Beginner • • 10 min read

Korean Sentence Structure: A Complete Guide to Word Order

Master Korean sentence structure with this comprehensive guide. Learn the basic Subject-Object-Verb pattern and how to create natural Korean sentences.

Understanding Korean Sentence Structure

Korean follows a Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) pattern, different from English’s Subject-Verb-Object (SVO). Key points:

  • Verbs always come at the end
  • Particles mark word functions
  • Word order is relatively flexible
  • Context can allow omission

Basic Sentence Pattern

Simple Sentences

The basic pattern is: Subject + Object + Verb

저는 사과를 먹어요
(I) (apple) (eat)
I eat an apple

With Time Expressions

Time expressions usually come first:

어제 저는 영화를 봤어요
(Yesterday) (I) (movie) (watched)
I watched a movie yesterday

Basic Structure Practice

1. Arrange in Korean order: I drink coffee

2. Where does the time expression go?

3. What comes last in a Korean sentence?

Particles and Word Order

Topic and Subject

Both can be used in the same sentence:

저는 한국어가 좋아요
(I-topic) (Korean-subject) (like)
As for me, I like Korean

Multiple Objects

Direct and indirect objects:

저는 친구에게 선물을 줬어요
(I) (to friend) (gift) (gave)
I gave a gift to my friend

Particle Practice

1. Complete: '저___ 물___ 마셔요'

2. Arrange: 'give book to teacher'

3. Which order is correct?

Descriptive Sentences

Using Adjectives

Adjectives work like verbs:

날씨가 추워요
(Weather) (is cold)
The weather is cold

With Descriptive Phrases

Descriptions come before nouns:

작은 강아지가 귀여워요
(Small) (dog) (is cute)
The small dog is cute

Question Sentences

Yes/No Questions

Add -까요? to the verb:

커피를 좋아해요? → 커피를 좋아하세요?
(Do you like coffee?)

WH-Questions

Question words + particle:

뭐를 먹어요?
(What) (eat?)
What are you eating?

어디에 가요?
(Where) (go?)
Where are you going?

Question Structure Practice

1. Make this polite: '밥을 먹어요?'

2. How do you ask 'Where is the book?'

3. Choose the correct question structure

Complex Sentences

Connecting Sentences

Use conjunctions:

비가 와요 그리고 춥네요
(It's raining) (and) (it's cold)

Cause and Effect

Use -아서/어서:

배가 아파서 병원에 갔어요
(Stomach hurt) (so) (went to hospital)
I went to the hospital because my stomach hurt

Common Patterns

Time + Location + Subject + Object + Verb

오늘 학교에서 친구를 만났어요
(Today) (at school) (friend) (met)
I met a friend at school today

Negation

Two ways to make negative:

안 먹어요 (don't eat)
먹지 않아요 (don't eat)

Complex Structure Practice

1. Connect these sentences: '비가 와요' + '집에 있어요'

2. Make negative: '커피를 마셔요'

3. Arrange: today, school, friend, meet

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  1. Verb Position

    • Always keep verbs at the end
    • Don’t follow English word order

  2. Particle Usage

    • Don’t omit particles in formal speech
    • Use correct particles for function

  3. Subject Omission

    • Context allows subject omission
    • But include for clarity when needed

Practice What You’ve Learned

Comprehensive Structure Practice

1. Arrange in Korean order: 'Yesterday I ate Korean food at a restaurant'

2. Make this sentence polite: '나 밥 먹어'

3. Create a sentence using time, location, and action

4. Which is grammatically correct?

Next Steps

To master Korean sentence structure:

  1. Practice basic patterns first
  2. Learn common conjunctions
  3. Study particle usage
  4. Listen to natural speech patterns

Remember: Korean sentence structure may seem different from English, but it’s very logical and consistent. Focus on the basic SOV pattern and gradually build complexity.