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Intermediate Korean Grammar: the Core Patterns after TOPIK I

Study intermediate korean grammar: 66 patterns mapped to TOPIK II levels 3-4 (CEFR B1). Each links to a lesson so you can plan what to learn next in order.
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A learner reads a book while listening to music beside a Seoul apartment window.
Reading while listening to music illustrates two simultaneous actions.

Intermediate Korean grammar is a list of 66 connector and sentence-ending patterns at level B1, and each one below links to a full lesson. The list maps to TOPIK II levels 3 and 4. It is grouped by meaning, so you can find the pattern you need and plan the next step after the beginner list.

Key facts

  • Patterns listed: 66, all at level B1.
  • Levels: B1 on the CEFR scale, mapped to TOPIK II, levels 3 and 4. The placement is an editorial estimate based on common textbook order, not an official list.
  • Each pattern has, or will soon have, its own lesson page with a formation table and examples.
  • Comparison pages exist for the most confusable pairs.

What Is Intermediate Korean Grammar?

Intermediate Korean grammar is the set of patterns that lets you move from short, direct sentences to nuance: why something happened, what you noticed, what you guess and what someone else said. A pattern here is an ending or a short phrase that attaches to a verb or adjective stem and adds a meaning.

The list sticks to two kinds of pattern. A connector joins two clauses, as in 그는 음악을 들으며 책을 읽는다 ("He reads a book while listening to music"). A sentence ending closes a sentence and adds a stance, such as a guess or a reaction. Both kinds are taught on the site under Korean connectors and Korean sentence endings.

The sentence uses -(으)며 for two things the same person does at once, and 읽는다 is the plain written style. The next section shows where to begin.

Which Pattern Should You Learn First?

Learn -(으)며 first, because it builds directly on -고 and -(으)면서 from the beginner grammar list. Then work through the groups in the order of your own needs. A useful rule: if you can use the first five patterns of a group without looking them up, move to the next group. This is an editorial heuristic, not an official test.

The chooser table starts from the meaning you want and gives the pattern. Every pattern on this list is at level B1.

Meaning you want Pattern
and, while (written, slightly formal) -(으)며
not only ... but also -(으)ㄹ 뿐만 아니라
whether ... or; any one will do -든지
thanks to -(으)ㄴ/는 덕분에
because (offered in conversation) -거든
and then -아/어 가지고
if you want to -(으)려면
as soon as -자마자
it might be that -(으)ㄹ 수도 있다
(someone) says that -(느)ㄴ다고 하다

After this list, move to advanced grammar, which holds the B2 and C1 patterns. The overall map is on the Korean grammar by level page.

The 66 Intermediate Patterns, Grouped by Meaning

The list has eleven groups. Each entry gives the pattern, its level, a short meaning, and sometimes an example.

Adding, Alternating and Listing

Three connectors build on the beginner "and" and "or".

  • -(으)며 (B1): "and, while", a written and slightly formal version of -고 and -(으)면서. 그는 음악을 들으며 책을 읽는다. (He reads a book while listening to music.)
  • -(으)ㄹ 뿐만 아니라 (B1): "not only ... but also", for adding a second, stronger point.
  • -든지 (B1): "whether ... or", and "any one will do".

Reasons, Thanks and Worries

Four connectors give a reason with a particular colour: thanks, explanation, sequence or worry.

  • -(으)ㄴ/는 덕분에 (B1): "thanks to", for a good result that someone or something made possible.
  • -거든 (B1): "because", a reason offered in conversation.
  • -아/어 가지고 (B1): "and then" in speech, where the second action builds on the first.
  • -(으)ㄹ까 봐 (B1): "worried that" or "in case", for acting because of a feared possibility.

Conditions and Degree

Six connectors go beyond the plain "if" of -(으)면.

  • -(ㄴ/는)다면 (B1): "if", for an imagined or supposed situation.
  • -(이)라면 (B1): "if it is", attached to a noun.
  • -(으)려면 (B1): "if you want to" or "in order to", with a requirement in the second clause.
  • -(으)ㄹ 경우(에) (B1): "in case of", a written-style condition.
  • -기만 하면 (B1): "whenever" or "as soon as", for something that happens every time.
  • -(으)ㄹ수록 (B1): "the more ..., the more ...", for two things that grow together.

