Korean vocabulary
5546 words in 139 lists, sorted by topic and each with an example sentence in which it really occurs. Everything on this page can also be practised — you can be quizzed on each list on its own or on all of them together.
Why these words in particular — the yardstick is further down.
The 139 lists
By topic and not by alphabet: words that occur together are easier to learn together. Practise the words of one situation in one round and afterwards you have a situation in your head, not three separate words.
139 cards side by side would be a shelf, not an overview. So they sit under their 19 categories — if you are looking for an area rather than a list, moving house, seeing a doctor, starting a job, you jump straight there. Each category can also be practised as a whole.
The scaffolding30 lists · 1195 words
The words without which no sentence stands.
1Numbers from Chinese: 일, 이, 삼The number set for prices, dates, floors, phone numbers and minutes.39 words1Native numbers: 하나, 둘, 셋The Korean number set for counting things and people, for age and for the hours of the clock.39 words1The first countersThe small words Korean puts after a number: things, people, animals, books, cups and bottles.39 words1The clock and the calendarHours and minutes, the days of the week, the months and the parts of the day.41 words1I and you, this and that, who and whatPronouns, the three words for this and that, and the question words.40 words1The first verbsGoing, coming, eating, seeing, living and the other verbs every first conversation needs.39 words1The first adjectivesBig and small, hot and cold, cheap and expensive, and the other words for describing things.40 words1ColoursColour names, colour adjectives and words for light and dark.40 words1The first adverbsVery, a little, together, again, now — the small words that shape a sentence.40 words2Time wordsAlready, still, just now, later, before, after and on time.39 words2Everyday verbsWaiting, looking for, opening, switching on, putting down and taking out.39 words2Everyday adjectivesClean and dirty, quiet and noisy, easy and hard, and how things look and feel.40 words2Linking words and everyday adverbsAnd, so, but, then, often, probably, never and in detail.40 words2More countersPairs, bunches, bowls, portions, months and laps: counting things the Korean way.40 words2Numbers and quantitiesAll, most, some, none, about, at least and at most — how much and how many.40 words2Time expressionsThe day after tomorrow, last week, next month, every year, soon and later.40 words2Verbs of motionGoing in and out, up and down, back and past, and taking things along.40 words2Everyday verbs with 하다Exercising, phoning, chatting, inviting, eating out — the verbs made from a noun and “to do”.40 words3Verbs for getting things doneDeciding, choosing, finishing, fixing and the other verbs of a busy day.40 words3Describing thingsSafe or dangerous, deep or shallow, strong or weak: adjectives for things.40 words3Adverbs of attitude and degreeSuddenly, at last, on purpose, of course: adverbs that colour a sentence.40 words3Quantities and measuresUnits, sizes and limits, simple arithmetic, and the verbs for more and less.40 words3Time and frequencyHow often, how long, and when: from now and then to for ever.40 words3하다-verbs for effort, plans and experienceVerbs made from a noun and 하다 for trying, succeeding, planning and taking part.40 words3Verbs of changeBecoming, growing, appearing, drying, breaking: how Korean says that something changes.40 words4Everyday verbs, sharperNative verbs for coping, handling, keeping and putting off.40 words4Describing with precisionThe adjectives that say exactly how clear, common, fair or serious something is.40 words4Adverbs that colour a sentenceThe adverbs that show how a speaker feels about what is being said.40 words4Time and changePeriods, stages, trends and turning points: the words for how things develop over time.40 words4하다-verbs for work and the newsThe Sino-Korean verbs of reports, meetings and the news.40 words
Greetings, politeness and conversation7 lists · 279 words
The set phrases, the reactions that keep a conversation going, and the words that show respect.
