O
M
R
D
Q
U
A
M
G
Q
V
H
D
H
F
D
G
S
E
C
G
Q
L
E
A
D
P
G
R
W
S
L
N
A
N
X
Z
A
X
X
M
F
E
L
B
C
A
R
H
E
K
B
Q
K
K
Q
W
J
G
L
E
C
N
A
B
M
S
U
Z
R

The 1000 Most Common Korean Words

The core vocabulary of real Korean — ranked by frequency, with translations, CEFR levels and audio for every single word. These 1,000 words cover roughly 85% of everyday speech.

Top 1000 by frequencyNative audioTOPIK levelsFree

Why these 1,000 words matter

Korean vocabulary is astonishingly top-heavy: the 100 most frequent words make up about half of everything you will ever hear or read, and the top 1,000 cover roughly 85% of everyday speech. Learn these first and most sentences around you turn from noise into language.

The list below is ranked by how often each word actually occurs in spoken Korean — dictionary forms, with concise English translations, the part of speech, the CEFR level at which learners typically meet the word, and audio for every word in a female and a male voice. Show the top 250, 500 or all 1,000, and flip to A–Z when you want to look something up.

#Play audioWordTranslationLevel
1this (determiner); subject particle1
2subject marker (particle)1
3object marker (after consonant)1
4object marker (after vowel)1
5topic marker (after consonant)1
6topic marker (after vowel)1
7to; at; in (time/place particle)1
8of; 's (possessive particle)1
9also; too (particle)1
10하다to do1
11있다to exist; to have1
12에서from; at; in (place of action)1
13that; the (determiner)1
14되다to become; to work out1
15thing; fact (bound noun)1
16I; me (casual)1
17없다to not exist; to not have1
18이다to be (copula)1
19사람person; people1
20ability; way (bound noun, in ~할 수 있다)1
21and; with (after vowel)1
22and; with (after consonant)1
23보다to see; to look; to watch1
24우리we; us; our1
25가다to go1
26one (native, adnominal); a1
27words; speech; language1
28only; just (particle)1
29오다to come1
30같다to be the same; to seem like1
31주다to give1
32time; occasion; when1
33하고and; with (particle, colloquial)1
34more (adverb)1
35top; above; sake1
36알다to know1
37그러나but; however2
38받다to receive; to get1
39그렇다to be so; to be like that1
40work; affair; matter1
41two (native, adnominal)1
42말하다to speak; to say; to tell1
43not (negation adverb); inside1
44year (counter)1
45house; home1
46나다to come out; to occur; to arise1
47그리고and; and then1
48크다to be big; to be large1
49좋다to be good; to be nice1
50you (casual)1
51한테to (dative, colloquial)1
52까지until; up to; to1
53my (casual); the very1
54먹다to eat1
55들다to hold; to enter; to cost1
56front; ahead1
57보이다to be seen; to show1
58하지만but; however1
59문제problem; question; issue2
60place; case (bound noun)1
61again; also1
62부터from (starting point)1
63middle; among; during1
64살다to live1
65어떤what kind of; some1
66생각하다to think1
67inside; interior1
68만들다to make; to create1
69day1
70이렇다to be like this1
71통하다to go through; to be connected3
72지금now1
73가지다to have; to hold; to possess1
74plural marker (suffix/particle)1
75생각thought; idea1
76before; previous1
77많다to be many; to be much1
78어떻다to be how; to be a certain way1
79eye; snow1
80cannot (pre-verbal negation)1
81다시again1
82point; dot; aspect2
83자신oneself; confidence3
84두다to put; to place; to keep1
85경우case; occasion; situation3
86자기oneself; self2
87이제now; from now on1
88어떻게how1
89모르다to not know; to be unaware1
90위하다to be for the sake of3
91문화culture2
92그런such; that kind of1
93싶다to want to (auxiliary)1
94보내다to send; to spend (time)1
95못하다to be unable to; to be worse1
