Use these core words to create your first simple sentences in Korean. Read the word, the translation and see the example sentences to see how the words are used. Have fun!
Hint: Korean uses the Subject-Object-Verb word order. Verb conjugation includes three levels of formality and four tenses. But we’ll keep it simple here and just give you the unconjugated word (which is considered the infinitive in English). Also, we’ve included the romanized words to help with your pronunciation.
Social Words
yes 예 ye
no 아니요 aniyo
thank you 감사 해요 gamsa haeyo
please 제발 jebal
hello 안녕하십니까 annyeonghasibnikka
goodbye 안녕 annyeong
Pronouns
I 나는 naneun
my 나의 naui
you 너 neo
it 그것 geugeos
he 그 geu
she 그녀 geunyeo
we 우리 uli
they 그들 geudeul
Question Words
what 뭐라고 요 mwolago yo
when 언제 eonje
where 어디 eodi
who 누구 nugu
why 왜 wae
how 어떻게 eotteohge
Verbs
to be 되려고 doelyeogo
to do 할 것 hal geos
to be able to 할 수 hal su
to have 가지고 gajigo
to go 가다 gada
to stop 그만하다 geumanhada
to look 보려고 bolyeogo
to open 열기 위해 yeolgi wihae
to close 닫기 dadgi
to eat 먹다 meogda
to drink 마시다 masida
to help 돕기 위해 dobgi wihae
to want 원하다 wonhada
to need 필요하다 pil-yohada
to say 말하다 malhada
to know 알고 algo
to come 오다 oda
to read 읽다 ilgda
to like 좋아하다 joh-ahada
to think 생각하다 saeng-gahada
to work 일하다 ilhada
to play 놀다 nolda
to give 주다 juda
to wait 기다리다 gidalida
Descriptive words
more 더 deo
one 하나 hana
two 둘 dul
big 큰 keun
little 작은 jag-eun
fast 빠른 ppaleun
slow 느린 neulin
same 같은 gat-eun
different 다른 daleun
pretty 예쁜 yeppeun
red 빨간색 ppalgansaeg
blue 파란색 palansaeg
yellow노란색 nolansaeg
good 좋은 joh-eun
new 새로운 saeloun
old 낡은 nalg-eun
happy 행복하다 haengboghada
sad 슬퍼 seulpeo
very 매우 maeu
Prepositions
at 에서 eseo
on top 위에 wie
under 아래에 alaee
Determiners
this 이것 igeos
that 저것 jeogeos
some 일부 ilbu
all 모두 modu
Conjunctions
and 그리고 geuligo
but 하지만 hajiman
Adverbs
now 지금 jigeum
here 여기 yeogi
there 거기 geogi
Sentences:
어떻게 지내세요? How are you?
잘 지내요. I’m good.
놀러 가고 싶어요. I want to go play.
지금 일해야 합니다. You need to work now.
어디야? Where is it?
저기있어. It is there.
그는 기다리는 것을 좋아합니까? Does he like to wait?
그는 좋아하지 않아요. He does not.
누구세요? Who are you？
우리 언제 먹을까? When are we going to eat?
무엇을 마시고 싶으십니까? What do you want to drink?
저에게 주세요. Please give me that.
모두 빨간색입니다. All are red.
모르겠어요. I don’t know.
감사 해요! 안녕! Thank you! Goodbye!
Have fun making your first Korean sentences and share your sentences with us on Instagram! Tag us @languagetvclub. Or send us an email at info@polyglotstation.com.
If you find any errors in this post, please contact me by email and let me know ASAP so I can correct it. Thank you!
If you're way past the core words phase, think about joining us for Korean TV Club. I'd love to see you there!