표현Korean Expressions — All 136

Multi-part patterns that behave as one piece of grammar — -을 수 있다, -어야 하다, -은 적이 있다. Most of what a learner calls "grammar" past 2급 is here.

136 expressions across every TOPIK level, easiest first.

TOPIK 1 9 TOPIK 2 17 TOPIK 3 33 TOPIK 4 26 TOPIK 5 36 TOPIK 6 15

1급 표현TOPIK 1 — 9 expressions

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-고 싶다 -go sipda An expression used to state that the speaker wants to do the act mentioned in the preceding statement. -고 있다 -go itda An expression used to state that the act mentioned in the preceding statement is continued. -기 전에 -gi jeone -기 전 An expression used to state that a certain act occurs earlier than the act in the preceding statement. -어야 되다 -eoya doeda -아야 되다 · -여야 되다 An expression used to indicate that one needs or is obligated to do a certain thing. -은 후에 -eun hu-e -은 후 · -ㄴ 후 An expression used to indicate that one does a certain act mentioned in the preceding statement and a while later, does another thing. -을 수 있다 -eul su itda -ㄹ 수 있다 An expression used to indicate that one has an ability to do something. -지 못하다 -ji motada An expression used to indicate that the speaker cannot do the act mentioned in the preceding statement, or that things did not work out as the… -지 않다 -ji anta An expression used to deny the act or state indicated in the preceding statement. 이 아니다 가 아니다

2급 표현TOPIK 2 — 17 expressions

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-게 되다 -ge doeda An expression used to indicate that something will become the state or situation mentioned in the preceding statement. -기 때문에 -gi ttaemun -기 때문이다 An expression used to indicate that the preceding statement is the reason or cause for the following incident. -기로 하다 -giro hada An expression used to decide or promise the performance of the act mentioned in the preceding statement. -는 것 -neun geot -은 것 · -ㄴ 것 · -을 것 An expression used to enable a non-noun word to be used as a noun in a sentence or to be used in front of '이다' (be). -는 것 같다 -neun geot gatda -ㄴ 것 같다 · -은 것 같다 · -ㄹ 것 같다 An expression used to indicate that the statement is a guess. -는 동안에 -neun dong-an -는 동안 An expression used to indicate the time, for which the act or state mentioned in the preceding statement lasts. -어 보다 -eo boda -아 보다 · -여 보다 An expression used to indicate that one does the act mentioned in the preceding statement, as a test. -어 있다 -eo itda -아 있다 · -여 있다 An expression used to indicate that the state mentioned in the preceding statement is continued. -어 주다 -eo juda -아 주다 · -여 주다 An expression used to indicate that one does the act mentioned in the preceding statement for someone. -어도 되다 -eodo doeda -아도 되다 · -여도 되다 An expression used to indicate that a certain act is allowed or accepted. -은 적이 있다 -eun jeogi itda -ㄴ 적이 있다 · -는 적이 있다 An expression used to indicate that the act or state mentioned in the preceding statement existed in the past. -은 지 -eun ji -ㄴ 지 An expression used to indicate that a certain time has passed since a certain act mentioned in the preceding statement is done. -을 것 -eul geot -ㄹ 것 An expression used to close a sentence by giving an order or instruction. -을 때 -eul ttae -ㄹ 때 An expression used to indicate the duration, period, or occasion of a certain act or situation. -을 수밖에 없다 -eul subakke eopda -ㄹ 수밖에 없다 An expression used to indicate that there is no other method or possibility other than that. -을까 보다 -eulkka boda -ㄹ까 보다 An expression used to indicate that the speaker has an intention to do the act mentioned in the preceding statement. -지 말다 -ji malda An expression used to prohibit the act mentioned in the preceding statement.