96아니다to not be (negative copula)1
97앉다to sit1
98시간time; hour1
99back; behind; after1
100hand1
101많이a lot; much1
102여자woman; girl1
103먼저first; earlier; ahead1
104남자man; boy1
105dog; unit counter (piece)1
106세계world2
107지나다to pass by; to elapse2
108time when; instance (bound noun)1
109나오다to come out; to appear1
110기다리다to wait1
111사회society3
112만나다to meet1
113아이child; kid1
114많은many; much1
115아직still; yet1
116그런데but; by the way1
117느끼다to feel2
118그것that; that thing1
119아니no; not (interjection)1
120door; gate1
121함께together1
122어머니mother1
123경제economy3
124얼마나how much; how many1
125떠나다to leave; to depart2
126가장most; the very1
127그래서so; therefore1
128얼굴face1
129들어가다to enter; to go in1
130어렵다to be difficult1
131나가다to go out; to exit1
132읽다to read1
133정말really; truly1
134side; next to1
135아버지father1
136동안during; while; interval1
137맞다to be correct; to fit2
138정도degree; extent; about3
139이야기story; talk1
140지역area; region3
141작다to be small1
142water1
143결과result; outcome3
144body1
145마음mind; heart; feeling1
146팔다to sell1
147새롭다to be new2
148어느which; a certain1
149놓다to put down; to release1
150세상world; life2
151음식food1
152나라country; nation1
153기분mood; feeling2
154들어오다to come in; to enter1
155자리seat; place; spot1
156전화phone; call1
157어디where1
158쓰다to write; to use; to be bitter1
159road; way; street1
160오늘today1
161이유reason2
162minute; person (honorific counter)1
163느낌feeling; sense2
164학교school1
165높다to be high; to be tall1
166관계relationship; relation3
167엄마mom; mommy1
168가족family1
169내다to pay; to submit; to produce1
170입다to wear; to put on1
171올리다to raise; to put up; to upload2
172이름name1
173나이age1
174지다to lose; to be carried; to set2
175누구who; someone1
176아주very; extremely1
177건물building2
178나타나다to appear; to emerge3
179중요하다to be important2
180기억memory2
181주말weekend1
182what (informal); something1
183방법method; way2
184남다to remain; to be left2
185즐기다to enjoy2
186어제yesterday1
187years old (native counter); flesh1
188때문에because of; due to2
189아마probably; perhaps2
190얘기talk; story (colloquial)1
191money1
192느껴지다to be felt; to feel like3
193올라가다to go up; to climb1
194마시다to drink1
195sun; year1
196거리street; distance2
197멀다to be far1
198기억하다to remember2
199병원hospital1
200떼다to detach; to remove3
201앉히다to seat; to make sit3
202많아지다to increase; to become many2
203color1
204기회chance; opportunity2
205무엇what; something1
206자다to sleep1
207보통usually; normally; ordinary2
208지키다to protect; to keep; to observe2
209thing (colloquial 것); one1
210사랑love1
211아니면or; otherwise2
212가르치다to teach1
213배우다to learn1
214시작하다to start; to begin1
215끝나다to end; to finish1
216부분part; portion2
217사용하다to use2
218필요하다to be necessary; to need2
219관련relation; connection4
220전혀(not) at all; entirely2
221내용content; substance2
222생기다to arise; to be formed; to look2
223앞으로from now on; ahead1
224정부government3
225아침morning; breakfast1
226저녁evening; dinner1
227주변surroundings; vicinity2
228움직이다to move2
229이렇게like this; in this way1
230그렇게like that; so1
231데이터data3
232회사company; firm1
233친구friend1
234보여주다to show; to display2
235분위기atmosphere; mood3
236자연nature3
237위치location; position3
238중심center; core3
239표현expression3
240다르다to be different1
241빠르다to be fast; to be quick1
242느리다to be slow2
243쉽다to be easy1
244길다to be long1
245짧다to be short1
246넓다to be wide; to be broad2
247좁다to be narrow2
248깊다to be deep2
249무겁다to be heavy2
250가볍다to be light (weight)2
251따뜻하다to be warm1
252춥다to be cold (weather)1
253덥다to be hot (weather)1
