Korean for Beginners: Grammar, Numbers, First Talks

Build real sentences: introduce yourself, order food, buy things, tell the time, talk about your day and your plans, all in polite Korean you can use with anyone.

This stage assumes you can already read Hangul. If you still sound out every letter slowly, finish the Hangul intro first; everything here is written in Hangul.

You will learn the core of Korean grammar in twelve steps: word order, particles, the polite verb ending -아요/어요, past and future, negation, numbers and counters, and polite requests. Each step has example sentences, a short practice task and a check to tell you when to move on.

We use the polite style (해요체) all the way through. It ends in -요, it is correct with strangers, shop staff, taxi drivers and new friends, and it is the style most beginner textbooks start with.

Romanization follows the official Revised Romanization, which writes some sound changes the way they are said (합니다 = hamnida, 감사합니다 = gamsahamnida) but not the tensed sounds. Treat it as a crutch: tap ▶, check the audio in a dictionary and copy what you hear.

What you will be able to do

• You can greet people and introduce yourself: name, country, job, where you live.
• You can order food and drinks, ask the price and pay in a shop or restaurant.
• You can say times, dates, ages, prices and phone numbers with the right number system.
• You can talk about what you do every day, what you did yesterday and what you will do this weekend.
• You can ask for directions, take a taxi and understand short, simple answers.
• You can say what you want, what you can and cannot do, and make polite requests.
• You can read and write short messages, such as a note to a friend or a 3-line diary.

Download the printable PDFs

Free study sheets for this stage. Pick your language — the Korean is the same in every version; only the explanations are translated. Print them or use them on a tablet.

Step 1. Word order and 이에요/예요: introduce yourself

Korean puts the verb at the end of the sentence: subject, then object or place, then verb (SOV). ‘I coffee drink’, not ‘I drink coffee’. If you remember one rule, remember that the verb comes last.

To say ‘A is B’, use 이에요 after a noun ending in a consonant and 예요 after a noun ending in a vowel: 학생이에요 (I am a student), 커피예요 (it is coffee). To say ‘is not’, use 이/가 아니에요.

Korean drops the subject when it is clear. 학생이에요 alone already means ‘I am a student’ if you are talking about yourself.

Step 2. Topic 은/는 and subject 이/가

은/는 marks the topic: what you are talking about. It also shows contrast (‘as for me…’). Use it for yourself in introductions and when you compare two things.

이/가 marks the subject when the information is new or when you answer ‘who?’ or ‘what?’. It is also used with question words (누가, 뭐가) and with describing verbs like 좋아요 (is good) and 있어요 (there is).

Do not worry about every case now. A practical start: 저는 for introducing yourself, 이/가 for new information and questions. Note 저 + 가 becomes 제가, and 누구 + 가 becomes 누가.

Step 3. Object 을/를 and the polite present -아요/어요

을/를 marks the object, the thing you eat, drink, see or learn: 을 after a consonant, 를 after a vowel.

Verbs are listed in the dictionary with -다 (가다, 먹다). Remove -다 to get the stem. If the last vowel of the stem is ㅏ or ㅗ, add -아요. Otherwise add -어요. Verbs ending in 하다 become 해요.

Vowels often merge: 가 + 아요 = 가요, 오 + 아요 = 와요, 마시 + 어요 = 마셔요, 배우 + 어요 = 배워요. The same form is a statement or a question; only your voice changes (rising for a question).

Step 4. Place and time: 에, 에서, (으)로

에 marks where you go or where something is (학교에 가요, 집에 있어요). It also marks time: 세 시에 (at three), 월요일에 (on Monday). A few time words never take 에: 오늘, 내일, 어제, 지금.

에서 marks where an action happens: 카페에서 공부해요 (I study at a cafe). It also means ‘from’ a place: 서울에서 왔어요.

(으)로 marks the means or direction: 버스로 (by bus), 오른쪽으로 (to the right). Use 로 after a vowel or ㄹ, 으로 after other consonants: 지하철로, 명동으로.