3급 표현TOPIK 3 — 33 expressions

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-게 하다 -ge hada An expression used to order someone to do a certain thing or to make something work. -고 나다 -go nada An expression used to indicate that the act denoted in the preceding statement has finished. -고 말다 -go malda An expression used to state that it is regrettable that the act mentioned in the preceding statement finally occurred. -고 싶어 하다 -go sipeo hada An expression used to indicate that the speaker wants to do an action or fall into the state mentioned in the preceding statement. -기 위해 -gi wihaeseo -기 위해서 · -기 위한 · 을 위해 An expression used to indicate the intention, which is the goal for doing a certain thing. -기는 -gineun -긴 · -기는요 · -긴요 A sentence-final ending used when gently denying or refuting the other person's statement. -나 보다 -na boda An expression used to guess about a fact mentioned in the preceding statement. -는 대신에 -neun daesine -ㄴ 대신에 · -은 대신에 An expression used to indicate that the states and behaviors mentioned in the preceding statement and the following statement are different or… -는 만큼 -neun mankeum -ㄴ 만큼 · -은 만큼 · -ㄹ 만큼 An expression used to indicate that the following content is proportional to the preceding content or of a similar level or quantity. -는 모양이다 -neun moyang-ida -ㄴ 모양이다 · -은 모양이다 An expression used to guess that something is in progress or in a certain state, considering another fact or situation. -는 반면 -n banmyeone -ㄴ 반면에 · -은 반면에 An expression used to indicate that the facts in the preceding statement and the following statement are opposites. -는 중이다 -neun jung-ida An expression used to indicate that a certain thing is in progress. -는 편이다 -neun pyeonida An expression used to indicate that something has a certain tendency or is classified as such, instead of being sure of it. -는가 보다 -neun-ga boda An expression used to guess about a fact mentioned in the preceding statement. -는다고 -neundago -ㄴ다고 · -다고 · -라고 An expression used to pass along what the speaker heard from another person, or to present the subject's thoughts, opinions, etc. -어 가다 -eo gada -아 가다 · -여 가다 An expression used to indicate that the act or state mentioned in the preceding statement is continued. -어 가지고 -eo gajigo -아 가지고 · -여 가지고 An expression used to indicate that the result or state of the act mentioned in the preceding statement is continued. -어 놓다 -eo nota -아 놓다 · -여 놓다 An expression used to indicate that a certain act mentioned in the preceding statement is completed and its result remains. -어 두다 -eo duda -아 두다 · -여 두다 An expression used to indicate that a certain act mentioned in the preceding statement is completed and its result remains. -어 드리다 -eo deurida -아 드리다 · -여 드리다 (honorific) An expression used to indicate that one does the act mentioned in the preceding statement for a respected person. -어 보이다 -eo boida -아보이다 · -여 보이다 An expression used to indicate that one feels or guesses something by appearance as mentioned in the preceding statement. -어 오다 -eo oda -아 오다 · -여 오다 An expression used to indicate that the act or state mentioned in the preceding statement is continued as a certain set point of time is approaching. -어야겠- -eoyaget- -아야겠- · -여야겠- An expression used to indicate a strong will for the act mentioned in the preceding statement, or to guess that doing the act may be necessary. -어지다 -eojida -아지다 · -여지다 An expression used to indicate that the act mentioned in the preceding statement is done by someone or another force. -으려다가 -euryeodaga -려다가 · -으려다 · 려다 An expression used to indicate that the act with an intention or purpose is stopped or changed to another act. -으면 안 되다 -eumyeon an doeda -면 안 되다 An expression used to indicate that a certain act or state is banned or limited. -으면 좋겠다 -eumyeon joketda -면 좋겠다 An expression used to indicate the speaker's hope or wish, or the speaker's wish that the result would be different from reality. -은 결과 -eun gyeolgwa -ㄴ 결과 An expression used to indicate that a situation occurred as a result of doing a certain act mentioned in the preceding statement. -은 다음에 -eun da-eume -ㄴ 다음에 An expression used to indicate that the time being described takes places after the completion of a certain work or process mentioned in the… -을 테니 -eul teni -ㄹ 테니 · -을 테니까 · -ㄹ 테니까 An expression used to indicate the speaker's intention to do the act mentioned in the preceding statement, as a condition for the following statement. -을 텐데 -eul tende -ㄹ 텐데 · -을 텐데요 · -ㄹ 텐데요 An expression used to indicate the speaker's strong guess about the preceding statement and add other relevant content. 만 아니면 man animyeon An expression used to stress that something is an unavoidable condition or reason. 에 대하여 e daehan 에 대해 · 에 대해서 · 에 대한 An expression that modifies the following noun and indicates that the preceding noun is the subject of the following noun.

