🟢 Common Mistakes Beginners Make in Korean | Beginner Level (TOPIK 1–2)

Are you just starting to learn Korean? If so, you might be making some of these classic beginner mistakes — don’t worry, I see them all the time with my students. In this post, I’ll personally guide you through these errors, explain why they happen, and give you simple fixes so you can sound more natural and confident right away.

🔊 Pronunciation Mistakes

One thing I notice right away with beginners: final consonants (받침) often disappear! For example:

밥 (bap) vs 바 (ba) – “rice” vs “bar.” Big difference, right?
커피 (keopi) vs 코피 (kopi) – “coffee” vs “nosebleed.” (This one makes my students laugh!)

Try saying them slowly. Feel your lips close for ㅂ in 밥 — don’t let it vanish!

🧩 Particles and Sentence Endings

Ah, particles! My students often ask me: “Teacher, when do I use 은/는 vs 이/가?” Here’s my simple tip: 은/는 is for topics, 이/가 is for subjects. Start with easy sentences like:

저는 학생이에요. (I am a student.)
오늘 날씨가 좋아요. (The weather is nice today.)

And always add polite endings (-요). Trust me, it instantly makes your Korean sound friendly and respectful.

🙏 Politeness Levels

I know — K‑dramas make 반말 (casual speech) sound cool. But if you use it with your teacher or strangers? Yikes! Always stick with -요 until you’re 100% sure it’s okay to be casual.

Here’s a good habit: whenever you meet someone new, think “polite first.” It’s always safer in Korea.

🗣 Practice Dialogue + Pop Quiz

A: 안녕하세요! 이름이 뭐예요?
   Annyeonghaseyo! Ireumi mwoyeyo?
   Hello! What is your name?

B: 저는 마리아예요. 미국에서 왔어요.
   Jeoneun Maria-yeyo. Migug-eseo wasseoyo.
   I’m Maria. I came from the U.S.

A: 반가워요, 마리아 씨!
   Bangawoyo, Maria-ssi!
   Nice to meet you, Maria!

Pop Quiz! 👀 In the dialogue above, why did A say 마리아 씨 instead of just “마리아”?
Type your guess in the comments — I’ll reply and help you out!

💡 Teacher’s Tips

Let me share what I usually tell my beginner students:

Record yourself – Play it back and compare with native speakers. It’s awkward but works!
Small daily practice – Even 5 minutes a day will fix these mistakes over time.
Ask for feedback – Join my italki lessons and I’ll personally check your sentences and pronunciation.

Seriously, don’t be shy — I’ve corrected thousands of mistakes before. Yours won’t surprise me!

🌏 Did You Know?

Top 5 Korean street foods you must try (totally unrelated to grammar, but too yummy to skip):

떡볶이 (Tteokbokki) – Spicy rice cakes
호떡 (Hotteok) – Sweet pancakes with brown sugar
어묵 (Eomuk) – Fish cakes in broth
핫도그 (Korean corn dog) – Cheese-filled, sugar-coated!
붕어빵 (Bungeoppang) – Fish-shaped pastry with red bean paste

Grab these at night markets — learning Korean is easier with a happy stomach!

📦 Final Thoughts

Mistakes? Totally normal. What matters is noticing them and fixing them one by one. I’ve seen beginners turn into confident speakers in months — and you can too, if you keep practicing daily.

“Don’t aim for perfect Korean — aim for brave Korean!”

🔗 Related Posts

Want me to personally check your Korean and fix your mistakes? Book a lesson with me on italki — I’ll help you improve faster than studying alone!

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I hope my posts help you learn and enjoy Korean more each day. See you again soon!