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50 TOPIK Grammar Patterns Every Test-Taker Should Know (Levels 1-6)
Level
A2-B2
Type
Grammar
Theme
Daily Life
작성자
Y
작성시각
50 TOPIK Grammar Patterns Every Test-Taker Should Know
Grammar patterns are the scaffolding of Korean. You can know a thousand vocabulary words, but if you can't recognize how they connect in a sentence, TOPIK will eat you alive. The listening audio moves fast, reading passages get dense, and the writing section demands that you produce correct grammar on the spot.
This list covers 50 patterns that show up repeatedly across TOPIK I and TOPIK II. They're organized by level so you can focus on what matches your target score. Each pattern includes the structure, what it means, and an example sentence so you can see it in action.
No fluff — just the patterns, how they work, and where they'll show up on the test.
TOPIK I Patterns (Levels 1-2)
These are the building blocks. If you're taking TOPIK I, every single one of these will appear on your test. If you're taking TOPIK II, you still need these — they're assumed knowledge.
1. -아/어요 (Present tense, polite)
Structure: Verb stem + 아/어요
Meaning: Basic polite present tense — "I do," "I go," "I eat"
Example | Pronunciation | Meaning |
저는 학교에 가요. | jeo-neun hak-gyo-e ga-yo. | I go to school. |
매일 커피를 마셔요. | mae-il keo-pi-reul ma-syeo-yo. | I drink coffee every day. |
2. -았/었어요 (Past tense, polite)
Structure: Verb stem + 았/었어요
Meaning: Something happened — "I did," "I went," "I ate"
Example | Pronunciation | Meaning |
어제 영화를 봤어요. | eo-je yeong-hwa-reul bwass-eo-yo. | I watched a movie yesterday. |
3. -(으)ㄹ 거예요 (Future tense / intention)
Structure: Verb stem + (으)ㄹ 거예요
Meaning: "I will," "I'm going to" — plans and predictions
Example | Pronunciation | Meaning |
내일 친구를 만날 거예요. | nae-il chin-gu-reul man-nal geo-ye-yo. | I'm going to meet my friend tomorrow. |
4. -고 싶다 (Want to)
Structure: Verb stem + 고 싶다
Meaning: Expressing desire — "I want to"
Example | Pronunciation | Meaning |
한국에 가고 싶어요. | han-guk-e ga-go sip-eo-yo. | I want to go to Korea. |
5. -고 있다 (Progressive / ongoing action)
Structure: Verb stem + 고 있다
Meaning: Something is happening right now — "I am doing"
Example | Pronunciation | Meaning |
지금 책을 읽고 있어요. | ji-geum chaek-eul ilk-go iss-eo-yo. | I'm reading a book right now. |
6. -(으)ㄹ 수 있다/없다 (Can / can't)
Structure: Verb stem + (으)ㄹ 수 있다/없다
Meaning: Ability or possibility — "can do" or "can't do"
Example | Pronunciation | Meaning |
한국어를 말할 수 있어요. | han-guk-eo-reul mal-hal su iss-eo-yo. | I can speak Korean. |
7. -아/어서 (Because / and then)
Structure: Verb stem + 아/어서
Meaning: Cause-and-effect or sequential actions
Example | Pronunciation | Meaning |
비가 와서 집에 있었어요. | bi-ga wa-seo jib-e iss-eoss-eo-yo. | It rained, so I stayed home. |
Real moment: This pattern is a TOPIK I favorite. Listening dialogues constantly use -아/어서 to connect a reason to a result. "늦어서 미안해요" (neuj-eo-seo mi-an-hae-yo — "I'm sorry for being late") — the reason and the apology in one smooth phrase.