4급 표현TOPIK 4 — 26 expressions

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-고 들다 -go deulda An expression used to press someone to do the preceding act. -고 보다 -go boda An expression indicating that the action implied by the preceding word is done first and the subsequent events are thought about later. -고 해서 -go haeseo An expression used to state that the content of the preceding statement is one of several reasons for doing the act mentioned in the following… -나 싶다 -na sipda An expression used to indicate that the speaker is making a subjective and uncertain guess about the preceding statement. -는 김에 -neun gime -ㄴ 김에 · -은 김에 An expression used to indicate that one is doing a certain act, after the act mentioned in the preceding statement or while doing a similar behavior… -는 대로 -neun daero -ㄴ 대로 · -은 대로 An expression used to indicate that something is the same as the present act or state mentioned in the preceding statement. -는 듯 -neun deut -ㄴ 듯 · 은 듯 -ㄹ 듯 · -을 듯 An expression used to guess that something said might be similar to the preceding state or situation. -는 바람에 -neun barame An expression used to indicate that an act or state mentioned in the preceding statement is the cause or reason for the following statement. -는 사이에 -neun sai -는 사이 An expression used to indicate a certain, short time in the middle of an act or situation. -는 줄 -neun jul -ㄴ 줄 · -은 줄 · ㄹ 줄 An expression used to indicate that one either knows or does not know a certain fact or state. -는 탓에 -neun tat -ㄴ 탓에 · -은 탓에 An expression used to indicate that the preceding statement is the reason or cause for the following negative phenomenon. -는 통에 -neun tong-e An expression used to indicate the situation or cause of the bad result mentioned in the following statement. -는 한 -neun han An expression used to indicate that the preceding statement becomes the premise or condition for the act or state in the following statement. -는다거나 -neundageona -ㄴ다거나 · -다거나 · -라거나 An expression used to choose one of two or more confronting behaviors. -는대 -neundae -ㄴ대 · -는대요 · -대 (informal addressee-lowering) An expression used to indirectly tell something the speaker heard from another person. -어 대다 -eo daeda -아 대다 · -여 대다 An expression used to indicate that the act mentioned in the preceding statement is repeated or done seriously. -어 버리다 -eo beorida -아 버리다 · -여 버리다 An expression used to indicate that the act mentioned in the preceding statement is completely done. -어서인지 -eoseoinji -아서인지 · -여서인지 An expression used to guess that the preceding statement is the cause or reason for the following statement. -을 따름이다 -eul ttareumida -ㄹ 따름이다 An expression used to indicate that the state or situation mentioned in the preceding statement is the only option. -을 모양이다 -eul moyang-ida -ㄹ 모양이다 An expression used to guess that something could happen or be in a certain state in the future, considering another fact or situation. -을 뻔하다 -eul ppeonhada -ㄹ 뻔하다 An expression used to indicate that the incident mentioned in the preceding statement did not happen, but that it was close. 만 같아도 man gatado An expression used to assume something by comparing it with a certain period or situation mentioned in the preceding statement. 에 따라 에 따르면 에 비하여 e bihayeo 에 비하면 An expression used to indicate the same result in the following statement, when compared with the preceding statement. 에 의하여 에 의하면 으로 인하여 euro inhada 로 인하여 · 으로 인해 · 로 인해 An expression used to indicate that the preceding statement is the cause or reason for a certain incident.

5급 표현TOPIK 5 — 36 expressions

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-게 마련이다 -ge maryeonida -기 마련이다 An expression used to indicate that it is natural for something to occur or become a certain state. -게 생겼다 -ge saengyeotta An expression used to indicate that someone is facing the situation expressed by the preceding statement. -기 나름이다 -gi nareumida -을 나름이다 An expression used to indicate that something depends on how the act mentioned in the preceding statement is done. -기가 바쁘게 -giga bappeuge An expression used to indicate that something happens as soon as the act mentioned in the preceding statement is completed. -기가 쉽다 -giga swipda An expression used to state that the act or state mentioned in the preceding statement is likely to occur. -기만 하다 -giman hada An expression used to state that one does only one act without doing anything else. -기에 따라 -기에 앞서 -는 가운데 -neun gaunde -은 가운데 An expression used to indicate that the background or situation of a certain act or incident is continued. -는 데다가 -neun dedaga -ㄴ데다가 · -은 데다가 · -ㄴ 데다가 An expression used to indicate that a certain act or state has been added to its preceding act or state, making it worse or better. -는 동시에 -neun dongsie -ㄴ 동시에 An expression used to indicate that a certain act or state mentioned in the preceding statement and following statement happens at the same time. -는 듯하다 -neun deutada -ㄴ듯하다 · -은 듯하다 · -ㄹ 듯하다 An expression used to guess the content of the preceding statement. -는 법이다 -neun beobida -ㄴ 법이다 · -은 법이다 An expression used to indicate that the act or state mentioned in the preceding statement has been decided already or is reasonable. -는 이상 -neun isang -ㄴ 이상 · -은 이상 An expression used to indicate that one must do something or accept a certain situation because the preceding statement has been already decided. -는 척하다 -neun cheokada -ㄴ 척하다 · -은 척하다 An expression used to indicate that one is pretending to do something or to be something, which is not true. -는다기에 -neundagie -ㄴ다기에 · -다기에 · -라기에 An expression used to indicate that something the speaker heard is the reason or basis for the following statement. -는다는 것이 -neundaneun geosi -ㄴ다는 것이 An expression used to indicate that a result not intended during the preceding act appears in the following statement. -는다니 -neundani -다니 · -라니 · -으라니 (informal addressee-lowering) An expression used to ask the listener about what another person said. -는데도 -neundedo -ㄴ데도 · -은데도 An expression used to indicate that the following situation will occur, regardless of the preceding situation. -는데도 불구하고 -neundedo bulguhago -ㄴ데도 불구하고 · -은데도 불구하고 An expression used to indicate that the following content is different from or the opposite of what was expected in the preceding statement. -어 내다 -eo naeda -아 내다 · -여 내다 An expression used to indicate that one finally accomplishes the act mentioned in the preceding statement by oneself. -었던 -eotdeon -았던 · -였던 An expression used to recall a past incident or state, and indicate that the incident or state is suspended, not completed. -으려나 보다 -euryeona boda -려나 보다 An expression used to guess that the something mentioned in the preceding statement is likely to happen. -으면 몰라도 -eumyeon mollado -면 몰라도 An expression used to assume an opposite state or an unrealized situation, and indicate that the following situation is possible only when such a… -은 나머지 -eun nameoji -ㄴ 나머지 An expression used to indicate that something is the result of a certain act or state mentioned in the preceding statement. -은 채로 -eun chaero -ㄴ 채로 An expression used to indicate that the state remains the same as when a certain act mentioned in the preceding statement occurred. -을 만하다 -eul manhada -ㄹ 만하다 An expression used to express that the act mentioned in the preceding statement is worth trying. -을 법하다 -eul beophada -ㄹ 법하다 An expression used to judge that the situation mentioned in the preceding statement is likely to happen. -을 테다 -eul teda -ㄹ 테다 (formal, highly addressee-lowering) An expression used to indicate the speaker's strong will or plan to do a certain thing. -을 테면 -eul temyeon -ㄹ 테면 An expression used to indicate that the speaker wants to do or has a will to do a certain thing, as a condition for the following statement. -을 테지만 -eul tejiman -ㄹ 테지만 An expression used to indicate that the speaker is certain of the preceding content, but that the following content can be different from the former. -자기에 -jagie An expression used to present someone's suggestion as the reason or basis for the following statement. 는 말할 것도 없고 neun malhal geotdo eopgo 은 말할 것도 없고 An expression used to indicate that the preceding statement is naturally so, and that, compared to that, the following statement is also as such. 를 가지고 reul gajigo 을 가지고 An expression used to indicate that the preceding statement is a tool, means, method, material, etc., for something. 에 관하여 e gwanhan 에 관한 An expression that modifies the following noun and indicates that the preceding noun is the subject of the following noun. 에도 불구하고 edo bulguhago An expression used to indicate that the following content is different from or the opposite of what was expected in the preceding statement.

