into a guess or a polite opinion: it seems, I think, probably.
  6. 88Decided: -기로 하다-기로 하다 reports a decision you have made or an arrangement made with someone: “I decided to”, “we agreed to”.

3 Clauses before a noun, reported speech, finer connectives.

Steps 89 to 137 of 164

Hangul, sounds and the basic sentence2

  1. 89Tensification: 학교 sounds like 학꾜After k, t and p, after a modifier in ㄹ and in some compounds, a plain consonant is said tense.
  2. 90An inserted ㄴ, and the three sounds of 의Some compounds slip an n between their parts, and the vowel ui is said three ways.

Particles, numbers and counters3

  1. 91Like and as … as: 처럼, 같이, 만큼처럼 and 같이 say what something is like; 만큼 says it reaches the same degree.
  2. 92Nothing but: 밖에 with a negative밖에 means "only", but the verb after it must be negative — literally "outside this, nothing".
  3. 93Or, as many as, or something: (이)나(이)나 offers a choice between nouns, stresses a surprisingly large number, and softens a suggestion — "coffee or something".

The verb and its endings16

  1. 94Casual speech: -아/어 and the plain -다Drop the 요 and you are speaking to a close friend, a younger sibling or a child — and to anybody else, rudely.
  2. 95Humble words: 저, 드리다, 뵙다Korean shows respect from the other side too: you lower yourself, your words and your actions towards the person you respect.
  3. 96The resulting state -아/어 있다After a change of state — sitting down, opening, arriving — -아/어 있다 says that the result is still there: 앉아 있어요, "she is sitting".
  4. 97The double past -았/었었-A second -었- says that a past state or event no longer holds: 갔었어요, "I went (and came back)".
  5. 98In the middle of: -는 중이다A verb before the noun 중 (middle) says that something has started and is not yet finished: 회의하는 중이에요.
  6. 99Not at all, nobody, nothing: 전혀, 별로, 아무도Words like 전혀, 별로, 아무도 and 하나도 need a negative verb — where English says "nobody came", Korean says "anybody did not come".
  7. 100Stems in 시옷 (s): 낫다 → 나아요, 짓다 → 지어요In a few verbs a final s disappears before a vowel, and the vowels that meet stay apart: 짓다, 지어요.
  8. 101Adjectives in 히읗 (h): 그렇다 → 그래요, 빨갛다 → 빨개요Colour words and the words for “like this, like that, how” drop their h and merge their vowels: 그래요, 빨개요, 어때요.
  9. 102All the irregular stems side by sideSeven kinds of stem change, which endings set them off, and how to tell an irregular verb from a regular one that looks the same.
  10. 103Know how to: -(으)ㄹ 줄 알다/모르다For skills you have learned or never learned: -(으)ㄹ 줄 알아요 and -(으)ㄹ 줄 몰라요.
  11. 104Done and gone: -아/어 버리다버리다, "to throw away", after -아/어: it is done completely — to the speaker's regret or relief.
  12. 105Ready in advance: -아/어 놓다 and -아/어 두다Do something now so that its result is there later — or leave something in the state you put it in.
  13. 106Coming to do: -게 되다Stem plus -게 되다: things turned out so that you do it — through circumstance rather than a decision.
  14. 107Getting and becoming: -아/어지다After an adjective -아/어지다 means "become"; after a verb it makes a passive. Always written as one word.
  15. 108Passive suffixes: 이, 히, 리, 기A syllable added to the stem turns "open" into "be opened" and "see" into "be seen" — for a fixed set of verbs.
  16. 109Making and letting: -게 하다Stem plus -게 하다 works for any verb: someone makes or lets someone else do something.

Clauses and how they join17

  1. 110Verbs before a noun, past: 어제 본 영화An action verb takes -은 after a consonant, or adds n after a vowel, to describe a noun by something that has already happened.
  2. 111Verbs before a noun, not yet: 내일 할 일, 먹을 것With -을 after a consonant, or an l added after a vowel, a verb describes a noun by something that has not happened yet.
  3. 112The nominaliser -기: 읽기 쉬워요, 자기 전에-기 turns a verb into a noun inside fixed patterns: easy to read, before going to bed, in order to save.
  4. 113While, at the same time: -(으)면서-(으)면서 joins two things that one person does, or one thing is, at the same time.
  5. 114Even if, even though: -아도/어도-아도/어도 says that the second clause holds whatever the first one says — “even if” or “even though”.
  6. 115Doing one thing, then another: -다가-다가 says that one action was under way when another took its place; -았/었다가 that something was done and then undone.
  7. 116As soon as: -자마자-자마자 joins two events with no gap between them: the moment one happens, the other follows.
  8. 117Too busy doing: -느라고-느라고 gives as a reason the activity that took up your time — usually to explain what you could not do.
  9. 118Thanks to: 덕분에After a noun or a past modifier, 덕분에 credits someone or something with a good result.
  10. 119Instead of, in return: 대신에대신에 says that one thing takes the place of another — or that one thing is balanced by another.
  11. 120If you want to: -(으)려면-(으)려면 says what is needed if somebody intends to do something.
  12. 121Whether … or, any at all: -든지-든지 offers alternatives and says the choice does not matter — or, after a question word, that anything at all will do.
  13. 122Reporting a statement: -다고 하다The quoted statement goes into the plain style, takes -고, and is followed by 하다 or another verb of saying.
  14. 123Reporting a question: -냐고 하다A reported question ends in -냐고, followed by 하다 or 묻다.
  15. 124Reporting an order or request: -(으)라고 하다An order or a request is reported with -(으)라고; "give me" becomes 달라고, "give him" 주라고.
  16. 125Reporting a suggestion: -자고 하다A "let's" suggestion is reported with -자고, which goes straight onto the stem.
  17. 126The short forms: -대요, -래요, -냬요, -재요In conversation -다고 해요 shrinks to -대요, and the other quoting endings shrink the same way.

