6급 문법TOPIK 6 Korean Grammar — 56 Points
Near-native command: nuance, register, proverbs, and unfamiliar specialist material read at speed.
All 56 grammar points the dictionary grades at 6급, 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.
깨나
A postpositional particle used to convey the meaning of "above average."
마는
A postpositional particle used when accepting the preceding content while also stating a question about it, a situation that contradicts to it, etc.
을랑
A postpositional particle used to specify and point to a certain subject.
이라고
A postpositional particle used to indicate that one is not happy with the preceding statement.
이라면
A connective ending used when assuming a certain fact or situation.
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.
-거들랑
(informal addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending referring to the reason, cause, or basis for the preceding statement that the speaker thought…
-게
(formal, moderately addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending used when ordering a person who is younger or has close friendly ties with you.
-게
(informal addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending used to indicate the following content would obviously be realized if the preceding content…
-구려
(formal, moderately addressee-raising) A sentence-final ending used to indicate that the speaker is impressed by a newly realized fact.
-그려
A postpositional particle used when the speaker talks about what he/she says to the listener in a friendly manner.
-나
(informal addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending used when asking or assuming something.
-네
(formal, moderately addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending referring to a simple description.
-는가
A sentence-final ending used when the speaker is asking himself/herself or assuming something.
-는구려
(formal, moderately addressee-raising) A sentence-final ending used to indicate that the speaker is impressed by a newly learned fact.
-는구만
(informal addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending used to indicate that the speaker notices or is impressed by a newly learned fact.
-는구먼
(informal addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending used to indicate that the speaker notices or is impressed by a newly learned fact.
-던
(formal, highly addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending used to ask about the listener's personal experience of the past in a friendly manner.
-던가
(formal, moderately addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending used to ask about a fact of the past.
-던가
A sentence-final ending used to ask oneself or assume about a fact of the past.
-라
(formal, highly addressee-lowering)(old-fashioned) A sentence-final ending used when explaining a certain fact.
-소
(formal, moderately addressee-raising) A sentence-final ending used to describe, ask a question, order, and request.
-으니
(formal, moderately addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending used to state a truth or obvious fact.
-으리라
(formal, highly addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending used when the speaker guesses a certain situation.
-으리오
A sentence-final ending used to say as if asking again to emphasize that there is no possibility.
-으오
(formal, moderately addressee-raising) A sentence-final ending used to describe, ask a question, order, or request.
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.
-거들랑
A connective ending used to mean "if something is true or turns out to be true."
-건대
A connective ending used when the speaker implies in advance that he/she will confess his/her thoughts or hopes, etc., in the following statement.
-건만
A connective ending used when the actual result is different from the result that was anticipated from the preceding statement.
-기로서니
A connective ending used when emphasizing this meaning, "however the preceding statement says so."
-노라면
-느니만큼
A connective ending used when admitting to the truth of the preceding statement and saying that it is the cause or reason for the following statement.
-는다고
A connective ending used when implying the purpose or intention of a certain action, or the reason or cause of a certain situation.
-되
A connective ending used when connecting contradictory facts.
-디
A connective ending used when repeating a part of words that expresses state and emphasizing its meaning.
-으련마는
A connective ending used when the speaker anticipates and assumes a certain situation of which some conditions are met, but the following content is…
-은들
A connective ending used when a result is different from what was anticipated, even if that situation was a presumable outcome.
-을라치면
A connective ending used when making the preceding statement into the premise of the following statement through a previous experience.
-을망정
A connective ending used when recognizing the truth of the preceding negative fact, and adding another fact that is the opposite of it.
-이라야
A postpositional particle used when the thing is only possible as a precondition of something.
-자니
An expression used to indicate that the speaker is surprised or impressed by a recommendation or suggestion heard.
-자면
A connective ending used to assume a certain intention or thought.
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.
-기 일쑤이다
An expression used to state that the incident mentioned in the preceding statement happens frequently.
-기 짝이 없다
An expression used to stress that something is incomparably great or severe.
-는 한이 있어도
An expression used to indicate the speaker's commitment to accomplish the following statement, although the speaker must overcome the extreme…
-는다는
An expression used to quote someone while modifying the following noun.
-는다던가
(formal, moderately addressee-lowering) An expression used to ask the listener something to check the information.
-어 치우다
-으래서야
An expression used to convey an order and to question or make a negative judgment on it.
-으려도
An expression used to indicate that although one intends to do a certain act, one cannot do it.
-으리라고
An expression used to convey one's intention.
-으리라는
An expression used to convey one's intention, modifying the following noun.
-을 바에
An expression used to indicate that the speaker will choose the following content, because the content of the preceding statement is less…
-자면
An expression used to assume and indicate someone's recommendation or suggestion.
는 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
An expression used to indicate that the preceding statement is not to be judged or valued.
이라고는
An expression used to mention something with emphasis on it.
자주 묻는 질문Common questions
How many grammar points are there at TOPIK 6?
56 at 6급 itself — 5 particles, 20 sentence endings, 16 connectives, 15 expressions — and 336 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 6급 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: -거들랑, -거들랑, -건대.
Grammar definitions, usage notes and examples from the 국립국어원 한국어기초사전, used under CC BY-SA 2.0 KR.