1Greetings and set phrasesWhat is said on meeting and parting, on thanking and apologising, and before and after a meal.39 words1Everyday phrasesPhrases learnt as a whole: excuse me, just a moment, come in, well done.40 words2Phrases for a conversationI see, of course, I am not sure, what do you mean, I think so — the replies that keep a conversation going.40 words2Honorific wordsThe second, respectful word for eating, sleeping, a name, an age and a home.40 words3Reactions and exclamationsSurprise, relief, sympathy and disbelief: the small words that make Korean sound alive.40 words3Talking and being understoodConversation, asking, explaining, and the ways people speak.40 words4Persuading, criticising, advisingThe words for what people do to each other with words: persuade, praise, blame, interrupt.40 words
People and feelings12 lists · 477 words
Family, friendship, character and feeling — at more than one resolution.
1People and familyYour family, the people around you, and the words for saying who you are and where you are from.38 words2The wider family and the people around youHusbands and wives, grandparents and cousins, neighbours, seniors and juniors.40 words2FeelingsHappy, sad, angry, scared, worried, lonely and bored.39 words2Describing peopleKind, clever, tall, young, good-looking, talkative — and how to say it politely.40 words3Feelings and attitudesSatisfied, disappointed, moved, nervous, envious, homesick, embarrassed, relieved.40 words3PersonalityLively or shy, diligent or lazy, frank, meticulous, stubborn, easy-going.40 words3RelationshipsGetting on, falling out and making up; going out, breaking up and getting married.40 words3Adjectives of feelingFeelings English needs a sentence for and Korean has one word for.40 words4Emotions in finer shadesPride, dread, relief, envy and the feelings between them.40 words4Character and behaviourHow people behave and the words for judging it.40 words4Family lifeIn-laws, birth order, childcare and housework: how a Korean family is organised and talked about.40 words4Psychology and the mindSelf-esteem, memory, motivation and the words for how the mind works.40 words
Home and daily life6 lists · 236 words
The rooms, the chores, the daily round and the flat itself.
1At homeThe rooms of a flat and the furniture in them.38 words2Daily routineWaking up, washing, eating, setting off and going to sleep.39 words2HouseworkCleaning, laundry, washing-up and taking out the rubbish.39 words3Living in a homeRenting, moving in, and the things in a flat that need fixing.40 words3Things around the houseThe small things of a home, from the bathroom shelf to the bedroom.40 words4Housing and buildingBuying, renting, building and pulling down.40 words
Food and drink6 lists · 240 words
The table, the kitchen, the restaurant and the dishes a Korean meal is built from.
1Food and drinkThe words for a first meal in Korea, for a café and for the convenience shop.40 words2Food from the market, and how it tastesMeat, fish, vegetables and staples, and the words for taste.40 words2Eating outOrdering, the table, the bill, and being hungry or full.40 words3In the kitchenWays of cooking, the seasonings of a Korean kitchen, and the pots and tools.40 words3Korean dishesThe dishes a visitor meets on a Korean menu, and what is in them.40 words4Food cultureHow people eat, what is in the food and where it comes from: the words beyond the menu.40 words
Shopping, clothes and money6 lists · 240 words
The shop, the price, the clothes and the bank.
1Shopping: the first wordsMoney, paying and the phrases for buying something.40 words2Everyday shoppingThe supermarket, the local shops, sizes, discounts and refunds.40 words2ClothesWhat you wear, and the different verbs for putting it on.40 words3Clothes and fashionSuits, sleeves, buttons and patterns, and the words for how an outfit looks.40 words3Money and the bankAccounts, cards, cash and what you earn, spend and save.40 words3Buying as a consumerOrders, deliveries, returns and the small print of buying things.40 words
Getting around and travelling9 lists · 360 words
The street, the station, the trip and the city around it.
1Places in townShops, the station, the bank, the hospital and the other places a first week takes you to.39 words1Getting aroundBuses, trains and taxis, and the words for using them.40 words2Directions and where things areLeft and right, in front and behind, near and far: asking the way and understanding the answer.40 words2Travel and hotelsBooking a room, packing, checking in and seeing the sights.40 words2More places in townShops, restaurants, museums, clinics and places to have fun.40 words3City lifeStreets, neighbourhoods, traffic and what makes a place good to live in.41 words3Travel and sightseeingSights, views, tickets and souvenirs, and the ways to travel.40 words3Traffic and road safetyDriving, crossing, parking, and what happens when something goes wrong on the road.40 words4Travel and transport in detailFlights, connections, delays and the words on departure boards.40 words
The body and health7 lists · 281 words
From where it hurts to what the doctor writes down.
