Korean Function Words: Word Lists by Topic

Key facts

• Level range: A1 and up (the conjunctions list is A2 and the reasoning words list is B1).
• Verbs and adjectives are covered in the Korean verbs hub.

Korean Function Words at a Glance

A function word is a word whose job is to link, point or ask, and not to name a thing. English examples are I, who, and, because and this. Content words, such as nouns, verbs and adjectives, carry the meaning, and function words carry the structure. Every sentence uses a few of them, which is why they are worth learning early. This page covers four groups: pronouns, question words, conjunctions and reasoning words. Particles such as 은/는 (topic) and 을/를 (object) are function words as well, but they attach to nouns and are taught on the Korean particles pages.

Korean function words behave differently from English ones in three ways, and each list below shows the difference. First, Korean drops pronouns whenever the meaning is clear. Second, a Korean question word does not move to the front. Third, a Korean conjunction is a separate word at the start of a sentence, but it competes with an ending that does the same job inside the sentence. The sections that follow introduce one list at a time. This page sits inside Korean Vocabulary.

Which List Should You Open First?

Open the lists in the order in which you will need them. Pronouns and question words are needed on the first day, because you cannot introduce yourself or ask the way without them. Conjunctions come next, once you can make two sentences in a row. The reasoning words come last, because they are abstract nouns for talking about causes and opinions.

Pronouns

The Korean Pronouns Vocabulary list has 30 words in five groups: I and we, you, he and she, this and that, and who. Its main lesson is about choice. Korean has two words for I, 저 (jeo, humble) and 나 (na, plain), and the one you pick tells the listener how polite you are being. For you, Koreans often avoid a pronoun and use a name or title, such as 선생님 (teacher). The grammar pages on korean pronouns explain how pronouns are used inside a sentence.

Korean also drops pronouns, so you will hear them less than in English. The table shows five English sentences and the natural Korean for each.

The right-hand column is not always wrong, and 저는 학생이에요 is a normal self-introduction. The point is that the short form is the default once the topic is clear, and a pronoun adds emphasis or contrast. Notice that 당신은 어디 가요? would also sound unusual to a stranger. The pronouns list explains why.

What Is in the Question Words List?

The Korean Question Words list has 25 words in five groups. It follows the order of the six classic questions: 누구 (nugu, who), 뭐 (mwo, what), 어디 (eodi, where), 언제 (eonje, when), 왜 (wae, why) and 어떻게 (eotteoke, how). It adds how much and how many (얼마, 몇) and the three words for which and what kind (어느, 무슨, 어떤). Each word comes with a question that a real person would ask.

The list shows the key point of Korean questions: the question word stays in the slot of the answer. 학교에 가요 (I go to school) becomes 어디에 가요? (Where do you go?) with no other change. To learn how to build full questions, see the grammar page on questions.

Conjunctions and Linking Adverbs

The Korean Conjunctions Vocabulary list has 25 words in five groups: and and then, but, because and so, or and also, and order. It teaches the words that link a sentence to the one before it, such as 그리고 (and), 그런데 (but, by the way), 하지만 (but), 그래서 (so) and 먼저 (first). It also separates the spoken form from the written form of pairs such as 근데 and 그런데.

There is a trap here that is the reason for the list. The same job can be done inside a sentence by a verb ending. The two sentences below mean the same thing: 비가 와요. 그래서 집에 있어요. (It is raining. So I stay home.) and 비가 와서 집에 있어요. (Because it is raining, I stay home.) The first uses the linking word 그래서, which starts a new sentence. The second uses the ending -아서, which joins two clauses. The list teaches the first, and the grammar page on connectors teaches the second.

What Is in the Reasoning Words List?

See Korean Reasoning Words Vocabulary. (What is the reason?) and 좋은 방법이 있어요 (There is a good method). They are the vocabulary of essays, meetings and the reading section of an exam, and they are the next step after the conjunctions.

What Do All the Lists Have in Common?

The lists have no pictures of objects, because function words do not name objects. Each published list is built around sentences instead. Each word has Hangul, Revised Romanization, an English meaning, audio and one example sentence, and the examples are chosen to show the word in its normal place in a sentence. Most of the words in the first three lists are native Korean, such as 나, 누구 and 그리고, and they are short, so they are quick to learn and easy to review.

The lists also share a pronunciation habit. Many of the words contain a final consonant that moves to the next syllable or changes the next sound, as in 이것은 (said [이거슨]) and 어떻게 (said [어떠케]). The Standard Pronunciation rules (표준 발음법) of the 국립국어원 describe these changes, and each list has a short table of the five most important ones. Revised Romanization, the official romanization system of South Korea since 7 July 2000, is given as a learning aid and never in place of the Hangul.

Practice: Flashcards and Worksheet

Drill the words with the vocabulary flashcard decks, one list at a time. The decks show the Hangul on one side and the meaning on the other, so you can test yourself in both directions. Consult the vocabulary worksheets page for printable sheets; for practice, write the Korean word for each numbered speech bubble in the overview scene by hand. A simple plan is to take the pronouns and question words in the first week, add the conjunctions in the second week, and leave the reasoning words until you read longer texts.

Where to Go Next

To start on the Korean function words, open Korean Pronouns Vocabulary or Korean Question Words. When you are ready, move to Korean Conjunctions Vocabulary and then Korean Reasoning Words Vocabulary. For other word groups that are not things you can see, try Shapes, Materials and Measurements in Korean and Korean Society Vocabulary.

FAQ

Which List in Korean Function Words Should I Start With?

Start with pronouns, then question words. You need 저 and 나 to talk about yourself, and 누구, 뭐 and 어디 to ask simple questions. Conjunctions are the next step, once you can say two sentences in a row. The reasoning words come last.

How Are the Lists in Korean Function Words Organised?

There are four lists, each a separate page. Every list is split into groups of related words, such as I and we or but and because, and every word has Hangul, Revised Romanization, audio and an example sentence. The lists get longer and more abstract as you move from pronouns to reasoning words.

Do These Lists Include Verbs and Adjectives?

No. The lists cover pronouns, question words, conjunctions and reasoning nouns. Verbs and adjectives, with their polite forms and irregular classes, are covered in the verbs hub, and particles such as 은/는 and 을/를 are taught in the grammar section. Function words here are the words that point, ask or link, such as 저, 누구 and 그래서.

Where Can I Find Flashcards and Worksheets for These Topics?

Use the vocabulary flashcard decks and the vocabulary worksheets. Each published list has its own deck, and printable sheets can be found on the vocabulary worksheets page, so the words you drill are the words you read. Start with the pronouns deck, then add one list at a time.