254맑다to be clear; to be sunny2
255날씨weather1
256바람wind; wish1
257rain1
258하늘sky; heaven1
259ground; land; earth2
260mountain1
261바다sea; ocean1
262river1
263나무tree; wood1
264flower1
265동물animal1
266bird; new (adnominal)1
267고양이cat1
268car; tea1
269기차train1
270비행기airplane1
271지하철subway1
272버스bus1
273타다to ride; to board; to burn1
274걷다to walk1
275뛰다to run; to jump1
276달리다to run; to dash2
277멈추다to stop2
278움직임movement; motion3
279열다to open1
280닫다to close; to shut1
281들리다to be heard; to sound2
282듣다to hear; to listen1
283묻다to ask; to bury1
284대답하다to answer; to reply2
285부르다to call; to sing1
286웃다to laugh; to smile1
287울다to cry1
288화나다to get angry2
289기쁘다to be glad; to be happy1
290슬프다to be sad1
291즐겁다to be enjoyable; to be fun2
292무섭다to be scary; to be afraid1
293놀라다to be surprised2
294걱정하다to worry2
295믿다to believe; to trust2
296바라다to hope; to wish2
297원하다to want; to desire2
298좋아하다to like1
299싫어하다to dislike; to hate1
300싫다to be unpleasant; to dislike1
301괜찮다to be okay; to be all right1
302이상more than; abnormal; ideal3
303이하below; less than3
304이외other than; besides4
305대부분most; the majority3
306전체the whole; entirety3
307a little; (softener) please2
308가운데middle; among2
309사이between; relationship; interval2
310시골countryside; rural area2
311사장company president; boss2
312마을village; town2
313외국foreign country2
314영화movie; film1
315그림picture; drawing1
316사진photo; picture1
317이용하다to use; to utilize3
318진행하다to proceed; to carry out3
319번호number (assigned)1
320book1
321신문newspaper1
322변화change3
323대학university; college2
324상태state; condition3
325주인owner; host2
326방식way; manner; method3
327직업occupation; job2
328조건condition; requirement3
329기술technology; skill3
330정보information2
331자료material; data3
332조사survey; investigation3
333연구research; study3
334증가하다to increase3
335교육education2
336경험experience3
337능력ability; capability3
338노력effort3
339목적purpose; aim3
340목표goal; objective3
341계획plan2
342준비하다to prepare1
343결정하다to decide2
344선택하다to choose; to select3
345해결하다to solve; to resolve3
346확인하다to confirm; to check3
347설명하다to explain2
348이해하다to understand2
349기억나다to come to mind; to recall2
350잊다to forget1
351알아보다to look into; to recognize2
352찾다to look for; to find1
353찾아보다to look up; to search2
354나누다to divide; to share2
355모으다to gather; to collect2
356모이다to be gathered; to assemble2
357늘다to increase; to improve2
358줄다to decrease; to shrink2
359바꾸다to change; to exchange1
360바뀌다to be changed; to turn into2
361고치다to fix; to repair; to correct2
362세우다to build; to stand up; to stop2
363서다to stand; to stop1
364지내다to get by; to spend time2
365지나가다to pass by; to go past2
366돌아가다to go back; to return1
367돌아오다to come back1
368돌다to turn; to spin; to go around2
369돌리다to turn; to rotate; to return2
370올라오다to come up; to rise2
371내리다to lower; to get off; to fall1
372떨어지다to fall; to run out; to fail2
373넘다to exceed; to cross over2
374넘어가다to go over; to move on3
375건너다to cross (over)2
376지르다to shout; to shortcut3
377잡다to catch; to grab; to hold1
378잡히다to be caught; to be set3
379놀다to play; to hang out1
380쉬다to rest; to take a break1
381자라다to grow up; to be raised2
382키우다to raise; to grow; to bring up2
383죽다to die1
384태어나다to be born2
385건강health2
386illness; bottle1
387아프다to be sick; to hurt1
388medicine; about (approx.)1
389의사doctor1
390환자patient3
391치료treatment; cure3
392운동exercise; sport; movement1
393운동하다to exercise; to work out1
394경기match; game; the economy2
395선수player; athlete2
396이기다to win; to beat2