Time, Discovery and Sequence

Seven connectors place events in time, including what you find out along the way.

  • -자마자 (B1): "as soon as", for two events back to back.
  • -다가 (B1): "in the middle of doing X, then Y", for an action that is interrupted or changes.
  • -다 보니(까) (B1): "as I kept doing, I realised", for a result of repetition.
  • -아/어 보니(까) (B1): "when I tried it, I found out", for a discovery after trying.
  • -는 김에 (B1): "while at it" or "since I'm already", for using one occasion for another action.
  • -는 길에 (B1): "on the way to", for something done during a trip.
  • -(으)ㄴ 채로 (B1): "while still" or "with X still on", for a state that continues during another action.

Purpose and "Even Though"

Five connectors cover goals and concessions.

  • -도록 (B1): "so that", "until" or "to the point that".
  • -기 위해(서) (B1): "for the purpose of" or "in order to", more formal than -(으)려고.
  • -더라도 (B1): "even if", a firmer hypothetical than -아/어도.
  • -(으)ㄴ/는데도 (B1): "even though", for an unexpected result of a real fact.
  • -기는 하지만 (B1): "it is X, but...", for conceding a point before a contrast.

Possibility and Worth

Three endings say what might happen, what cannot be avoided and what is worth doing.

Wishes, Plans and Need

Seven endings say what you hope, plan, need or must do.

Suggestions, Requests and Advice

Eight endings ask for help or give advice with a different degree of politeness.

Guesses and Expectations

Six endings express how sure you are.

Reactions and Shared Knowledge

Seven endings react to new information or point to what both people know.

Reported Speech and Quotation

Ten patterns repeat what someone said, asked, suggested or thought.

The limit of these short entries: each one shows only the core meaning. The lesson behind each link explains the form, the exceptions and the common errors.

How Do You Choose between Look-Alike Patterns?

You choose between look-alikes by finding the question that separates them: the speaker's evidence, the register, or the sentence type that follows. One example is -(으)며, the written and slightly formal partner of -고 and -(으)면서. It links two descriptions or two simultaneous actions of the same subject, and it is common in writing, news and speeches.

Fourteen intermediate pairs have their own comparison page. Each gives one deciding rule and examples.

Start with -아/어도 vs -더라도 if you meet both "even if" patterns in the same unit. You'll know you are ready to move on when you can say why each choice fits the sentence. The full set is in the confusing grammar compared hub.

Where Can You Practise These Patterns?

Practise by reviewing the patterns in short sessions, then testing yourself. Three resources match this list.

For a list built around exam sections, see the TOPIK 2 grammar list. This page lists every intermediate pattern at B1.

What Does This List Not Cover?

This list holds connectors and sentence endings only. Other grammar topics have their own subhubs, so they are not repeated here.

The wider map is the Korean grammar hub, and the study-by-level overview is Korean grammar by level.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the intermediate Korean grammar patterns? Intermediate Korean grammar here means 66 connector and sentence-ending patterns at level B1, mapped to TOPIK II levels 3 and 4. They add worry and thanks, conditions, discovery, wishes and plans, guesses, reactions and reported speech. Each pattern links to its own lesson with a formation table and examples.

Which pattern should I learn first? Start with -(으)며, which builds on the beginner -고 and -(으)면서 and appears often in writing. Then add the patterns you meet most, such as -(으)려면, -다가, -(으)ㄹ 수도 있다, -는 게 좋다 and the reported-speech set. Use the chooser table above to start from the meaning you need.

How do I know which pattern fits my sentence? Start from the meaning, then check the sentence type and the register. Many intermediate patterns have a close partner, so use the comparison pages for pairs such as -잖아요 vs -거든요 or -네요 vs -군요. Each gives one deciding rule and side-by-side examples, so you can test your own sentence.

Are these patterns on the TOPIK exam? The level placement is an editorial estimate based on common textbook order, and it is not an official TOPIK list. These patterns are typical for TOPIK II, levels 3 and 4. For an exam-focused view of levels 3 and 4, see the TOPIK 2 grammar list.

Should I finish the beginner list first? Yes, as far as the A1 and most of the A2 patterns. Intermediate patterns assume that you can already use -고, -아/어서, -(으)면 and -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 without looking them up. If you are unsure, test yourself with the beginner grammar test before moving on.