6급 표현TOPIK 6 — 15 expressions

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-기 일쑤이다 -gi ilssu-ida An expression used to state that the incident mentioned in the preceding statement happens frequently. -기 짝이 없다 -gi jjagi eopda An expression used to stress that something is incomparably great or severe. -는 한이 있어도 -neun hani isseodo -는 한이 있더라도 An expression used to indicate the speaker's commitment to accomplish the following statement, although the speaker must overcome the extreme… -는다는 -neundaneun -ㄴ다는 · -는단 · -다는 An expression used to quote someone while modifying the following noun. -는다던가 -neundadeon-ga -다던가 · -라던가 (formal, moderately addressee-lowering) An expression used to ask the listener something to check the information. -어 치우다 -아 치우다 · -여 치우다 -으래서야 -euraeseoya -래서야 An expression used to convey an order and to question or make a negative judgment on it. -으려도 -euryeodo -려도 An expression used to indicate that although one intends to do a certain act, one cannot do it. -으리라고 -eurirago -리라고 An expression used to convey one's intention. -으리라는 -euriraneun -리라는 An expression used to convey one's intention, modifying the following noun. -을 바에 -eul ba-e -ㄹ 바에 An expression used to indicate that the speaker will choose the following content, because the content of the preceding statement is less… -자면 -jamyeon An expression used to assume and indicate someone's recommendation or suggestion. 는 마당에 -neun madang-e -ㄴ 마당에 · -은 마당에 An expression used to indicate that one is in a situation or position where something mentioned in the preceding statement has already occurred. 를 막론하고 reul mangnonhago 을 막론하고 An expression used to indicate that the preceding statement is not to be judged or valued. 이라고는 -iragoneun 라고는 · 이라곤 · 라곤 An expression used to mention something with emphasis on it.

자주 묻는 질문Common questions

How many Korean expressions are there?

The dictionary grades 136 of them across the six TOPIK levels, 9 at 1급, 17 at 2급, 33 at 3급, 26 at 4급, 36 at 5급, 15 at 6급. That is the graded set, not the complete set — but a learner who knows these has met every one that appears on a TOPIK paper.

What is a expression in Korean?

Multi-part patterns that behave as one piece of grammar — -을 수 있다, -어야 하다, -은 적이 있다. Most of what a learner calls "grammar" past 2급 is here.

Grammar definitions, usage notes and examples from the 국립국어원 한국어기초사전, used under CC BY-SA 2.0 KR.