397지치다to be exhausted; to be worn out3
398연습하다to practice2
399노래song1
400음악music1
401따르다to follow; to comply with3
402포함하다to include; to contain3
403제공하다to provide; to offer3
404텔레비전television1
405감소하다to decrease3
406방송broadcast; broadcasting3
407뉴스news2
408개발development3
409컴퓨터computer1
410인터넷internet2
411휴대폰cell phone; mobile phone2
412전자electronic; electron4
413기계machine3
414제품product3
415회의meeting; conference2
416사업business; enterprise3
417시장market; mayor2
418가격price2
419price; value; cost2
420비싸다to be expensive1
421싸다to be cheap; to wrap1
422사다to buy1
423팔리다to be sold; to sell (intransitive)3
424벌다to earn; to make (money)2
425쓰이다to be used; to be written3
426가게shop; store1
427식당restaurant1
428커피coffee1
429rice; meal1
430고기meat1
431과일fruit1
432채소vegetable2
433taste; flavor1
434맛있다to be delicious1
435맛없다to taste bad1
436요리cooking; dish1
437요리하다to cook1
438굽다to grill; to bake2
439끓이다to boil2
440씻다to wash1
441닦다to wipe; to polish; to brush2
442청소하다to clean; to tidy up1
443빨래laundry2
444clothes1
445신발shoes1
446모자hat; cap1
447가방bag1
448벗다to take off (clothes)1
449신다to wear (on feet)1
450room1
451부엌kitchen1
452화장실bathroom; restroom1
453침대bed1
454의자chair1
455책상desk1
456창문window1
457건너편the opposite side; across3
458근처nearby; vicinity1
459위쪽upper side; upward2
460아래below; under; bottom1
461오른쪽right side1
462왼쪽left side1
463방향direction3
464도시city2
465통해through; by way of5
466관하다to concern; to be related to5
467고향hometown2
468의하다to be due to; to be based on5
469외국인foreigner2
470한국Korea1
471한국어Korean language1
472영어English (language)1
473언어language3
474단어word; vocabulary2
475문장sentence3
476writing; text; article2
477글자letter; character2
478숫자number; figure2
479발생하다to occur; to happen; to break out4
480질문question1
481대답answer; reply2
482시험exam; test1
483숙제homework1
484학생student1
485선생님teacher1
486교실classroom1
487상황situation; circumstances4
488전공major; specialty3
489수업class; lesson1
490공부study1
491공부하다to study1
492졸업하다to graduate2
493입학하다to enter school; to enroll3
494기준standard; criterion4
495직장workplace3
496일하다to work1
497취직하다to get a job; to be employed3
498월급monthly salary3
499부장department head; manager4
500대하다to face; to treat; to be about4
501동료colleague; coworker4
502손님guest; customer1
503과정process; course3
504이웃neighbor3
505아내wife2
506남편husband2
507아들son1
508daughter1
509부모parents1
510older brother (of a male)1
511누나older sister (of a male)1
512오빠older brother (of a female)1
513언니older sister (of a female)1
514동생younger sibling1
515할머니grandmother1
516할아버지grandfather1
517결혼하다to marry; to get married1
518사귀다to make friends; to date2
519헤어지다to break up; to part2
520만남meeting; encounter3
521약속promise; appointment1
522약속하다to promise1
523초대하다to invite2
524파티party2
525선물gift; present1
526생일birthday1
527축하하다to congratulate; to celebrate2
528고맙다to be thankful1
529감사하다to thank; to be grateful1
530미안하다to be sorry1
531죄송하다to be sorry (polite)1
532인사하다to greet; to say hello2
533안녕hi; bye (casual); peace1
534yes; yeah (polite)1
535yeah; uh-huh (casual)1
536ah; oh (interjection)1
537hey (casual address)1
538why1
539언제when1
540얼마how much; how many1
541how many; several1
542이것this thing; this1
543저것that thing over there1
544여기here1
545거기there1
546저기over there1
547I; me (humble); that (over there)1
548당신you (formal/distant)2
549그녀she; her3
550그들they; them2
551누군가someone; somebody3
552아무any; no (with negation)2
553모든all; every2
554여러various; several2
555each; every3
556다른other; different1
557같은same; like1
558이런this kind of; such1
