Beginner • • 10 min read

Basic Korean Sentence Structure: Subject-Object-Verb (SOV)

Master the fundamental Korean sentence structure with clear examples and practice exercises. Learn how Korean sentences differ from English.

Korean Sentence Structure Basics

Unlike English which follows Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) order, Korean uses Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) structure. This means the verb always comes at the end of the sentence.

Basic Pattern

English (SVO): I | eat | rice
Korean (SOV): 저는 | 밥을 | 먹어요
           (I) | (rice) | (eat)

Key Points

  1. Verb Always Last

    • The action (verb) comes at the end
    • This is a strict rule in Korean

  2. Particles Mark Function

    • 는/은 (neun/eun) marks the subject
    • 을/를 (eul/reul) marks the object

  3. Flexible Word Order

    • While SOV is standard, Korean allows some flexibility
    • The verb must stay at the end
    • Particles show word function regardless of position

Common Patterns

1. Basic Statement

저는 학생이에요
(I am a student)

2. With Object

저는 한국어를 공부해요
(I study Korean)

3. With Time Expression

저는 아침에 커피를 마셔요
(I drink coffee in the morning)

Practice Time

Let’s test your understanding with some exercises.

Basic Sentence Structure Quiz

1. How would you say 'I eat rice' in Korean?

2. What's the correct word order for 'Student book read' (The student reads a book)?

3. Arrange in Korean order: I | coffee | drink

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  1. Verb Position ❌ 저는 먹어요 밥을 ✅ 저는 밥을 먹어요

  2. Missing Particles ❌ 저 밥 먹어요 ✅ 저는 밥을 먹어요

  3. Using English Order ❌ 저는 먹어요 밥을 ✅ 저는 밥을 먹어요

Practice Exercises

Try forming sentences using these patterns:

  1. I | book | read

    • 저는 책을 읽어요

  2. Student | Korean | study

    • 학생이 한국어를 공부해요

  3. Friend | coffee | drink

    • 친구가 커피를 마셔요

Additional Tips

  1. Time Expressions

    • Time expressions usually come at the beginning
    • Example: 오늘 저는 책을 읽어요 (Today I read a book)

  2. Location Markers

    • Places often come before the object
    • Example: 저는 학교에서 한국어를 공부해요 (I study Korean at school)

  3. Multiple Objects

    • Keep all objects before the verb
    • Example: 저는 친구에게 책을 줘요 (I give a book to my friend)

Advanced Structure Practice

1. Translate: 'I study Korean at school'

2. Put in correct order: 'at cafe | friend | with | coffee | drink'

3. What's wrong with this sentence: '저는 먹어요 밥을'?

Next Steps

Now that you understand basic sentence structure, you can:

  1. Practice making simple sentences
  2. Learn more particles
  3. Study verb conjugation

Remember: The verb position at the end is the most important rule in Korean sentence structure. Everything else can be more flexible, but the verb must stay at the end!