1The bodyThe parts of the body, from head to toe.40 words2Feeling unwellColds, fevers and small injuries, the doctor and the chemist.40 words3Health and medicineClinics, tests, injections and the words for what is wrong.41 words3Actions of the bodyHolding, carrying, pushing, pulling, throwing and the other things hands and heads do.40 words3How the body feelsSleepy, dizzy, itchy, stiff, out of breath: saying how your body feels.40 words4Health and lifestyleSleep, diet, exercise, stress and the habits in between.40 words4Illness and treatmentSymptoms, diagnoses, treatment and recovery: the words of medical news and longer stays in hospital.40 words
Nature, weather and the environment9 lists · 359 words
The seasons, the forecast, the landscape and what to do when disaster strikes.
1Weather and the seasonsRain, snow, sun and wind, and the four seasons.40 words2Nature and animalsMountains, rivers, fields, and the animals of the farm, the house and the zoo.39 words2Weather and the seasonsHumid summers, chilly evenings, the rainy season, typhoons and the first snow.40 words3Weather and climateThe words of the forecast: downpours, heatwaves, fog, frost and fine dust.40 words3Nature and the environmentForests, lakes, islands, sky and earth, and the words for looking after them.40 words3Animals and plantsWild animals, insects and pets, and the parts and growth of plants.40 words4The environmentPollution, energy, recycling and a warming planet.40 words4GeographyRegions, coasts, rivers and mountain ranges: the words for describing where a place is and what it is like.40 words4Natural disasters and emergenciesEarthquakes, floods, fires, warnings and the words of a rescue.40 words
Free time, sport and entertainment5 lists · 201 words
Hobbies, games, films, matches and the results.
2Free time and hobbiesSport, music, games and the things people do at the weekend.40 words3Sports and gamesBall games, matches, scores and the verbs each sport takes.40 words3Media and entertainmentTelevision, dramas, music and the people who make them.40 words4Competition and sportTournaments, medals, records and results: the words of the sports pages.41 words4Pop culture and entertainmentIdols, fans, charts, premieres and the words of the Korean wave.40 words
Korea: festivals, history and values5 lists · 200 words
The holidays of the year, the things a learner meets in the country, the arts and the long history behind them.
2Daily life in KoreaThe things you meet in Korea that have no English name.40 words3Holidays and traditionsThe great holidays, the rites and foods that go with them, and family celebrations.40 words4Arts and literatureBooks, poems, exhibitions and the stage.40 words4History and heritageKings, kingdoms, legends and what the past left behind.40 words4Culture and valuesThe words for what people value, owe and expect of each other.40 words
School, university and research5 lists · 200 words
The classroom, the exam, the lecture hall and the paper.
1Studying KoreanThe classroom, the things on the desk, and the words for learning a language.40 words2School lifeYears and terms, classmates and lockers, revising and resits.39 words3Education and schoolThe stages of school and university, and the days that mark them.41 words3School subjects and studyThe subjects on a Korean timetable and the words for studying them.40 words4University and researchLectures, credits, essays, theses and the language of study.40 words
Work and careers5 lists · 200 words
The job, the office, the colleagues and the meeting.
2Work and jobsThe office, the people in it, and getting there and back.40 words3Work and the officeGetting a job, office life and the titles people are called by.40 words3Jobs and professionsWho does what: from lawyer and firefighter to freelancer and mechanic.40 words4Jobs and careersGetting hired, moving up and moving on: the words of a working life.40 words4Communication at workReports, approvals, deadlines and ranks: the words of a Korean office.40 words
The economy, business and finance3 lists · 120 words
Growth, the company, the market and the interest rate.
The state, the law and public services3 lists · 120 words
The counter, the form, the court and the election.
