1000 Most Common Korean Words: Must-Know Korean Vocabulary

Overview

• Purpose: To provide a comprehensive list of the most common and useful Korean vocabulary.
• Target Audience: Beginners to advanced Korean language learners, especially useful for those preparing for the TOPIK test.
• Categories: Includes verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and theme-based vocabulary (e.g., school, transportation, time, household, days of the week).

Common Korean Adjectives

• Good: joayo
• Bad: nappayo
• Big: keoyo
• Small: jagayo
• Long: gireoyo
• Short: chalbayo
• Expensive: bissayo
• Cheap: ssayo
• Busy: bappayo
• Delicious: masisseoyo
• Difficult: eoryeowoyo
• Easy: suiwoyo
• Far: meoreoyo
• Near: gakkawoyo
• Clean: kaekkeuthaeyo
• Dirty: deoreoeoyo
• Beautiful: yeppeoyo
• Kind: chinjeorhaeyo
• Quiet: joyonghaeyo
• Interesting: jaemiisseoyo

Common Korean Verbs

• To Go: gada
• To Come: oda
• To Eat: meokda
• To Drink: masida
• To Wake up: ireonada
• To Sleep: jada
• To Work: ir-hada
• To Talk: iyagi-hada
• To Listen: deutta
• To Speak: mar-hada
• To Meet: mannada
• To Sing: norae-hada
• To Dance: chumchhuda
• To See, Watch: boda
• To Like: joa-hada
• To Love: sarang-hada
• To Dislike: sireo-hada
• To Read: ikda
• To Write: seuda
• To Study: gongbu-hada

Transportation Vocabulary

• Vehicle: jadongcha
• Taxi: taeksi
• Bus: beoseu
• Metro: jihacheol
• Train: gicha
• Airplane: bihaengi
• Ride, Take: tada
• Change: garatada
• To Get off: naerida
• Stop, Stand: jeongnyujang
• Station: yeok
• Airport: gonghang
• Ticket: pyo
• Fare: yogeum
• Road, Street: gil
• Traffic: gyothong
• Depart: chulbal-hada
• Arrive: dochak-hada

Nature Vocabulary

• Rain: bi
• Snow: nun
• Fog: angae
• Lightning: beongae
• Rainbow: mujigae
• Wind: baram
• Typhoon: taepung
• Sunlight: haeppit
• Moonlight: dalbit

Days of the Week

• Monday: Woryo-il
• Tuesday: Hwayo-il
• Wednesday: Suyo-il
• Thursday: Mogyo-il
• Friday: Gumyo-il
• Saturday: Doyo-il
• Sunday: Iryo-il

Names of Months

• January: ir-wol
• February: i-wol
• March: sam-wol
• April: sa-wol
• May: o-wol
• June: yu-wol
• July: chir-wol
• August: par-wol
• September: gu-wol
• October: shi-wol
• November: shib-irwol
• December: shib-i-wol

Time Vocabulary

• Yesterday: eoje
• Today: oneul
• Tomorrow: naeil
• Day after tomorrow: more
• Weekday: pyeongil
• Weekend: jumal
• Everyday: maeil
• Every week: maeju
• Every month: maedal
• Every year: maenyeon
• Now: jigeum
• These days: yojeum
• Recently: chwegeune
• Always: hangsang
• Often: jaju
• Sometimes: gakkeum
• A while ago: akka
• A little later: ittaga
• Later: najunge
• Last Week: Chinan-chu
• This Week: ibeon-chu
• Next Week: thaeum-chu
• Last Month: Chinan-dal
• This Month: ibeon-dal
• Next Month: thaeum-dal
• Last Year: chang-nyeon
• This Year: orhae
• Next Year: nae-nyeon

Sentence Connectors

• And: geurigo
• But: geureonde
• Therefore: geuraeseo
• In that case: geureomyeon
• That's why: geureonikka
• Even then: geuraedo
• Because: waenyahamyeon
• Or, Otherwise: animyeon
• For Example: yereul deureo

Body Parts

• Abdomen: bae
• Ankle: balmok
• Arm: pal
• Back: deung
• Body: sinche/mom
• Breast, Chest: gaseum
• Buttocks: eongdeongi
• Cheek: ppyam
• Chin: teog
• Dimple: bojogae
• Ear: gwi
• Eye: nun
• Eyebrow: nunsseop
• Eyelid: nunkkeopul
• Face: eolgul
• Finger: songarak
• Fingernail: sontop
• Fist: jumeok
• Foot: bal
• Forehead: ima
• Gum: itmom
• Hair: meorikarag
• Hand: son
• Head: meori
• Index Finger: geomji
• Knee: mureup
• Leg: dari
• Lips: ipsul
• Mouth: ip
• Navel: baekkop
• Neck: mok
• Nose: ko
• Palm (Hand): sonbadak
• Shoulder: eokkae
• Skin: pibu
• Thigh: heobeokji
• Thumb: eomji
• Toe: balgarak
• Toe nail: baltop
• Tongue: hyeo
• Tooth: I, ippal
• Waist: heori
• Wrist: sonmok

Common Korean Adverbs

• Specifically, Concretely: guche-jeogeuro
• Actively, Positively: jokkeuk-jeogeuro
• Practically, In Reality: silje-jeogeuro
• Personally, Individually: gaein-jeogeuro
• Formally, Officially: gongsik-jeogeuro
• Basically, Fundamentally: gibon-jeogeuro
• Intentionally: uido-jeogeuro
• Psychologically: simni-jeogeuro
• Slowly: cheoncheonhi
• Diligently: yeohshimhi
• Honestly: soljikhi
• By Chance: uyeonhi
• In Detail: jasehi
• Especially: deukpyeorhi
• Certainly: hwakshirhi
• Simply: gandanhi
• Carefully: joshimhi

Medical or Hospital Vocabulary

• Doctor: uisa
• Nurse: ganhosa
• Injection: jusa
• Pharmacist: yaksa
• Medicine: yak
• Cancer: Aam
• Cough: gichim
• Flu: dokgam
• Vomiting: guto
• Paralysis: mabi
• Toothache: chitong
• Constipation: byeonbi
• Runny Nose: konmul
• Fever: yeol
• Pregnancy: imsin
• Childbirth: chulsan
• Abortion: naktae
• Operation: susul
• Hospitalization: ibwon
• Hospital Discharge: toewon
• Diabetes: dangnyo
• High Blood Pressure: gohyeorap
• Low Blood Pressure: jeohyeorap
• Malnutrition: yeongyangsiljo
• Death: samang
• Sickness: byeong
• Prescription: cheobang
• Consultation Room: jillyosil
• Emergency Room: eunggeupsil
• Common Cold: gamgi
• To Have Pain: apayo

Additional Information

• Updates: Continually adding more words to this list.
• Subscription: Option to subscribe for updates from TOPIK GUIDE.
• Social Media: Connect on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or YouTube.
• Discount: 50% off TOPIK prep course available.