The 100 most common Korean words

A small set of particles, verbs, and everyday nouns does most of the work in spoken Korean. Learn these first and every drama line, song lyric, and cafe order becomes easier to pull apart. The list below runs in rough frequency order, from the grammar words that glue sentences together to the nouns you will hear every day.

How to use this list

Do not work through this list top to bottom. Read down it and mark only the words you could not have produced yourself. Those are your list. The rest are already yours, and reviewing them is wasted effort better spent on words you actually meet in reading, conversation, or subtitles.

The 100 words

#	Korean	English	In use
1	은 / 는	topic particle (as for)	저는 한국 음악을 정말 좋아해요.I really like Korean music.
2	이 / 가	subject particle	오늘은 날씨가 아주 좋아요.The weather is very nice today.
3	을 / 를	object particle	아침마다 사과를 하나 먹어요.I eat an apple every morning.
4	하다	to do	주말에 보통 뭐 해요?What do you usually do on the weekend?
5	있다	to exist, to have	저는 오늘 오후에 약속이 있어요.I have an appointment this afternoon.
6	것	thing	먹을 것 좀 사 올게요.I will go buy something to eat.
7	이다	to be (copula)	제 동생은 아직 학생이에요.My younger sibling is still a student.
8	에	at, to, in (particle)	내일 아침에 병원에 가요.I am going to the hospital tomorrow morning.
9	의	of, 's (particle)	이것은 제 친구의 가방이에요.This is my friend's bag.
10	되다	to become	동생은 올해 선생님이 되었어요.My younger sibling became a teacher this year.
11	없다	to not exist, to lack	죄송해요, 지금은 시간이 없어요.I am sorry, I do not have time right now.
12	나	I, me (casual)	나는 매운 음식을 잘 못 먹어요.I cannot really eat spicy food.
13	그	that, the	그 영화 벌써 봤어요?Have you already seen that movie?
14	않다	to not (verb negation)	저는 아침을 잘 먹지 않아요.I do not usually eat breakfast.
15	저	I, me (humble)	저는 서울에 살고 있어요.I live in Seoul.
16	우리	we, our	우리 같이 점심 먹을까요?Shall we have lunch together?
17	이	this	이 식당은 불고기가 유명해요.This restaurant is famous for bulgogi.
18	사람	person	저기 있는 사람이 제 형이에요.That person over there is my older brother.
19	보다	to see, to watch	주말에 친구하고 영화를 봤어요.I watched a movie with a friend on the weekend.
20	에서	at, in, from (particle)	주말에 집에서 푹 쉬었어요.I rested well at home on the weekend.
21	가다	to go	이번 여름에 부산에 가요.I am going to Busan this summer.
22	오다	to come	오후에 비가 온다고 해요.They say it will rain in the afternoon.
23	같다	to be like, to seem	오늘은 좀 피곤한 것 같아요.I think I am a bit tired today.
24	도	also, too (particle)	저도 그 노래를 좋아해요.I like that song too.
25	수	way, possibility	여기에서 사진을 찍을 수 있어요?Can I take pictures here?
26	주다	to give	물 한 잔만 주세요.Please give me a glass of water.
27	알다	to know	그 소식은 저도 잘 알아요.I know that news well too.
28	말	words, speech	그 말이 무슨 뜻이에요?What does that mean?
29	좋다	to be good	이 카페는 분위기가 좋아요.This cafe has a nice atmosphere.
30	때	time, when	어릴 때 부산에서 살았어요.I lived in Busan when I was young.
31	안	not	바빠서 점심을 안 먹었어요.I did not eat lunch because I was busy.
32	아니다	to not be	그건 제 잘못이 아니에요.That is not my fault.
33	로 / 으로	by, with, toward (particle)	저는 매일 지하철로 출근해요.I commute by subway every day.
34	많다	to be many, much	이 공원에는 나무가 많아요.There are many trees in this park.
35	그렇다	to be so	네, 저도 그렇게 생각해요.Yes, I think so too.
36	크다	to be big	이 옷은 저한테 너무 커요.These clothes are too big for me.
37	살다	to live	할머니는 시골에 살고 계세요.My grandmother lives in the countryside.
38	먹다	to eat	오늘 점심에 김치찌개를 먹었어요.I ate kimchi stew for lunch today.
39	생각하다	to think	저도 그 계획이 좋다고 생각해요.I also think that plan is good.
40	모르다	to not know	죄송하지만 길을 잘 몰라요.I am sorry, but I do not know the way well.
41	잘	well	어젯밤에는 잠을 잘 잤어요.I slept well last night.
42	집	house, home	지금 집에 가는 길이에요.I am on my way home now.
43	나오다	to come out	지금 막 회사에서 나왔어요.I just came out of the office.
44	그리고	and	청소를 했어요. 그리고 빨래도 했어요.I cleaned. And I also did the laundry.
45	좀	a little, please	창문 좀 열어 주시겠어요?Could you please open the window?