Stance, set patterns and the written style11

  1. 127I see: realising with -군요 and -구나-군요 says that something has just become clear to you, often from what somebody has told you: “so that is how it is”.
  2. 128You see: giving the reason with -거든요-거든요 adds a reason or background the listener did not know: “you see, …”.
  3. 129You know: -잖아요 for what the listener already knows-잖아요 points to something both speakers know: “you know …”, “after all …”, “I told you …”.
  4. 130It looks like: -나 보다 and -(으)ㄴ가 보다A guess built on something you can see or have heard, usually about somebody else: “they must be …”.
  5. 131Might: -(으)ㄹ지도 모르다“Might”: a weak possibility, often something worth preparing for.
  6. 132Almost: -(으)ㄹ 뻔하다Something nearly happened and then did not — usually something bad you narrowly escaped.
  7. 133On the whole: -는 편이다-는 편이다 places something on a scale — “tends to”, “rather”, “on the … side” — instead of stating it flat.
  8. 134About: 에 대해(서) and 에 대한에 대해(서) says what you talk, think or know about; before a noun it becomes 에 대한.
  9. 135About to: -(으)려고 하다With a subject that cannot intend anything, -(으)려고 하다 means that something is about to happen.
  10. 136Worth doing: -(으)ㄹ 만하다-(으)ㄹ 만하다 says that something is worth doing, good enough to do, or understandable.
  11. 137Yes, but: -기는 하지만-기는 하지만 grants that something is true and then limits it: it is …, but.

4 Finer connectives, the written style.

Steps 138 to 164 of 164

The verb and its endings4

  1. 138The long passive: -아/어지다 and 되다Most verbs have no passive suffix: they take -아/어지다, and 하다 verbs swap 하다 for 되다.
  2. 139Causative suffixes: 이, 히, 리, 기, 우, 구, 추A syllable inside the verb turns "eat" into "feed" and "wear" into "dress someone" — a new verb for a fixed set.
  3. 140When Korean uses a passiveEnglish reaches for the passive far more often than Korean, which prefers an active sentence with the doer left out.
  4. 141Suffix causative or -게 하다: direct and indirect먹이다 is putting food in someone's mouth; 먹게 하다 is getting them to eat — the suffix is hands-on.

Clauses and how they join9

  1. 142The remembered past before a noun: 내가 다니던 학교-던 describes a noun by something that used to happen or was going on, and often by something that has since stopped.
  2. 143The written nominaliser -음: 있음, 없음, 알림-음, or an m added after a vowel, turns a verb into a noun in notices, memos, forms and formal writing.
  3. 144Because something went wrong: -는 바람에-는 바람에 names a sudden, unplanned event that caused something unwelcome.
  4. 145The more … the more: -(으)ㄹ수록As one thing grows, another grows or shrinks with it — English “the more … the more”.
  5. 146Even if, supposing the worst: -더라도-더라도 is a stronger, more hypothetical “even if”: supposing the worst, the decision still stands.
  6. 147Whereas, on the other hand: 반면에반면에 sets two facts against each other — one side, and the opposite side.
  7. 148So that, until: -도록-도록 says what an action is meant to make possible — or how far it goes.
  8. 149Since I will, since it will: -(으)ㄹ 테니까-(으)ㄹ 테니까 gives as a reason what the speaker will do, or what will surely be the case, and asks the listener to act on it.
  9. 150I heard that …: -다면서요? and -다던데-다면서요? checks what you heard with the person it concerns; -다던데 passes hearsay on as background.

Stance, set patterns and the written style14

  1. 151Depending on: 에 따라(서) and 에 따른에 따라(서) says what something varies with, or what an action follows; before a noun it becomes 에 따른.
  2. 152While you are at it: -는 김에-는 김에 says that one action is the occasion for doing a second, extra one.
  3. 153Two birds with one stone: -(으)ㄹ 겸-(으)ㄹ 겸 names one of several purposes behind a single action; between nouns 겸 means “and at the same time”.
  4. 154No use even if: -아/어 봤자-아/어 봤자 says that even if you do something, it will be no use, or the result will be small.
  5. 155There is no way: -(으)ㄹ 리가 없다-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다 says that something cannot possibly be so.
  6. 156On the way: -는 길에-는 길에 after a verb of going or coming says that something happens on the way.
  7. 157On top of that: -(으)ㄴ/는 데다가-(으)ㄴ/는 데다가 adds a second fact that points the same way as the first.
  8. 158By and due to: 에 의해(서), (으)로 인해(서)에 의해(서) names the agent of a passive, (으)로 인해(서) names a cause — both in news, notices and writing.
  9. 159The plain written style: -ㄴ/는다, -다, -았다Written texts end their sentences in the plain style: verbs in -ㄴ/는다, adjectives in -다, the past in -았/었다.
  10. 160Linking in writing: -(으)며 and -고-(으)며 joins clauses in writing, both as “and” and as “while”; written texts alternate it with -고.
  11. 161In order to, formally: -고자-고자 states a purpose or an intention in formal writing and speeches; -고자 하다 means “intend to”.
  12. 162Because, in writing: -(으)므로-(으)므로 gives an objective reason in notices, documents and formal writing.
  13. 163Written connectors: 및, 등, 또는, 혹은, 즉Written Korean joins nouns with 및 and 또는, closes lists with 등 and restates with 즉.
  14. 164Formal vocabulary: Sino-Korean 하다 verbsFormal writing replaces everyday native verbs with precise Sino-Korean ones: 보다 becomes 관람하다, 사다 becomes 구입하다.

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