Star System

★★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★ ★★
Critical
Everyday use
Helpful
Communicate well
Useful
Sound more natural
TOPIK
Rare, generally only on TOPIK
Nerds
Only if you need to know

Particles

은/는★★★★★
topic marking particle
이/가★★★★★
subject marking particle
을/를★★★★★
object marking particle
★★★★★
location/time marking particle
끼리★★★★★
group of

Tense

겠다★★★★★
future tense
(으)ㄹ 것이다★★★★★
simple future tense
았/었/였★★★★★
past tense
았/었/였었★★★★★
past perfect

Negation

지 않다★★★★★
negates the verb

And

Basics

와/과★★★★★
and, with
(이)랑★★★★★
and, with
하고★★★★★
and, with
(이)며★★★★★
and

So on and so on

★★★★
etc.
같은★★★★
like
(으)ㄹ 겸★★★★
X/Y
을/를 비롯한
including

Putting Things Together

★★★★★
and
고요★★★★
and, too

Linking Sentences

Or

(이)나★★★★★
or
거나★★★★
or
(이)라도★★★★
or something
X든(지) Y든(지)★★★★
or
X건 Y건
whether you do X or Y

Cause and Effect

아/어/여서★★★★★
so
(으)니(까)★★★★★
so
(으)ㄴ/는데★★★★★
X;Y

Contrast

지만★★★★★
but
고도★★★
although
(으)ㄴ/는 반면(에)★★★
but, on the other hand
(으)ㄴ/는데 반해★★
but, on the other hand
(으)나★★
but
기는 하다★★
I really do
기로서니
even though X, Y isn't OK
((으)ㄴ/는) 대신에★★★★
rather than
아니면★★★
if not
(이)라/(으)ㄴ/는다기보다(는)★★
rather than
느니★★
I'd rather Y than X
와/과(는) 달리
unlike

As

처럼★★★★★
like
(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ 만큼★★★★
as much as
(으)ㄹ 정도(로)★★★★
to the extent
(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ 듯이★★★
is like
(으)로서★★★
as
다시피 하다
as if

Equals (or Not)

(이)나 다름없다★★
is just like
못지않게★★
is about as good at
만 못하다★★
English
만하다
is the size of

Thinking

Guessing

(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ 것 같다★★★★
It seems like
나/(으)ㄴ가 보다★★★★
It seems that
았/었/였을 것이다★★★★
will have
아/어 보이다★★★★
it looks
(으)ㄴ/는지★★★
maybe X, so
(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ 모양이다★★★
seems that
(으)ㄹ까 봐(서)★★★
might happen so
(이)라고/(ㄴ/는) 다고 보다★★★
In my opinion
(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ걸(요)★★★
I think it might be
게요★★★
because
(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ 듯하다★★
English
(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ 듯싶다★★
it seems
(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ 셈이다★★
sort of, kind of
(으)려나 보다
I think they're planning to
(으)리라고/(으)리라는
I think

Knowing

잖아요★★★★
as you know
(으)ㄹ 줄 알다★★★★
know how to
(으)ㄹ 줄 모르다★★★★
do not know how to
(으)ㄹ 줄 알았다★★★★
I thought I knew but was wrong
(으)ㄹ 줄 모랐다★★★★
I didn't know but now I do
(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ지 알다★★★
I know
(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ지(도) 모르다★★★
I don't know
다시피★★★
as you
(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ 것이 틀림없다★★★
I'm almost certain

Making Decisions

기/을/를 위해(서)★★★★★
for
★★★★
so that
도록★★★★
so that
(으)ㄴ/는 데★★
for
게끔
so that
게시리
so that

Emotions

네요★★★★★
~!
(는)군요/(는)구나★★★★★
I see
(으)ㄹ걸 (그랬어요)★★★
I should/shouldn't have
았/었/였어야 했는데★★
I regret I did
기에 망정이다★★
thanks to
(으)니(까) 망정이다★★
thanks to

Desire

고 싶다★★★★★
want to
았/었/였으면 좋겠다★★★★
it would be nice if
았/었/였으면 싶다★★★★
it would be nice if
았/었/였으면 하다★★★★
it would be nice if
기 바라다★★★★
we'd like you to
(으)ㄹ 바에야★★
I'd rather Y than have to X
(으)ㄹ 바에는★★
I'd rather Y than have to X
(으)ㄹ 망정★★
I'd rather X than Y
같아선
if it were up to me

Personal Experiences

아/어/여 보다★★★★★
try
(으)ㄴ 적/일 있다★★★★★
I have
(으)ㄴ 적/일 없다★★★★★
I haven't
던데★★★
I noticed that, so
더라★★★★
I noticed that
더라고요★★★★
I noticed that
았/었/였던 것 같다★★
It seems like x used to be
던가요?★★
did you?
더군요/더구나
I noticed that

Obligations, Orders and Permission

아/어/여야 하다★★★★★
have to
아/어/여야 되다★★★★★
have to
지 말다★★★★★
don't
(으)면 되다★★★★★
is okay
(으)면 안 되다★★★★★
is not okay
아/어/여도 되다★★★★★
is okay
아/어/여야(지/만)★★★★
must X in order to Y
게 하다★★★★
make someone do
아/어/여야겠다★★★
I'll have to
(이)라야(만)
must be X in order to Y
(으)렴/려무나
please