Society and the news3 lists · 120 words
What the news reports, and what people discuss.
Technology, the internet and science5 lists · 198 words
The phone, the app, the laboratory and the machine.
2Phone, internet and postCalling, texting, emailing and sending things by post.38 words3Technology in daily lifeScreens, files, chargers and the verbs for installing, saving and deleting.40 words3Online and on the phonePosting, sharing, chatting and calling: the words of life online.40 words4Science and technologyResearch, inventions, space and the machines around us.40 words4Life onlineThe words for social media, privacy and the darker side of the internet.40 words
Thinking and arguing6 lists · 240 words
Reasons, opinions, abstract nouns and the words that carry an argument.
3Opinions and reasonsAgreeing, disagreeing, weighing things up and saying why.40 words3Linking sentencesWords that open a sentence and tie it to the one before.40 words4Linking ideasThe words that join one sentence to the next in an argument, a speech or a report.40 words4Abstract nounsThe nouns that hold an explanation together: aims, conditions, criteria, sides and limits.40 words4Verbs for reasoning and changeThe Sino-Korean verbs of reports, meetings and careful explanations.40 words4Adjectives of judgementRational, realistic, fair, absurd: the words for weighing things up.40 words
Idioms, sound words and loanwords7 lists · 280 words
Sound and manner words, four-character idioms, body idioms, borrowed words and the words of written Korean.
3Sound and manner wordsThe words Korean uses to imitate a sound or paint the way something moves.40 words4Four-character idiomsThe four-syllable sayings Koreans use in everyday speech.40 words4Idioms with parts of the bodyHeavy mouths, thin ears and a big liver: character in body parts.40 words3Verb phrases learnt as a unitA noun and a verb that only mean what they mean together.40 words2Loanwords of daily lifeEnglish-looking words that mean something else in Korea: a laptop, a studio flat, a desk lamp.40 words4False friends from EnglishLoanwords whose Korean meaning is not the English one.40 words4Words of the written styleThe stiff, compact words of notices, forms and reports.40 words
Why these words in particular
Every vocabulary site claims to have the most important words. Hardly any says how it measures that. Here it is, because without a yardstick “important” is just another word for “what occurred to us”.
The yardstick of this list is not frequency in texts but reach in everyday life: how many situations do you get through if you know this word and not the other? That is why a word you will be asked about at the doctor’s is here and a formal linking word that you can paraphrase is not, even if both are about as common in texts.
In practice that means four rules, which applied to every single word:
- It occurs in a situation everyone has. Shopping, being ill, asking the way, making plans, filling in a form. Specialist vocabulary is not here, however common it is in its field.
- It cannot be paraphrased in two words. A word you can easily talk your way around belongs on a higher level than one you cannot.
- It has an example sentence that explains something. A word without a sentence is a line in a dictionary. Every word here stands in a sentence in which it really occurs — not in one that merely mentions it.
- It appears exactly once. A word turning up in two lists sounds harmless and is not: work through both and you think you are further along than you are. The build checks that.
The selection is therefore a decision of this project, not a measurement. It is reasoned, documented and open to challenge — which is more than a number without a source could offer.
The levels
Every word carries the level from which you need it. An A1 word is not easier to say than a B2 word — it just comes up earlier. So the question is not how hard a word is but from when on you cannot manage without it: a long word everyone needs sits on A1, a short one you can do without for years sits right at the top.
The right-hand column is the yardstick. It is here so that the levels can be checked rather than taken on trust — and because a level without its question would only be a label.
| Level | Words | The question it answers |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 850 | Would you need this word in your first week in Korea — in a shop, in a restaurant, introducing yourself? |
| 2 | 1368 | Does this word come up all the time in daily life — work, shopping, making plans, the weather? |
| 3 | 1687 | Do you need this word to talk about more than the bare necessities — feelings, reasons, plans, experiences? |
| 4 | 1641 | Do you need this word to talk about work, society or culture — or is it the sharper version of a word you already have? |
Practise all 5546 words
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