Topic guide
Korean Grammar Basics — Particles, Tense, and Negation
Textbooks scatter Korean grammar across dozens of disconnected lessons. This page collects the load-bearing pieces — the particles, endings, and patterns that show up in nearly every sentence — in the order that actually builds understanding.
Start with particles, add tense, then negation and wants. By the end you can build real sentences, not just recite rules.
Follow the order top to bottom if you're building a foundation; if you already know the basics and just need one specific pattern, search this page for it and jump straight to that entry.
- 01
What Does 은/는 Mean in Korean?
은/는 (eun/neun) is the Korean topic marker, explained with simple examples — no complicated grammar…
- 02
What Does 이/가 Mean in Korean?
이/가 (i/ga) is the Korean particle that identifies or emphasizes the subject — with real examples and a quiz.
- 03
은/는 vs 이/가: What's the Difference?
은/는 (eun/neun) and 이/가 (i/ga) are Korea's two subject-area particles — confusing at first, but here's the…
- 04
What Does 을/를 Mean in Korean?
을/를 (eul/reul) is the Korean particle that marks the object of a verb — with real examples, common…
- 05
에 vs 에서: What's the Difference in Korean?
에 (e) and 에서 (eseo) both relate to place in Korean, but one marks destination/existence and the other…
- 06
What Does 도 Mean in Korean?
도 (do) is the Korean particle for 'also' and 'too' — including how it replaces 은/는/이/가/을/를 in a sentence.
- 07
What Does 만 Mean in Korean?
만 (man) is the Korean particle for 'only' and 'just' — with examples and how it combines with other particles.
- 08
Korean Particles: The Complete Beginner Guide
A complete map of Korean particles for beginners — 은/는, 이/가, 을/를, 에, 에서, 도, 만 — what each one does and how…
- 09
Korean Sentence Structure Basics (SOV Order Explained)
Korean puts the verb last: 저는 커피를 마셔요 is 'I coffee drink.' How SOV order works, why particles let words…
- 10
What Does 하다 Mean? The Most Useful Verb in Korean
Learn what 하다 (hada, 'to do') means in Korean and how it combines with nouns to create hundreds of verbs —…
- 11
What Does 있다/없다 Mean in Korean?
있다 (issda) and 없다 (eopda) mean 'exist/have' and its opposite in Korean — used for possession, location,…
- 12
입니다 vs 이에요: Which 'To Be' Should You Use?
입니다 (imnida) and 이에요 (ieyo) both mean 'to be' in Korean, but at different politeness levels — plus 예요 and…
- 13
Korean Present Tense: -아요/-어요 Explained
Learn how Korean's polite present tense works — the -아요/-어요 verb ending — with the vowel rule and common…
- 14
Korean Past Tense: -았/-었 Explained
Learn Korean past tense — the -았/-었 verb ending — using the same vowel rule as -아요/-어요, with clear…
- 15
Korean Future Tense: -(으)ㄹ 거예요 Explained
Learn Korean future tense with -(으)ㄹ 거예요 — the standard 'will/going to' pattern — with the batchim rule,…
- 16
안 vs 못: Two Ways to Say 'Not' in Korean
An (안) and mot (못) both negate a verb in Korean — 안 means 'don't/won't' by choice, while 못 means 'can't'…
- 17
What Does -지 않다 Mean? Korean Negation Explained
Learn the Korean -지 않다 negation pattern — the long form of 안 — with examples, how it compares to 안/못, and…
- 18
What Does -고 싶다 Mean? Saying 'I Want To' in Korean
Learn the Korean pattern -고 싶다 for 'want to' — verb stem + 고 싶어요 — with examples, the -고 싶어하다 twist for…
- 19
-세요: The Polite Command Form Explained
Learn the Korean -세요 ending — the polite command and request form you've already seen everywhere on this…
- 20
Why Do Koreans Add 요 to Sentences?
요 (yo) makes a Korean sentence polite: 고마워 → 고마워요.
- 21
Korean Question Words: 누구, 언제, 어디, 얼마나
Learn Korea's core question words — 누구 (who), 언제 (when), 어디 (where), 얼마나 (how much/long), and more — with…
- 22
Korean Honorific Verbs: 드시다, 계시다, 주무시다
Learn Korean's irregular honorific verbs — 드시다 (eat), 계시다 (be/exist), 주무시다 (sleep) — that replace ordinary…
- 23
존댓말 Endings Reference Guide
A quick-reference chart of Korean polite (존댓말) sentence endings — statements, questions, and commands —…
- 24
Korean Indirect Speech: -다고, -냐고, -자고, -(으)라고 Explained
Say 'she said that…', 'he asked whether…' or 'they told me to…' in Korean with the four reported-speech…
- 25
Korean Causative and Passive Verbs: 먹이다 vs 먹히다
Korean turns 먹다 into 먹이다 (feed) and 먹히다 (be eaten) with tiny suffixes.
- 26
-느라고 vs -는 바람에: Two Ways to Say 'Because' in Korean
-느라고 and -는 바람에 both mean 'because': one blames what you were busy doing, the other something unexpected.
- 27
-(으)ㄴ/는데 Explained: The Korean Connector That Does Three Jobs
-(으)ㄴ/는데 is the connector K-drama characters use in almost every sentence.
- 28
-(으)ㄹ 것 같다: How to Guess, Hedge, and Sound Polite in Korean
-(으)ㄹ 것 같다 means 'I think / it seems / probably' — Korean's all-purpose hedge.
- 29
-았/었으면 좋겠다: Wishing and Hoping in Korean
Say 'I wish…' or 'I hope…' in Korean with -았/었으면 좋겠다: why the past tense is there, how it differs from -고…
- 30
How Do You Say "You" in Korean? (Usually, You Don't)
Learn why Korean avoids a direct 'you' — 너 is only for close or younger people, and 당신 can sound…
- 31
나 vs 저: Korean's Two Words for "I"
나 (na) and 저 (jeo) both mean 'I' in Korean — but 나 is casual banmal and 저 is the humble, polite form.
- 32
몰라요 vs 잘 모르겠어요: Two Ways to Say "I Don't Know"
몰라요 (mollayo) and 잘 모르겠어요 (jal moreugesseoyo) both mean 'I don't know,' but one can sound blunt and the…
- 33
들 (deul): How Korean Plurals Actually Work
들 (deul) is the Korean plural marker, but it's optional: add it for 'more than one' (친구 → 친구들), skip it…
- 34
무슨 vs 어느 vs 어떤: Three Kinds of "What/Which"
무슨 (museun, 'what kind'), 어느 (eoneu, 'which of a set') and 어떤 (eotteon, 'what sort') are Korea's three…
- 35
좋다 vs 좋아하다: To Be Good vs To Like
좋다 (jota) is an adjective ('to be good/pleasing') and 좋아하다 (joahada) is a verb ('to like') — swapping them…
- 36
이따가 vs 있다가: The Pair Even Koreans Mix Up
이따가 (ittaga) means 'a little later' while 있다가 (itdaga) means 'after staying somewhere' — a near-homophone…
- 37
기억하다 vs 기억나다: Two Ways to Remember
기억하다 (gieokhada) is actively remembering something; 기억나다 (gieoknada) is a memory coming back on its own —…
- 38
Korean Counters: 개, 명, 마리 and Friends
Korean says 'coffee two cups' (커피 두 잔), not 'two coffees.' The core counters (개 things, 명 people, 마리…
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