46	더	more	조금만 더 기다려 주세요.Please wait just a little longer.
47	받다	to receive	어제 친구한테서 선물을 받았어요.I received a gift from my friend yesterday.
48	일	work, matter	오늘은 일이 일찍 끝났어요.Work finished early today.
49	만들다	to make	주말에 아이들과 케이크를 만들었어요.I made a cake with the kids on the weekend.
50	지금	now	지금 밖에 눈이 와요.It is snowing outside now.
51	오늘	today	오늘 저녁에 뭐 먹을까요?What shall we eat for dinner today?
52	시간	time, hour	영화 볼 시간이 있어요?Do you have time to watch a movie?
53	다시	again	다음 주에 다시 만나요.See you again next week.
54	어떻다	to be how	요즘 어떻게 지내고 있어요?How have you been doing lately?
55	왜	why	어제 왜 전화 안 했어요?Why did you not call yesterday?
56	뭐	what	생일 선물로 뭐 받고 싶어요?What do you want for your birthday?
57	누구	who	이 우산은 누구 거예요?Whose umbrella is this?
58	어디	where	실례지만, 화장실이 어디에 있어요?Excuse me, where is the restroom?
59	언제	when	여름 방학이 언제 시작해요?When does summer vacation start?
60	친구	friend	어제 친구하고 노래방에 갔어요.I went to karaoke with a friend yesterday.
61	물	water	운동 후에 물을 많이 마셔요.I drink a lot of water after exercising.
62	밥	rice, meal	아침에 밥 대신 빵을 먹었어요.I ate bread instead of rice this morning.
63	돈	money	여행을 가려고 돈을 모으고 있어요.I am saving money to go on a trip.
64	마음	heart, mind	그 선물이 마음에 들어요.I like that gift.
65	아이	child	공원에서 아이들이 놀고 있어요.Children are playing in the park.
66	어머니	mother	어머니는 요리를 정말 잘하세요.My mother cooks really well.
67	아버지	father	아버지는 매일 신문을 읽으세요.My father reads the newspaper every day.
68	하고	and, with (particle)	마트에서 빵하고 우유를 샀어요.I bought bread and milk at the store.
69	만	only (particle)	저는 아침에 커피만 마셔요.I only drink coffee in the morning.
70	정말	really	그 드라마는 정말 재미있었어요.That drama was really fun.
71	아주	very	이 문제는 아주 쉬워요.This problem is very easy.
72	너무	too, so much	오늘은 날씨가 너무 더워요.The weather is too hot today.
73	다	all, completely	숙제를 벌써 다 했어요.I already finished all my homework.
74	싶다	to want to	올해는 한국에 꼭 가고 싶어요.I really want to go to Korea this year.
75	보이다	to be visible, to seem	여기에서 바다가 잘 보여요.You can see the sea well from here.
76	듣다	to hear, to listen	저는 음악을 들으면서 공부해요.I study while listening to music.
77	마시다	to drink	따뜻한 차를 한 잔 마셨어요.I drank a cup of warm tea.
78	사다	to buy	새 신발을 하나 샀어요.I bought a pair of new shoes.
79	일하다	to work	언니는 은행에서 일하고 있어요.My older sister works at a bank.
80	공부하다	to study	매일 한 시간씩 한국어를 공부해요.I study Korean for an hour every day.
81	학교	school	아이들은 여덟 시에 학교에 가요.The kids go to school at eight.
82	회사	company, office	회사가 집에서 꽤 가까워요.The office is quite close to home.
83	내일	tomorrow	내일 오후에 시간 있어요?Do you have time tomorrow afternoon?
84	어제	yesterday	어제는 하루 종일 집에 있었어요.I was at home all day yesterday.
85	년	year (counter)	저는 삼 년 전에 결혼했어요.I got married three years ago.
86	시	o'clock, hour	회의는 두 시에 시작해요.The meeting starts at two o'clock.
87	앞	front	은행 앞에 약국이 있어요.There is a pharmacy in front of the bank.
88	뒤	back, behind	우체국은 저 건물 뒤에 있어요.The post office is behind that building.
89	위	top, above	고양이가 책상 위에서 자고 있어요.The cat is sleeping on the desk.
90	아래	bottom, below	열쇠가 의자 아래에 떨어져 있었어요.The key had fallen under the chair.
91	작다	to be small	이 방은 조금 작지만 깨끗해요.This room is a little small but clean.
92	예쁘다	to be pretty	봄에는 꽃이 정말 예뻐요.The flowers are really pretty in spring.
93	재미있다	to be fun, interesting	오늘 수업이 아주 재미있었어요.Today's class was very fun.
94	맛있다	to be delicious	할머니가 만든 음식은 다 맛있어요.All the food my grandmother makes is delicious.
95	감사하다	to thank, to be grateful	오늘 도와주셔서 정말 감사해요.Thank you so much for helping me today.
96	미안하다	to be sorry	약속에 늦어서 정말 미안해요.I am really sorry for being late to our meeting.
97	만나다	to meet	내일 세 시에 카페에서 만날까요?Shall we meet at the cafe at three tomorrow?
98	기다리다	to wait	버스를 십 분 동안 기다렸어요.I waited ten minutes for the bus.
99	하지만	but, however	한국어는 어려워요. 하지만 재미있어요.Korean is difficult. But it is fun.
100	괜찮다	to be okay	늦어도 괜찮아요. 천천히 오세요.It is okay if you are late. Take your time.