559저런that kind of1
560무슨what; what kind of1
561지난last; past (adnominal)1
562다음next; the following1
563처음first; beginning1
564마지막last; final2
565end; tip1
566시작start; beginning1
567동시the same time; simultaneity4
568순간moment; instant3
569기간period; term3
570요즘these days; nowadays1
571최근recently; lately3
572과거the past3
573현재the present; currently3
574미래the future3
575언젠가someday; sometime3
576항상always2
577자주often; frequently1
578가끔sometimes; occasionally2
579거의almost; nearly2
580벌써already2
581방금just now2
582금방soon; in a moment2
583soon; right away2
584천천히slowly1
585빨리quickly; fast1
586갑자기suddenly2
587특히especially; particularly3
588역시as expected; also3
589물론of course3
590별로(not) particularly; not really2
591조금a little; a bit1
592너무too; too much1
593매우very; extremely3
594정말로really; truly2
595진짜really; real1
596완전히completely; entirely3
597함부로carelessly; recklessly4
598반드시certainly; without fail3
599surely; definitely; tightly2
600아마도perhaps; probably3
601혹시by any chance; maybe2
602만약if; in case3
603비록even though; although4
604드디어finally; at last3
605결국in the end; after all3
606그냥just; simply1
607역할role; part3
608사실fact; actually2
609two (native number)1
610거짓말lie; falsehood2
611비밀secret2
612소식news; word (from someone)3
613소리sound; voice1
614목소리voice2
615냄새smell; odor2
616모습appearance; figure3
617표정facial expression3
618성격personality; character3
619태도attitude3
620습관habit3
621four (native number)1
622여섯six (native number)1
623실력ability; skill; competence3
624자세posture; attitude3
625여덟eight (native number)1
626영향influence; effect3
627효과effect; efficacy3
628ten (native number); fever1
629의견opinion3
630three (Sino number)1
631five (Sino number)1
632seven (Sino number)1
633nine (Sino number)1
634hundred1
635비교하다to compare3
636people (counter)1
637마리animal (counter)1
638sheet; chapter (counter)1
639반대하다to oppose; to object3
640cup; glass (counter)1
641floor; story (counter)1
642주의하다to be careful; to pay attention3
643조심하다to be cautious; to watch out2
644노력하다to make an effort; to try hard3
645성공하다to succeed3
646실패하다to fail3
647포기하다to give up; to abandon3
648month1
649참다to endure; to hold back3
650요일day of the week1
651오전morning; a.m.1
652night; chestnut1
653완성하다to complete; to finish3
654정하다to decide; to set; to fix3
655정리하다to organize; to tidy up3
656spring1
657가을autumn; fall1
658계절season2
659머리head; hair1
660발전하다to develop; to advance3
661neck; throat1
662변하다to change; to turn into3
663나아지다to get better; to improve3
664나빠지다to get worse; to deteriorate3
665늘어나다to increase; to grow3
666줄어들다to decrease; to diminish3
667사라지다to disappear; to vanish3
668남기다to leave (behind); to save3
669버리다to throw away; to abandon2
670잃다to lose2
671얻다to get; to obtain2
672구하다to seek; to save; to obtain3
673찾아가다to go visit; to seek out3
674방문하다to visit3
675여행travel; trip1
676여행하다to travel1
677구경하다to look around; to sightsee2
678출발하다to depart; to set off2
679도착하다to arrive2
680예약하다to reserve; to book3
681공항airport2
682station1
683ticket; table; mark2
684호텔hotel2
685다리leg; bridge1
686지도map; guidance2
687공원park1
688가슴chest; heart; breast2
689위험하다to be dangerous2
690안전하다to be safe3
691편하다to be comfortable; to be convenient2
692불편하다to be uncomfortable; to be inconvenient2
693편리하다to be convenient3
694복잡하다to be complicated; to be crowded3
695간단하다to be simple2
696특별하다to be special3
697이상하다to be strange; to be odd2
698심하다to be severe; to be extreme3
699back (body); et cetera; lamp2
700확실하다to be certain; to be sure3
