Korean Vocabulary by Level
A step-by-step Korean curriculum following the TOPIK 1–6 grade system (NIKL standard) — written by Alvin Lim, Certified Korean Language Teacher (Level 2). Finish the quiz at the end of each lesson to track your progress.
Start here →🌱Level 1 · TOPIK 1
Hangeul, greetings, survival basics · 14 lessons 1 Learn Hangul in One Sitting: Korean Vowels and Consonants Explained Hangul has 14 basic consonants and 10 vowels, built on logical shapes. Learn how Korean letters combine into syllable blocks — with sound guides and a quiz. 2 Batchim Explained: Korean Final Consonants and the 7 Sounds They Make Batchim (받침) is the consonant at the bottom of a Korean syllable. Learn the 7 final sounds every batchim reduces to, plus the linking rule (연음) — with a quiz. 3 Basic Korean Greetings: 안녕하세요 and the Formal Essentials Master formal Korean greetings: 안녕하세요, the 안녕히 가세요 vs 안녕히 계세요 leaving-staying rule, 감사합니다, plus N입니다/입니까 — with a first-meeting dialogue and quiz. 4 Introduce Yourself in Korean: 저는 ~입니다 and 이에요/예요 Introduce yourself in Korean with 저는 ~입니다/이에요 — topic marker 은/는, the vowel-consonant rule for 이에요/예요, key job words, and a language exchange dialogue. 5 This, That and What in Korean: 이거, 그거, 저거 and 뭐예요 Korean demonstratives explained: 이거 this, 그거 that near you, 저거 that over there, plus asking 뭐예요 and the subject marker 이/가 — with dialogue and quiz. 6 Korean Verb Conjugation: the 해요 Form Rule (-아요/-어요) Learn Korean 해요 verb conjugation: add -아요 after ㅏ/ㅗ stems, -어요 elsewhere, 하다 becomes 해요 — covering 가다, 오다, 먹다, 마시다 plus the object marker 을/를. 7 Sino-Korean Numbers: 일, 이, 삼 to 만 and Reading Prices Sino-Korean numbers from 일 to 만: count to 9,999, read phone numbers with 공 for zero, prices like 사천오백 원, floors and minutes — with café dialogue and quiz. 8 Native Korean Numbers and Counters: Count Like a Local Native Korean numbers 하나, 둘, 셋 pair with counters 개, 명, 잔 — and the first four change shape: 한 개, 두 잔. Learn the rule plus when to use native vs sino. 9 Telling Time in Korean: The Hour-Minute Number Rule Korean tells time with both number systems at once: native for hours (한 시, 두 시), sino for minutes (오 분, 삼십 분). Learn 몇 시예요?, 오전/오후, 반, weekdays, and 에. 10 Korean Dates and Months: 유월, 시월, and the Sino Rule Korean dates are all sino numbers — 년, 월, 일, big to small — with two exceptions: June is 유월, October is 시월. Learn months, 며칠, 부터/까지, and birthday phrases. 11 Korean Family Terms: Why 'Older Brother' Has Two Words Korean family terms depend on the speaker's gender: older brother is 형 for men but 오빠 for women; older sister is 누나 or 언니. Learn 가족 words and the 우리 habit. 12 Korean Location Words: 어디, 있어요, and Position Nouns Ask where anything is with 어디예요? and answer with 있어요/없어요 plus position nouns 위, 아래, 앞, 뒤, 옆, 안, 밖 — the place-에-있어요 pattern, with a phone-hunt dialogue. 📦 Korean Greetings Beyond 안녕하세요: What People Actually Say Annyeonghaseyo is just the start. Learn the greetings Koreans actually use with friends, coworkers, and shop staff — with pronunciation tips. 📦 Korean Fruit Vocabulary: Market Words and Seasonal Favorites Learn Korean fruit names — from apples and pears to hallabong and persimmons. Includes taste words, market phrases, and Korea's gift-fruit culture.
🌿Level 2 · TOPIK 2
Daily life — places, transport, favors · 5 lessons 📦 Korean Place Vocabulary: Everyday Locations You Need to Know Learn Korean words for everyday places — school, office, hospital, convenience store and more. With location particles, example sentences, and culture notes. 📦 Korean Directions & Position Vocabulary: Never Get Lost Again Left, right, straight, across from — Korean direction and position words with the grammar to use them. Includes asking-for-directions phrases and a navigation dialogue. 📦 Transportation in Korea: Vocabulary for Getting Around Like a Local Master Korean transportation vocabulary — subway, buses, taxis, KTX and more. Includes T-money tips, real example sentences, and the phrases Koreans actually use. 📦 Korean Nature & Weather Vocabulary: Seasons, Sky, and Small Talk Korean weather and nature words — seasons, rain, fine dust, mountains and more. The vocabulary Koreans use daily for small talk, with example sentences. 📦 Home Appliances in Korea: The Vocabulary You Need for Daily Life Korean home appliance vocabulary explained — from 밥솥 (rice cooker) to 공기청정기 (air purifier). With usage tips, ondol culture notes, and real example sentences.
🧩Level 3 · TOPIK 3
Work, devices, real conversations · 2 lessons 📦 Korean Job Vocabulary: Occupations, Workplace Words, and How to Say What You Do Korean job and occupation vocabulary — common professions, workplace terms, and natural patterns for talking about your career. With honorific tips and examples. 📦 Korean Electronics Vocabulary: Devices, Chargers, and Tech Talk Talk about phones, laptops and gadgets in Korean — devices, accessories, and the verbs that go with them. Includes Yongsan market culture note and tech phrases.
🚀Level 4 · TOPIK 4
Workplace Korean, media, idiomsComing soon
🎯Level 5 · TOPIK 5
News, business, nuanceComing soon
🏆Level 6 · TOPIK 6
Near-native — debate, literatureComing soon