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Writer's pictureLauren Williams

Korean: 75 Core Words

Updated: Aug 28, 2021


neon sign in korean

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


korean words on signs in the city

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!

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