Step 5. Two number systems: Sino-Korean and native

Korean has two sets of numbers. Sino-Korean numbers (일, 이, 삼…) are used for money, dates, minutes, phone numbers, floors, bus and exit numbers. Native numbers (하나, 둘, 셋…) are used for counting things and people, for hours and for age.

Before a counter, native 하나, 둘, 셋, 넷 and 스물 shorten to 한, 두, 세, 네 and 스무: 한 시, 두 잔, 스무 살. Native numbers go up to 99; above that, use Sino-Korean.

Time mixes both: hours are native, minutes are Sino-Korean. 1:30 is 한 시 삼십 분 (or 한 시 반). Money groups by 10,000 (만): 15,000 won is 만 오천 원, not 십오천.

Step 6. Past tense: -았어요/었어요, 했어요

The past follows the same vowel rule as the present. Stem vowel ㅏ or ㅗ: add -았어요. Other vowels: add -었어요. 하다 becomes 했어요.

Vowels merge the same way: 가 + 았어요 = 갔어요, 오 + 았어요 = 왔어요, 마시 + 었어요 = 마셨어요. For nouns, 이에요/예요 becomes 이었어요 (after a consonant) or 였어요 (after a vowel).

Words like 어제 (yesterday), 지난주 (last week) and 주말에 (on the weekend) often start past-tense sentences.

Step 7. Future and plans: -(으)ㄹ 거예요, -(으)ㄹ게요

For plans and predictions, add -ㄹ 거예요 after a vowel stem and -을 거예요 after a consonant stem: 갈 거예요, 먹을 거예요. Stems ending in ㄹ just add 거예요: 살다 becomes 살 거예요.

-(으)ㄹ게요 is a promise or a decision you make for the listener: ‘I will (for you)’. Use it only about yourself: 제가 할게요 (I will do it), 이따가 전화할게요 (I will call you later).

At this stage, use -(으)ㄹ 거예요 for plans and -(으)ㄹ게요 for quick offers and promises. That covers most daily situations.

Step 8. Negation: 안, -지 않아요 and 못

To say ‘don’t’, put 안 before the verb: 안 가요, 안 먹어요. The longer form -지 않아요 means the same and sounds a little more careful: 가지 않아요.

못 means ‘can’t’ (you want to but are unable): 못 가요 (I can’t go). You can also say -지 못해요, which is more formal.

For noun + 하다 verbs, 안 and 못 go right before 하다: 공부 안 해요, not 안 공부해요. For 이에요/예요, use 아니에요 instead (Step 1).

Step 9. Wants and ability: -고 싶어요, -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요

-고 싶어요 means ‘I want to’: add it straight to the stem, with no vowel rule. 가다 becomes 가고 싶어요, 먹다 becomes 먹고 싶어요.

-(으)ㄹ 수 있어요 means ‘can’ and -(으)ㄹ 수 없어요 means ‘cannot’: -ㄹ 수 after a vowel stem, -을 수 after a consonant stem. 할 수 있어요, 먹을 수 있어요.

Asking with -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요? is a useful polite way to ask if something is allowed or possible: 여기서 사진 찍을 수 있어요? (Can I take photos here?)

Step 10. Polite requests and speech levels: -(으)세요, -아/어 주세요

-(으)세요 is a polite way to ask someone to do something, and a respectful way to talk about them: -세요 after a vowel stem, -으세요 after a consonant stem. 가세요, 앉으세요. Stems ending in ㄹ drop the ㄹ: 살다 becomes 사세요.

-아/어 주세요 means ‘please do it for me’, using the same vowel rule as -아요/어요: 말해 주세요, 찍어 주세요. For things, just say the noun + 주세요: 물 주세요. Adding 좀 softens it: 물 좀 주세요.

Korean has speech levels. 합쇼체 (-습니다) is formal, used in news, announcements and speeches. 해요체 (-아요/어요) is polite and everyday. 반말 (no -요) is for close friends and younger people. Use 해요체 as your default; switch to 반말 only when a Korean speaker suggests it.