701충분하다to be enough; to be sufficient3
702부족하다to be insufficient; to lack3
703가능하다to be possible3
704nose1
705손가락finger2
706정확하다to be accurate; to be precise3
707다양하다to be diverse; to be various3
708비슷하다to be similar2
709똑같다to be identical; to be exactly the same2
710빨강red2
711종류kind; type; sort3
712노랑yellow2
713모양shape; form; appearance2
714크기size3
715무게weight3
716길이length3
717높이height3
718quantity; amount; sheep3
719검다to be black2
720전부all; everything; entirely2
721일부part; portion; some3
722half; class (group)1
723몇몇a few; several3
724나머지the rest; remainder3
725서로each other; mutually2
726역사history2
727혼자alone; by oneself1
728직접directly; in person3
729점점gradually; more and more3
730계속continuously; keep on2
731계속하다to continue2
732그만두다to quit; to stop3
733그만stop it; that much2
734law; way (method)2
735사고accident; thinking2
736차라리rather; would sooner4
737반면on the other hand; whereas5
738한편meanwhile; on one hand4
739따라서therefore; accordingly4
740그러므로therefore; thus4
741that is; namely4
742example; yes (formal)2
743만일if; in the event4
744아무리no matter how3
745하필of all things; why now5
746어차피anyway; in any case4
747도대체on earth; the heck4
748과연indeed; sure enough5
749설마surely not; no way4
750차이difference; gap3
751공통common; in common4
752관심interest; concern2
753흥미interest; curiosity4
754취미hobby1
755dream2
756희망hope3
757기대expectation; anticipation3
758걱정worry; concern2
759고민worry; agonizing3
760스트레스stress3
761행복happiness2
762행복하다to be happy2
763불행unhappiness; misfortune4
764감정emotion; feeling3
765기쁨joy; gladness3
766슬픔sadness; sorrow3
767고통pain; suffering4
768아픔pain; ache3
769외롭다to be lonely3
770심심하다to be bored2
771지루하다to be boring; to be tedious3
772피곤하다to be tired2
773힘들다to be hard; to be tough1
774strength; power; energy1
775기운energy; vigor3
776용기courage3
777자신감self-confidence4
778느긋하다to be relaxed; to be easygoing5
779급하다to be urgent; to be in a hurry3
780바쁘다to be busy1
781한가하다to be free; to have spare time4
782조용하다to be quiet2
783시끄럽다to be noisy; to be loud2
784밝다to be bright2
785어둡다to be dark2
786깨끗하다to be clean1
787더럽다to be dirty2
788예쁘다to be pretty1
789아름답다to be beautiful2
790멋있다to be cool; to be stylish2
791귀엽다to be cute3
792젊다to be young2
793늙다to grow old; to be old3
794어리다to be young; to be childish3
795건강하다to be healthy2
796튼튼하다to be sturdy; to be robust3
797약하다to be weak2
798강하다to be strong2
799세다to be strong; to count3
800뜨겁다to be hot (to the touch)2
801차갑다to be cold (to the touch)2
802시원하다to be cool; to be refreshing2
803달다to be sweet; to hang2
804맵다to be spicy1
805짜다to be salty; to squeeze2
806시다to be sour3
807하나one (native number)1
808진실truth4
809three (native number)1
810버릇habit; manners4
811다섯five (native number)1
812재능talent4
813일곱seven (native number)1
814원인cause4
815아홉nine (native number)1
816결론conclusion4
817zero; nought; ball2
818주장assertion; claim; captain4
819four (Sino number)1
820입장position; stance; entry4
821six (Sino number)1
822관점viewpoint; perspective5
823eight (Sino number)1
824판단judgment; decision4
825ten (Sino number)1
826평가evaluation; assessment4
827thousand1
828반쯤about half; halfway3
829hundred million3
830번째th (ordinal counter)2
831분석하다to analyze4
832time; number (counter)1
833판단하다to judge; to decide4
834book volume (counter)1
835인정하다to acknowledge; to admit4
836machine/vehicle (counter); generation1
837찬성하다to agree; to approve4
838송이bunch; blossom (counter)3
839그릇bowl (counter); dish2
840켤레pair (counter, shoes/socks)3
841set/suit (counter); bee3