The ones English speakers get wrong

은/는 vs. 이/가

Both can mark the noun that English would call the subject, so beginners treat them as interchangeable. 은/는 marks the topic, what the sentence is about or a contrast, while 이/가 marks the grammatical subject, often new or specific information. In 오늘은 날씨가 아주 좋아요, today is the frame and the weather is the subject. When a sentence answers the question who or what, reach for 이/가.

있다 vs. 이다

English uses to be for both, but Korean splits them. 이다 links a noun to what it is, as in 학생이에요, I am a student, and attaches directly to the noun. 있다 says that something exists or is located somewhere, and it also covers to have: 시간이 없어요 is literally time does not exist, meaning I have no time. If you could replace be with exist or have, you want 있다 or 없다, not 이다.

저 vs. 나, and the -요 ending

Korean changes shape with the relationship between speakers. 저 is the humble I used with strangers, elders, and at work; 나 belongs with close friends and children. The -요 ending on verbs works the same way: 가요 is polite, plain 가 is casual. As a learner, defaulting to 저 and -요 is always safe, while dropping them with someone you just met reads as rude rather than friendly.

안 vs. 못

Korean has two little negation words, and they are not interchangeable. 안 means do not, a plain choice: 커피를 안 마셔요, I do not drink coffee. 못 means cannot, blocked by ability or circumstance: 커피를 못 마셔요, I cannot drink coffee. The longer forms -지 않다 and -지 못하다 carry the same contrast. Picking 안 when you mean 못 can make an inability sound like a refusal.

What to do next

A list this size is about two weeks of light daily review, and it is the difference between decoding Korean and following it.