8. -(으)면 (If / when)
Structure: Verb stem + (으)면
Meaning: Conditional — "if" or "when"
Example | Pronunciation | Meaning |
시간이 있으면 같이 가요. | si-gan-i iss-eu-myeon ga-chi ga-yo. | If you have time, let's go together. |
9. -지 마세요 (Negative command)
Structure: Verb stem + 지 마세요
Meaning: "Don't do" — polite prohibition
Example | Pronunciation | Meaning |
여기에서 사진을 찍지 마세요. | yeo-gi-e-seo sa-jin-eul jjik-ji ma-se-yo. | Please don't take photos here. |
10. -(으)ㄴ/는 (Noun modification)
Structure: Adjective/Verb stem + (으)ㄴ/는 + Noun
Meaning: Modifying a noun — "the thing that is/does"
Example | Pronunciation | Meaning |
재미있는 영화 | jae-mi-in-neun yeong-hwa | an interesting movie |
어제 만난 사람 | eo-je man-nan sa-ram | the person I met yesterday |
11. -기 전에 (Before doing)
Structure: Verb stem + 기 전에
Meaning: "Before" — time sequencing
Example | Pronunciation | Meaning |
자기 전에 책을 읽어요. | ja-gi jeon-e chaek-eul ilg-eo-yo. | I read a book before sleeping. |
12. -(으)ㄴ 후에 / -고 나서 (After doing)
Structure: Verb stem + (으)ㄴ 후에 / 고 나서
Meaning: "After" — time sequencing
Example | Pronunciation | Meaning |
밥을 먹은 후에 산책해요. | bab-eul meog-eun hu-e san-chaek-hae-yo. | I take a walk after eating. |
13. -아/어 보다 (Try doing)
Structure: Verb stem + 아/어 보다
Meaning: "Try" — experiencing something
Example | Pronunciation | Meaning |
이 음식을 먹어 보세요. | i eum-sik-eul meog-eo bo-se-yo. | Try this food. |
14. -(으)ㄹ까요? (Shall we? / Do you think?)
Structure: Verb stem + (으)ㄹ까요?
Meaning: Suggestion or speculation
Example | Pronunciation | Meaning |
같이 점심 먹을까요? | ga-chi jeom-sim meog-eul-kka-yo? | Shall we eat lunch together? |
15. -아/어야 하다 (Have to / must)
Structure: Verb stem + 아/어야 하다
Meaning: Obligation — "must," "have to"
Example | Pronunciation | Meaning |
내일까지 숙제를 해야 해요. | nae-il-kka-ji suk-je-reul hae-ya hae-yo. | I have to do homework by tomorrow. |
TOPIK II Intermediate Patterns (Levels 3-4)
These patterns start showing up in TOPIK II reading and listening, and you'll need them for the writing section. They add nuance — comparisons, conditions, concessions.
16. -기 때문에 (Because)
Structure: Verb/Adj stem + 기 때문에
Meaning: Formal "because" — more common in written Korean
Example | Pronunciation | Meaning |
시험이 어렵기 때문에 열심히 공부한다. | si-heom-i eo-ryeop-gi ttae-mun-e yeol-sim-hi gong-bu-han-da. | Because the test is difficult, I study hard. |
17. -(으)ㄴ/는데 (Background / contrast / but)
Structure: Verb/Adj stem + (으)ㄴ/는데
Meaning: Sets up background information or mild contrast
Example | Pronunciation | Meaning |
날씨가 좋은데 산책할까요? | nal-ssi-ga jo-eun-de san-chaek-hal-kka-yo? | The weather is nice — shall we take a walk? |
This is one of the most versatile patterns in Korean and appears on virtually every TOPIK II test. It can mean "but," "and," or just set the scene. Context decides.