842동의하다to agree; to consent4
843won (Korean currency)1
844도전하다to challenge; to take on4
845week; state; note1
846견디다to endure; to withstand4
847second (time); candle; beginning2
848이루다to achieve; to accomplish4
849오후afternoon; p.m.1
850이루어지다to come true; to be realized4
851daytime2
852새벽dawn; early morning3
853관리하다to manage; to administer4
854여름summer1
855운영하다to operate; to run4
856겨울winter1
857실시하다to carry out; to enforce5
858눈물tears3
859blood2
860bone3
861살갗skin5
862피부skin3
863개선하다to improve4
864머리카락hair (strand)2
865성장하다to grow; to develop4
866어깨shoulder2
867숙소lodging; accommodation4
868foot1
869무릎knee3
870광장square; plaza4
871stomach; boat; pear; times (multiple)1
872분명하다to be clear; to be obvious4
873ear1
874불가능하다to be impossible4
875mouth1
876이빨tooth (colloquial)3
877tongue4
878적당하다to be appropriate; to be moderate4
879색깔color1
880특징characteristic; feature4
881파랑blue2
882형태form; shape4
883초록green2
884수량quantity; number4
885희다to be white2
886붉다to be red; to be crimson4
887정치politics3
888스스로by oneself; voluntarily4
889과학science2
890더욱even more; further4
891법률law; statute5
892사건incident; case; event4
893오히려rather; on the contrary4
894문제점problem; issue point5
895해결solution; resolution3
896책임responsibility4
897의무duty; obligation5
898권리right (legal); entitlement5
899자유freedom; liberty3
900평화peace3
901전쟁war3
902환경environment3
903자원resource4
904에너지energy3
905지구the Earth; globe3
906우주universe; space4
907공기air2
908fire; light1
909light; ray2
910그림자shadow4
911stone; first birthday2
912soil; earth (dirt)3
913먼지dust3
914쓰레기trash; garbage2
915종이paper1
916유리glass (material)3
917gold; crack (line)3
918금속metal4
919iron; season; sense (maturity)4
920기름oil; grease3
921소금salt2
922설탕sugar2
923rice (uncooked)2
924bread1
925우유milk1
926달걀egg2
927김치kimchi1
928soup2
929alcohol; liquor2
930담배cigarette; tobacco2
931냉장고refrigerator1
932전기electricity3
933열쇠key2
934시계clock; watch1
935거울mirror2
936우산umbrella1
937지갑wallet2
938안경glasses; spectacles2
939연필pencil1
940pen1
941공책notebook1
942지우다to erase; to delete2
943그리다to draw; to paint2
944접다to fold3
945자르다to cut2
946붙이다to attach; to stick2
947누르다to press; to push down2
948던지다to throw3
949차다to kick; to be cold; to be full2
950밀다to push2
951당기다to pull3
952들이다to let in; to spend (effort)4
953흐르다to flow; to pass (time)3
954불다to blow3
955얼다to freeze3
956녹다to melt; to dissolve4
957마르다to dry; to be thin3
958젖다to get wet3
959터지다to burst; to explode4
960깨지다to break; to be shattered3
961깨다to break; to wake up3
962망가지다to break down; to be ruined4
963고장나다to break down (machine)3
964수리하다to repair; to fix4
965설치하다to install; to set up4
966작동하다to operate; to function5
967연결하다to connect; to link4
968전달하다to deliver; to convey5
969표현하다to express4
970소개하다to introduce2
971추천하다to recommend3
972부탁하다to ask a favor; to request2
973허락하다to permit; to allow4
974금지하다to prohibit; to ban4
975명령하다to order; to command5
976지시하다to instruct; to direct5
977보고하다to report4
978발표하다to announce; to present3
979토론하다to debate; to discuss4
980논의하다to discuss; to deliberate5
981결정decision3
982선택choice; selection3
983방안plan; measure; scheme5
984대책countermeasure; solution5
985전략strategy5
986경향tendency; trend5
987현상phenomenon5
988요소element; factor5
989수준level; standard4
990비율ratio; proportion5
991규모scale; size5
992범위range; scope5
993구조structure; rescue4
994체계system; framework5
995제도system; institution5
996정책policy5
997제한restriction; limit5
998기능function; feature4
999개념concept; notion5
1000의미meaning; significance3