Warnings

다(가) 보면★★★
if you do X for a long time Y
다가는★★
unfortunately, if you X, Y might happen

Plans

(으)ㄹ까요?★★★★★
shall we
(으)ㄹ래요★★★★
let's
(으)ㄹ게요★★★★
I'm going to
(으)려고 하다★★★★
I'm planning to
(으)러★★★★
in order to
(으)ㄹ 터이다★★★★
plan to
(으)ㄹ 테다★★★★
plan to
(으)ㄹ 테니까(요)★★★★
I plan to X so you should Y
(으)ㄹ 텐데(요)★★★★
I plan to X; Y
(으)ㄹ 테면★★★★
if
(으)ㄹ 예정이다★★★★
I plan to
기로 하다★★★★
I've decided
(으)ㄹ까 하다★★★
I think I might
(으)ㄹ 건가요★★
English
고자★★
in order to
X(느)ㄴ다 X(느)ㄴ다 하는 게★★
I tried and tried but
(으)ㄹ까 말까 하다★★
I can't decide whether to X or not
고 말겠다
I'm definitely going to
고 말 테니까
I'm definitely going to

Accidents

고 말았다★★★
unfortunately, X happened
ㄴ/는다는 것이 (게)★★
I meant to X but ended up Y

Progression

While

동안(에)★★★★★
while
(으)ㄹ 때(에는)★★★★★
while
는 (도)중에★★★★★
while
중에서★★★★★
between, among
(으)면서★★★★★
while
(으)면 (으)ㄹ수록★★★
the more X the more Y
는 길에★★★
Y happened while I X
(으)ㄴ/는 김에★★★
while you X, would you mind Y
사이에에★★★
while
(으)면서도★★
even while
아/어/여 가면서★★
intermittently while

Continuing States and Almost (but not quite)

고 있다★★★★★
~ing
아/어/여 있다★★★★★
~ing
아/어/여 두다★★★
To X and keep the result
아/어/여 놓다★★★★★
To X and keep the result
(으)ㄴ 채(로)★★
while in the state of
(으)ㄹ 뻔하다★★★★
almost happened
(으)려던 참이다★★★
was just about to
(으)ㄹ 지경이다
on the verge of
(으)ㄹ락 말락 하다
almost happened

Temporal Order

다가★★★★
is interrupted
아/어/여다(가)★★★★
X is done then Y
았/었/였다(가)★★★
is finished then
고 나서★★★
and then
자마자★★★
right after
는 대로★★★
right after
★★
right after
(으)ㄴ 지★★★
since
전에★★★
before
후에★★★
after
뒤에★★★
after
다가도★★
is interrupted
고서★★
and then
고서야★★
then
고 보니(까)★★
did X then noticed Y

If

(으)면★★★★★
if
거든★★★★★
if X then Y
았/었/였더라면★★★
if only X, then
(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ/의 경우에(는)★★
if X, then
(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ 셈치(고)★★
if we assume X, then
같으면
if it was like X then

Possibilities

(으)ㄹ 수 있다★★★★★
can
(으)ㄹ 수 없다★★★★★
can't
지 못하다★★★★★
can't
기 쉽다★★★★★
is easy
기 어렵다★★★★★
is not easy
기 십상이다★★★★★
is easy
(으)ㄹ 리(가) 있다★★
it's possible
(으)ㄹ 리(가) 없다★★
it's not possible
고서는★★
while X, Y can't happen
아/어/여서는★★
while X, Y can't happen
아/어/여서야
If you X, how can you Y

Talking About What Others Said

지요?★★★★★
eh?
(이)라/(ㄴ/는)다면서요★★★
is it true?
(이)라니요/다니요★★
what do you mean?
(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ 대로★★★★
just as
에 따라/따르면★★★
according to
에 의하면★★★
according to
기에
from what was
(으)로 봐서는
as we can see through

Explanations

에 대해(서는)★★★★★
about
(이)랍니다/(느/는)답니다★★★
you know
(이)란★★★
is
(으)ㄹ 만하다★★
is worthwhile
기란
is difficult

Limits and Excess

(기)만 하다★★★★
only do
아/어/여서 죽겠다★★★★
so X, I could die
(으)ㄹ 뿐이다★★★
only
(으)ㄴ/는 한★★
as far/long as
에 한해서★★
limited to
(이)야말로★★
is perfect
(으)ㄹ 따름이다
nothing but
만으로는
alone isn't enough

Habits

곤/고는 하다★★★★
habitually do
(으)ㄴ/는 편이다★★★
tends to
기도 하다★★★
sometimes happens
다(가) 보니(까)★★★
after doing X I noticed
(으)ㄴ/는 법이다★★★
is natural
기 마련이다★★
is natural
아/어/여 대다★★
repeatedly do
는 것이 보통이다★★
normally
(으)ㄴ/는 축에 들다
tends to be
다가 말다가 하다
doing on and off

Reported Speech