Common mistakes learners make

은/는 (eun/neun) introduces the topic or contrasts it with something else, while 이/가 (i/ga) marks new information or emphasizes the subject. 저는 학생이에요 (jeoneun haksaengieyo), 'I am a student,' introduces yourself, while 민수가 왔어요 (Minsuga wasseoyo), 'Minsu came,' answers 'Who came?' Learn them through examples; even if you mix them up, you'll usually be understood.

Use 을 (eul) after a word ending in a consonant and 를 (reul) after a vowel: 밥을 먹어요 (babeul meogeoyo), 'I eat rice,' and 커피를 마셔요 (keopireul masyeoyo), 'I drink coffee.' The pairs 은/는 and 이/가 follow the same consonant/vowel rule. Reading aloud helps you hear which one sounds natural.

안녕 (annyeong) is a casual greeting for friends or children, while 안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo) is polite and works with anyone. Saying 안녕 to an adult you've just met can be rude. When in doubt, always use 안녕하세요. Greeting a child with 안녕 is perfectly natural.

저 (jeo) is the humble, polite word for 'I,' while 나 (na) is casual and used with friends or younger people. Saying 나는 (naneun) to someone you've just met or to a superior can sound off. When using polite endings like -요, pair them with 저는 (jeoneun) and 제가 (jega). Matching 'I' to your speech level matters.

When the particle 가 follows 저, it becomes 제가 (jega), not 저가. Likewise 나 plus 가 becomes 내가 (naega), and 너 plus 가 becomes 네가 (nega). Learners often get this wrong, so memorize these as set forms. With 는, there's no change: 저는 (jeoneun) and 나는 (naneun).

잘 먹겠습니다 (jal meokgetseumnida) is said by the person eating, before the meal, roughly 'I'll enjoy this.' 맛있게 드세요 (masitge deuseyo), 'Enjoy your meal,' is said by the host or server. Learners often mix them up. After eating, the diner says 잘 먹었습니다 (jal meogeotseumnida), 'I enjoyed the meal.'

알아요 (arayo) means 'I already know,' while 알겠어요 (algesseoyo) means 'I understand' what you just said. Answering an explanation with 알아요 can sound curt, as if you knew all along. To acknowledge instructions, use 알겠어요 or 알겠습니다 (algetseumnida). It's a small difference that changes the impression a lot.

몰라요 (mollayo), 'I don't know,' isn't wrong, but said bluntly it can sound indifferent or curt. A softer option is 잘 모르겠어요 (jal moreugesseoyo), 'I'm not sure.' If someone asks you for directions, 죄송해요, 잘 모르겠어요 (joesonghaeyo, jal moreugesseoyo) sounds polite. Koreans use this softer form much more often.

가르치다 (gareuchida) means 'to teach,' and 가리키다 (garikida) means 'to point at.' They sound similar, and even native speakers confuse them. Compare 한국어를 가르쳐요 (hangugeoreul gareuchyeoyo), 'I teach Korean,' with 지도를 가리켜요 (jidoreul garikyeoyo), 'I point at the map.' Learning them in example pairs helps.

No. 다르다 (dareuda) means 'to be different,' while 틀리다 (teullida) means 'to be wrong.' 우리 생각이 달라요 (uri saenggagi dallayo) means 'Our opinions differ.' Saying 틀려요 would imply that someone is mistaken. Even native speakers mix these up, but use 다르다 when comparing.

배우다 (baeuda) means learning from someone, while 공부하다 (gongbuhada) means studying, often on your own. You'd say 선생님에게 한국어를 배워요 (seonsaengnimege hangugeoreul baewoyo), 'I learn Korean from a teacher,' but 도서관에서 공부해요 (doseogwaneseo gongbuhaeyo), 'I study at the library.' For skills like swimming or cooking, 배우다 is natural.

Korean uses different verbs depending on the item. Clothes take 입다 (ipda), shoes and socks take 신다 (sinda), hats and glasses take 쓰다 (sseuda), and rings and gloves take 끼다 (kkida). Using one verb for everything, like English 'wear,' sounds odd. Memorize each verb with its items.

-고 싶어요 (-go sipeoyo) expresses your own wishes. For a third person, use -고 싶어 해요 (-go sipeo haeyo). Compare 저는 한국에 가고 싶어요 (jeoneun hanguge gago sipeoyo), 'I want to go to Korea,' with 친구는 한국에 가고 싶어 해요, 'My friend wants to go to Korea.' In questions, 가고 싶어요? is fine.

No. -시- (-si-) honors the listener or someone else, so never use it for yourself. 제가 가실게요 is wrong; say 제가 갈게요 (jega galgeyo), 'I'll go.' Learners trying to sound polite often make this mistake. To be humble about yourself, using 저 (jeo) and 제가 (jega) is enough.

Use 이에요 (ieyo) after a consonant and 예요 (yeyo) after a vowel: 학생이에요 (haksaengieyo), 'I'm a student,' and 의사예요 (uisayeyo), 'I'm a doctor.' 아니에요 (anieyo), 'It isn't,' always stays the same because it comes from the verb 아니다. The same rule applies when you say your name.

드리다 (deurida) is the humble form of 주다 (juda), 'to give,' used when giving to someone senior. Compare 친구에게 선물을 줘요 (chinguege seonmureul jwoyo), 'I give a gift to my friend,' with 할머니께 선물을 드려요 (halmeonikke seonmureul deuryeoyo), 'I give a gift to my grandmother.' Notice 에게 also becomes the honorific 께.

이에요 says what something is, like 'to be' in identity, while 있어요 (isseoyo) means something exists or that you have it. 저는 학생이에요 means 'I am a student,' but 교실에 학생이 있어요 (gyosire haksaengi isseoyo) means 'There is a student in the classroom.' Translating English 'be' directly causes this mix-up.

덥다 (deopda) describes hot weather or air, while 뜨겁다 (tteugeopda) describes hot objects or food: 오늘 날씨가 더워요 (oneul nalssiga deowoyo), 'It's hot today,' versus 국이 뜨거워요 (gugi tteugeowoyo), 'The soup is hot.' Similarly, cold weather is 춥다 (chupda) and cold objects are 차갑다 (chagapda).

괜찮아요 (gwaenchanayo) can mean 'It's fine' as agreement or 'No thanks' as a polite refusal. If a server asks 물 더 드릴까요? (mul deo deurilkkayo?), 'More water?', answering 괜찮아요 usually means 'I'm fine, no need.' To be clear, say 네, 주세요 (ne, juseyo), 'Yes, please,' or 아니요, 괜찮아요 (aniyo, gwaenchanayo).

에 (e) marks a destination or where something is, while 에서 (eseo) marks where an action happens. Say 학교에 가요 (hakgyoe gayo), 'I go to school,' and 집에 있어요 (jibe isseoyo), 'I'm at home,' but 학교에서 공부해요 (hakgyoeseo gongbuhaeyo), 'I study at school.' A handy rule: 에 with go, come and be; 에서 with other action verbs.