Korean cheat sheet

Hangul blocks

Hangul letters represent sounds and are arranged in syllable blocks. A block is not a single alphabet letter.

한 combines ㅎ, ㅏ and ㄴ.

Verb position

A basic Korean clause commonly places the predicate last. Particles help identify the roles of noun phrases.

저는 한국어를 공부해요. — I study Korean.

Topic and subject

은/는 marks a topic or contrast; 이/가 commonly marks a subject. Their functions overlap less than a word-for-word translation suggests.

저는: as for me; 제가: I as the subject.

Polite endings

The -아요/-어요 style is a common polite conversational form. Tense and politeness are expressed through endings.

먹다 → 먹어요; 가다 → 가요.

Object particles

을 follows a consonant-ending noun and 를 follows a vowel-ending noun when marking a direct object in a standard full clause. In conversation, context can permit particles to be omitted.

책을 읽어요. — I read a book. 커피를 마셔요. — I drink coffee.

Place: 에 and 에서

에 commonly marks a destination or a location with existence verbs. 에서 commonly marks where an activity takes place; choose according to the predicate and intended meaning.

학교에 가요. — I go to school. 학교에서 공부해요. — I study at school.

Past polite forms

Many verbs form a polite past with -았어요 or -었어요, with vowel-based patterns and irregular forms to learn. 하다 commonly becomes 했어요.

공부했어요. — I studied. 먹었어요. — I ate.

Negation and inability

안 commonly negates a predicate, while 못 often expresses inability or circumstances preventing an action. These are useful distinctions rather than a complete account of every negative construction.

안 가요. — I do not go. 못 가요. — I cannot go.

Worked example: a complete clause

Read 제가 학교에서 한국어를 공부해요 by identifying who acts, where the activity happens, what is studied and the polite predicate. English and Korean organise these parts differently.

제가 = I; 학교에서 = at school; 한국어를 = Korean; 공부해요 = study.

Common mistake: particles are English words

A particle marks a grammatical or discourse relationship; it does not always have one English equivalent. Translate the whole clause after identifying the relationship.

은/는 commonly introduce a topic or contrast; they are not simply the verb “to be”.

Check your understanding

Choose the activity location: 도서관에 or 도서관에서 공부해요?

도서관에서 공부해요: the library is where studying takes place.

Curriculum connections

Sources