3급 문법TOPIK 3 Korean Grammar — 67 Points
The independent-user threshold: honorifics used properly, indirect speech, and 합니다체 for formal settings.
All 67 grammar points the dictionary grades at 3급, grouped by kind. Each links to its own page with the 받침 rule, every sense and real examples.
조사Particles
The bound markers that say what a noun is doing in its sentence — subject, topic, object, place, direction. Korean has no word order to lean on, so these carry the load English does with position.
같이
A postpositional particle used to indicate that there are similar characteristics to the preceding statement.
대로
A postpositional particle used when following what the preceding statement points to or doing something in such a way.
만큼
A postpositional particle indicating what is of a similar level or limit to the preceding words.
보고
A postpositional particle used when something is the subject that an act has an influence on.
뿐
A postpositional particle used when there is nothing more than the content of the preceding statement or when it is only so.
아
A postpositional particle used to address a friend, younger person, animal, etc.
요
A postpositional particle used to indicate respect for the other person, the subject who is shown respect.
으로부터
A postpositional particle that indicates something is the starting point of an action or event or it is the subject that causes it.
이고
A postpositional particle used to list two or more things and choose them on an equal basis.
이라고
A postpositional particle used to indicate that the preceding statement was a quote.
종결 어미Sentence Endings
What a Korean sentence ends in, and therefore what it is: a statement, a question, an order, a suggestion — and at which speech level you are saying it.
-거든
(informal addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending referring to the reason, cause, or basis for the preceding statement that the speaker thought…
-는구나
(formal, highly addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending used to imply a certain feeling in a newly learned fact.
-는다
(formal, highly addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending used to describe an event or fact of the present.
-니
(formal, highly addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending referring to a question.
-던데
(informal addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending used to admire something in the past while anticipating the listener's response.
-자
(formal, highly addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending used to indicate the suggestion to do a certain act together.
-잖아
(informal addressee-lowering) An expression used to check with or correct the listener on something about a certain situation.
연결 어미Connectives
The endings that join two clauses — and, but, so, if, while. Korean puts the join on the first verb rather than between the clauses.
-거든
A connective ending used to convey the meaning, "if something is true or turns out to be true."
-느라고
A connective ending used when the action of the preceding statement is the purpose or cause of the following statement.
-는다거나
An expression used to explain something by listing some behaviors as examples.
-는다고
A connective ending used when implying the purpose or intention of a certain action, or the reason or cause of a certain situation.
-다가
A connective ending used when an action or state, etc., is stopped and changed to another action or state.
-도록
A connective ending used when the preceding statement is the purpose, result, method, amount, etc., of something mentioned in the following statement.
-어다가
A connective ending used when one does a certain act and does the following act based on the result of the preceding one.
-어도
A connective ending used when assuming or recognizing the truth of the preceding statement, although it is not related to or does not influence the…
-어야
A connective ending used when the preceding statement is an essential condition for the following statement.
-어야지
A connective ending used when the preceding statement is an essential condition for the following statement.
-었더니
An expression used to indicate that there is a new incident or situation, different from a past one.
-으나
A connective ending used to indicate that the preceding content and the following content are different.
-으니
A connective ending used when the preceding statement is the cause, reason, or premise for the following statement.
-으려면
A connective ending used to assume that one has a purpose or intention of doing a certain act.
-자마자
A connective ending used to indicate that the following event or situation occurs right after the preceding event or situation.
전성 어미Modifier Endings
The endings that turn a whole clause into something that modifies a noun. Korean's answer to the relative clause, and it goes in front of the noun, not after it.
선어말 어미Pre-final Endings
The slot between the stem and the ending, where tense and honorifics live: -으시-, -었-, -겠-.
표현Expressions
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.
-게 하다
An expression used to order someone to do a certain thing or to make something work.
-고 나다
An expression used to indicate that the act denoted in the preceding statement has finished.
-고 말다
An expression used to state that it is regrettable that the act mentioned in the preceding statement finally occurred.
-고 싶어 하다
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
An expression used to indicate the intention, which is the goal for doing a certain thing.
-기는
A sentence-final ending used when gently denying or refuting the other person's statement.
-나 보다
An expression used to guess about a fact mentioned in the preceding statement.
-는 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
An expression used to indicate that the following content is proportional to the preceding content or of a similar level or quantity.
-는 모양이다
An expression used to guess that something is in progress or in a certain state, considering another fact or situation.
-는 반면
An expression used to indicate that the facts in the preceding statement and the following statement are opposites.
-는 중이다
An expression used to indicate that a certain thing is in progress.
-는 편이다
An expression used to indicate that something has a certain tendency or is classified as such, instead of being sure of it.
-는가 보다
An expression used to guess about a fact mentioned in the preceding statement.
-는다고
An expression used to pass along what the speaker heard from another person, or to present the subject's thoughts, opinions, etc.
-어 가다
An expression used to indicate that the act or state mentioned in the preceding statement is continued.
-어 가지고
An expression used to indicate that the result or state of the act mentioned in the preceding statement is continued.
-어 놓다
An expression used to indicate that a certain act mentioned in the preceding statement is completed and its result remains.
-어 두다
An expression used to indicate that a certain act mentioned in the preceding statement is completed and its result remains.
-어 드리다
(honorific) An expression used to indicate that one does the act mentioned in the preceding statement for a respected person.
-어 보이다
An expression used to indicate that one feels or guesses something by appearance as mentioned in the preceding statement.
-어 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-
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
An expression used to indicate that the act mentioned in the preceding statement is done by someone or another force.
-으려다가
An expression used to indicate that the act with an intention or purpose is stopped or changed to another act.
-으면 안 되다
An expression used to indicate that a certain act or state is banned or limited.
-으면 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
An expression used to indicate that a situation occurred as a result of doing a certain act mentioned in the preceding statement.
-은 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
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
An expression used to indicate the speaker's strong guess about the preceding statement and add other relevant content.
만 아니면
An expression used to stress that something is an unavoidable condition or reason.
에 대하여
An expression that modifies the following noun and indicates that the preceding noun is the subject of the following noun.
자주 묻는 질문Common questions
How many grammar points are there at TOPIK 3?
67 at 3급 itself — 10 particles, 7 sentence endings, 15 connectives, 1 modifier endings, 1 pre-final endings, 33 expressions — and 157 counting every level below it.
What grammar is on the TOPIK II exam?
TOPIK II covers levels 3 to 6, and it assumes everything from TOPIK I as read. Grammar is never tested on its own — it appears inside reading and listening passages and has to be produced in the writing section.
Which 3급 grammar point should I learn first?
Work down this page in order. It is grouped by kind, and within a kind by the dictionary's own order, so the points that everything else depends on come first: -거든, -거든, -게 하다.
Grammar definitions, usage notes and examples from the 국립국어원 한국어기초사전, used under CC BY-SA 2.0 KR.