Step 11. Joining sentences: -고 (and) and -지만 (but)

-고 joins two actions or two facts: ‘and’. Add it to the stem with no vowel rule: 먹고, 가고. With nouns use 이고 (after a consonant) or 고 (after a vowel). The tense goes on the last verb only.

-지만 means ‘but’: 비싸지만 맛있어요 (It is expensive but tasty). Like -고, it attaches straight to the stem.

These two endings let you make longer, more natural sentences instead of many short ones.

Step 12. Survival conversations: shop, restaurant, taxi, directions

Put everything together in the four situations you meet first in Korea. Learn these lines as whole chunks, then change one word at a time (the food, the place, the number).

To call staff in a restaurant, say 저기요 (excuse me). To ask for a place, say the place + 어디예요? 감사합니다 (thank you) is said gamsahamnida — the ㅂ sounds like ㅁ before ㄴ.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

Study tips for this stage

• Use spaced-repetition flashcards for vocabulary. Put the Korean on the front and the meaning plus an example sentence on the back, and review a little every day instead of a lot once a week.
• Learn every verb in two forms at once: the dictionary form (먹다) and the polite 해요 form (먹어요). You will use the 해요 form far more when you speak.
• Shadowing: play a short, slow recording, then repeat each sentence right after the speaker, copying the rhythm and the intonation. Five minutes a day helps your listening and your pronunciation together.
• Keep a 3-line diary in Korean: what you did, what you ate, what you will do tomorrow. It uses past, present and future every day.
• Learn useful sentences as chunks (계산해 주세요, 다시 한번 말해 주세요) before you study the grammar inside them. You can use them right away.
• Say everything aloud. Reading silently teaches your eyes; speaking aloud teaches your mouth and ears.
• When you finish this stage, try a past TOPIK I test from the official TOPIK website to see which parts you still need to review.

Free official resources

• Basic Korean Dictionary (NIKL) — Free learner dictionary with English meanings, example sentences and audio for checking pronunciation.
• TOPIK official site — Test dates, registration and past test papers for checking your level.
• King Sejong Institute Foundation — Finds King Sejong Institute classes around the world and official online courses.
• National Institute of Korean Language — The official authority on standard Korean: spelling, spacing and grammar questions.

Where this stage fits

Previous stage: 1. Hangul intro. Next stage: 3. Intermediate → Whole course: Learn Korean step by step.

FAQ

How long does it take to learn beginner Korean?

Covering this stage takes most self-learners about 3–4 months at 30–45 minutes a day, if you can already read Hangul. Studying a little every day works better than long weekly sessions.

What is the difference between 은/는 and 이/가?

은/는 marks the topic (what you are talking about) and shows contrast; 이/가 marks the subject when the information is new or answers ‘who’ or ‘what’. As a beginner, use 저는 to introduce yourself and 이/가 with question words and new facts.

When do you use Sino-Korean vs native Korean numbers?

Sino-Korean numbers (일, 이, 삼) are for money, dates, minutes, phone numbers and floors. Native numbers (하나, 둘, 셋) are for counting things and people, for hours and for age. Telling the time uses both: native hours, Sino-Korean minutes.

Should I learn formal or informal Korean first?

Start with the polite 해요 style (-아요/어요). It is correct with almost anyone. Learn to recognize the formal -습니다 style from announcements, and use casual 반말 only with close friends who suggest it.

What level is TOPIK I?

TOPIK I is the beginner test and covers levels 1 and 2. It has listening and reading sections, and your level is decided by your total score. This stage covers the grammar and topics of TOPIK I.

Do I need to learn Hanja to learn Korean?

No, not at the beginner level. Everyday Korean is written in Hangul. Some learners pick up common Hanja later to guess the meaning of new words.

Romanization: Revised Romanization of Korean. ▶ sounds use your browser’s Korean voice. Levels follow TOPIK and the King Sejong Institute standard curriculum; this course is independent and free.