📚 TOPIK Essential Vocabulary: 500 Words PDF + Practical Tips
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Looking for a powerful vocabulary boost for TOPIK?
This post provides a free downloadable PDF featuring 500 essential words, plus smart strategies to learn and use them in real-life situations. Let’s get started!
📑 Table of Contents
🎯 Learning Goal
By the end of this post, you’ll have a downloadable list of 500 essential TOPIK vocabulary words and evidence-based methods to memorize and use them in real-world contexts—including travel, school, and daily life.
🆓 PDF Download
Download the "TOPIK Essential 500 Vocabulary" PDF:
📥 Click here to download your free PDF. Organized by topic (food, school, travel, emotions) and tagged by exam frequency.
| Word (Korean) | Romanization | Meaning | TOPIK Exam Appearance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 가격 | gagyeok | price | TOPIK I (2019, 63rd) |
| 공항 | gonghang | airport | TOPIK I (2020, 64th) |
| 계획 | gyehoek | plan | TOPIK II (2021, 72nd) |
| 문화 | munhwa | culture | TOPIK II (2018, 60th) |
| 직업 | jigeop | job, occupation | TOPIK I (2017, 55th) |
👉 The full PDF contains 500 words, each with English meaning, romanization, topic category, and actual TOPIK exam references for trust and exam relevance.
💡 How to Use the List
- Group learning: Study by themes like 'Shopping' or 'Classroom.' Think of real dialogues where you'd use this vocab.
- Flashcards + sentences: Use words in real Korean phrases.
- Sticky notes method: Place words around your home.
- Silent practice: Use them in your head while in daily situations.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Memorizing words without context—easy to forget.
✅ Always create a sentence with each word.
❌ Cramming too many words at once.
✅ Stick to 10–15 per day with review.
📚 Teacher’s Tips
Many learners rush to memorize 50+ words at a time, only to forget them quickly. In my classes, I recommend the “10-10-10” method: learn 10 new words, review 10 from yesterday, and use 10 in sentences today. This balance of new input and active recall builds strong retention.
학생들이 단어를 많이 외우려다가 금방 잊는 경우가 많습니다. 그래서 “10-10-10 학습법”을 권합니다: 오늘 10개 학습, 어제 단어 10개 복습, 그리고 10개 문장에 활용하기. 이렇게 하면 기억이 훨씬 오래 갑니다.
📌 Did You Know?
TOPIK examiners often repeat high-frequency words across different years. Words like “가격 (price)” and “문화 (culture)” appeared in multiple exams, proving their importance.
✨ Final Thoughts
Vocabulary is the backbone of communication. With this 500-word PDF and daily practice, you’ll be well-prepared for both TOPIK and real life.
🚀 Take Action
👋 Practice Today!
Download the PDF, choose 5 new words, and make sentences about your day. Example: “오늘 계획이 있어요 (I have a plan today).”
👋 Take a Lesson with Me!
Need help using these words in conversation? Join my italki Korean lessons for feedback and speaking practice.
💬 Share Your Progress
Comment below: Which 5 words did you choose today?
👤 About the Author
I teach on italki and help learners use Korean confidently—in real life.
⏭️ Coming Up Next
The next article will be “Korean Proverbs 20 with English Translation”. Learn cultural wisdom and everyday expressions used in Korea.