18. -(으)면서 (While doing)
Structure: Verb stem + (으)면서
Meaning: Simultaneous actions — "while"
Example | Pronunciation | Meaning |
음악을 들으면서 운동해요. | eum-ak-eul deur-eu-myeon-seo un-dong-hae-yo. | I exercise while listening to music. |
19. -게 되다 (Come to / end up)
Structure: Verb stem + 게 되다
Meaning: A change that happened naturally — "came to," "ended up"
Example | Pronunciation | Meaning |
한국에서 살게 되었어요. | han-guk-e-seo sal-ge doe-eoss-eo-yo. | I ended up living in Korea. |
20. -(으)ㄹ 뿐만 아니라 (Not only... but also)
Structure: Verb/Adj stem + (으)ㄹ 뿐만 아니라
Meaning: Adding emphasis — "not only A but also B"
Example | Pronunciation | Meaning |
한국어를 읽을 뿐만 아니라 쓸 수도 있다. | han-guk-eo-reul ilg-eul ppun-man a-ni-ra sseul su-do it-da. | I can not only read but also write Korean. |
21. -도록 (So that / to the extent that)
Structure: Verb stem + 도록
Meaning: Purpose or degree — "so that," "in order to"
Example | Pronunciation | Meaning |
건강하도록 매일 운동한다. | geon-gang-ha-do-rok mae-il un-dong-han-da. | I exercise daily so that I stay healthy. |
22. -(으)ㄹ 텐데 (Expecting / it would be)
Structure: Verb/Adj stem + (으)ㄹ 텐데
Meaning: Assumption about a situation — "it would be," "I expect"
Example | Pronunciation | Meaning |
지금쯤 도착했을 텐데. | ji-geum-jjeum do-chak-haess-eul ten-de. | They should have arrived by now. |
23. -는 편이다 (Tend to / somewhat)
Structure: Verb stem + 는 편이다 / Adj stem + (으)ㄴ 편이다
Meaning: "I tend to" or "It's on the [adjective] side"
Example | Pronunciation | Meaning |
저는 아침에 일찍 일어나는 편이에요. | jeo-neun a-chim-e il-jjik ir-eo-na-neun pyeon-i-e-yo. | I tend to wake up early in the morning. |
24. -에 비해 (Compared to)
Structure: Noun + 에 비해
Meaning: Making comparisons
Example | Pronunciation | Meaning |
작년에 비해 올해가 더 덥다. | jak-nyeon-e bi-hae ol-hae-ga deo deop-da. | This year is hotter compared to last year. |
25. -(으)ㄴ/는 반면에 (While / whereas)
Structure: Verb/Adj stem + (으)ㄴ/는 반면에
Meaning: Contrasting two things
Example | Pronunciation | Meaning |
도시는 편리한 반면에 시골은 조용하다. | do-si-neun pyeon-ri-han ban-myeon-e si-gol-eun jo-yong-ha-da. | While cities are convenient, the countryside is quiet. |
26. -다 보면 (If you keep doing)
Structure: Verb stem + 다 보면
Meaning: "If you keep doing something, eventually..."
Example | Pronunciation | Meaning |
연습하다 보면 잘할 수 있을 거예요. | yeon-seup-ha-da bo-myeon jal-hal su iss-eul geo-ye-yo. | If you keep practicing, you'll get good at it. |
27. -는 바람에 (Because of / due to — negative)
Structure: Verb stem + 는 바람에
Meaning: An unexpected cause leading to a negative result
Example | Pronunciation | Meaning |
갑자기 비가 오는 바람에 못 갔어요. | gap-ja-gi bi-ga o-neun ba-ram-e mot gass-eo-yo. | I couldn't go because it suddenly rained. |
28. -(으)ㄹ 만하다 (Worth doing)
Structure: Verb stem + (으)ㄹ 만하다
Meaning: "It's worth doing" or "It's doable"
Example | Pronunciation | Meaning |
이 책은 읽을 만해요. | i chaek-eun ilg-eul man-hae-yo. | This book is worth reading. |
29. -던 (Used to / was doing — recall)
Structure: Verb stem + 던
Meaning: Recalling a past action or state — "that I used to" / "that was"
Example | Pronunciation | Meaning |
자주 가던 식당이 없어졌어요. | ja-ju ga-deon sik-dang-i eops-eo-jyeoss-eo-yo. | The restaurant I used to go to is gone. |
30. -는 대신에 (Instead of)
Structure: Verb stem + 는 대신에
Meaning: "Instead of" — substitution
Example | Pronunciation | Meaning |
택시를 타는 대신에 걸어갔어요. |