Showing the top 1000 of 1000 words, by frequency · audio: female voice

Frequently asked questions

Why learn Korean words by frequency?

Word frequency is brutally top-heavy: a small core of words does almost all the work in everyday speech. Learning in frequency order front-loads exactly those words, so every hour of study unlocks the largest possible share of real conversations, shows and books — instead of textbook chapter vocabulary you might not meet for months.

How many Korean words do I need to understand conversations?

The 100 most common Korean words already cover roughly half of everyday speech, the top 1,000 around 85%, and about 2,500–3,000 words push you past 95%. That last stretch is the long tail — but this list is the highest-value first mile: master it and most sentences you hear will be built from words you know.

What do the TOPIK levels next to the words mean?

Each word carries the TOPIK level (1 easiest … 6 hardest) at which learners typically study it — the standard scale of the Test of Proficiency in Korean. Most of the top 1,000 is TOPIK 1–2, the beginner core, with the tail reaching into 3–4; a handful of very common Sino-Korean words (통해 "through", 관련 "related", 경우 "case") are formally 5–6 even though you meet them early, so they are marked at their true TOPIK band rather than forced down. If those higher-level words feel unfamiliar, that is a normal place for a beginner to be.

How was the audio made?

Every word was recorded individually with two studio-grade neural text-to-speech voices — one female, one male — so you can hear each word in isolation and compare pronunciations. Use the voice toggle above the table to switch; the clips are short, natural and free to replay as often as you like.

Is this a list of dictionary forms or word forms?

Dictionary forms (lemmas): verbs and adjectives appear once in their plain dictionary form, which always ends in 다 — 하다 (to do), 있다 (to be / to have), 가다 (to go), 좋다 (to be good) — never as an inflected or polite form like 합니다, 했어요 or 가고, which all fold into the one lemma. Nouns are listed in the singular. The grammatical particles (은/는, 이/가, 을/를, 에, 에서, 도…) sit at the very top of the list because they are the single most frequent tokens in Korean, and each is listed once.

The words are written in Hangul — how does that alphabet work?

Korean is written in Hangul (한글), a true alphabet where the letters are grouped into square syllable blocks — 한 is h + a + n stacked into one block, 국 is g + u + k. It is famously logical and phonetic, so once you know the 24 basic letters you can sound out almost any word directly, and unlike Chinese or Japanese there is no separate reading to memorize — the block is the pronunciation. Play the audio as you read each entry to connect the blocks to their sounds; that is the fastest first win in Korean.

Why are 은/는, 이/가 and 을/를 at the very top of the list?

Those are grammatical particles — small markers attached after a noun that show its role in the sentence: 은/는 marks the topic, 이/가 the subject, 을/를 the object, 에 and 에서 location, 의 possession, 도 "also". They have no direct English equivalent (English uses word order instead), but they are the single most frequent tokens in Korean, which is why they sit at the top. Each pair is one particle with two forms chosen by whether the noun ends in a consonant or a vowel (책은 / 나는), and the list shows them per form because that is how you meet them.

How should I study this list?

Don't memorize it top to bottom in one go. Work in slices (the Top 250 view is a good first target), listen to every word as you review it, and meet the same words in context as fast as possible — graded stories and podcasts at your level are where frequency vocabulary actually sticks. Spaced-repetition flashcards work well for the concrete nouns and verbs in the tail.

Don't just read the list — learn it

Lenguia turns vocabulary like this into a daily Korean plan: graded stories and podcasts built from high-frequency words, spaced-repetition flashcards, grammar, writing and speaking practice — all at exactly your level.

Start learning Korean

How many of these words do you already know?

Take the free Korean placement test — grammar, reading, vocabulary, listening, writing and speaking, graded A1 to C1 — and find out exactly where to start in this list.

Take the free Korean test