Ep.2 Essential Vocabulary for TOPIK: Leveling Up from TOPIK I to II
In this episode, we’ll talk about important vocabulary to help you move from TOPIK Level I to Level II. These words will not only help with the exam but also in everyday Korean conversations.
I’ve made a free PDF vocabulary guide that you can download and follow during this episode. You can find the link in the show notes so be sure to grab that and use it as a study resource. Let’s go through some key words together and learn how to use them in both the TOPIK exam and real life. Let’s get started!
[INTRO MUSIC]
안녕하세요, 여러분! Hello everyone, and welcome back to TOPIK & Beyond. I hope you're having a great day or evening depending on where you are! In today’s episode, we’re going to focus on some key vocabulary to help you move from TOPIK Level I to Level II. Whether you’re preparing for the exam or just looking to improve your everyday Korean, these words will be useful in both contexts.
So, let’s talk about what you’ll find inside the vocabulary guide. The guide is organized to help you learn new words by themes—things like daily life, shopping, and health…. This makes it easier to study because the vocabulary is grouped based on how you might use it in different situations, whether you’re talking about your routine or going shopping.
For each word, you’ll see the part of speech, like whether it’s a noun, verb, or adjective, and the English meaning - in a quiz card format for those who want to print it out! But we didn’t stop there. The guide also gives example sentences to show you how the word is used in real conversations. This is really important because knowing the meaning isn’t enough—you need to see how it works in a sentence. I’ve seen a lot of self-study learners who use vocabulary they’ve learned in the wrong context, so make sure you understand how to use these words correctly.
At the end of each section, you’ll find TOPIK-style questions. These are practice questions similar to what you’ll see on the actual exam, so you can test yourself and see how well you’re using the vocabulary in context. And if you want to check your answers, be sure to join my invite-only Facebook group, where you can post your answers, and I’ll provide feedback to help you improve. I’ll include the link to the group in the description section, so make sure to join us there not only for more support but also tips, mini-challenges, free webinars, and more!
For today’s episode, I won’t go through the entire guide—we’ll just focus on a few sections. But as you listen, follow along with that section and think about how you can use these words in real-life conversations, not just for the test.
As we go through the episode, I encourage you to follow along with the PDF guide. If you come across any words that are new or unfamiliar, make sure to note them down. It’s a good idea to review these words later and try using them in your own sentences. Remember, the more you practice, the better you'll remember them, and these words will come in handy both for TOPIK and in real-life situations!
Now, let’s dive into one of the sections of the guide and go over some key vocabulary. We’ll focus on the theme of ‘Daily Life & Routines’, as these are words you’ll often come across in both the TOPIK exam and daily conversations. So, if you have the PDF guide, follow along with me, and if you don’t, feel free to take notes!
Let’s start with the word 일상 (daily life). This is a noun that refers to your everyday routine. For example, in the sentence that I provided, ‘요즘은 바쁜 일상에서 벗어나고 싶어요,’ it means, ‘I want to escape from my busy daily life these days.’ You can see that 일상 can be paired with verbs like 벗어나다 (to escape) or 유지하다 (to maintain) depending on whether you’re talking about breaking free from your routine or keeping it steady, or simply 보내고 있다 which mean to have a busy life. So, you can say, ‘바쁜 일상을 보내고 있어요.’ Of course, you can also add adjectives like 바쁘다 (busy) or 지루하다 (boring) to describe how your daily life is. So, make sure to use 일상 correctly when talking about your routine activities, and try to practice these collocations.
Next, we have an easy one - 아침 (morning). But in the guide, we’ve given you the example sentence, ‘아침에 커피를 마시는 게 습관이에요,’ which means, ‘Drinking coffee in the morning is a habit.’ 아침 refers to the early part of the day, and you can use it when you want to talk about what you do in the morning. If you want to be more specific, you can say things like ‘아침 7시’ (7 AM) to talk about the time. So, can you see that although this word is very common, we can use it for high-level daily conversations and also for TOPIK reading and listening sections.
Moving on to 집안일 (housework). This noun is used to describe household chores, like cleaning or cooking. The sentence in the guide is, ‘주말에 집안일을 많이 해야 해요,’ which means, ‘I have to do a lot of housework on the weekend.’ It’s a really practical word, especially when you want to talk about your weekend plans or describe how busy you are at home with the verb phrases like 해야 해요 - must to do something. You’ll likely come across this word in reading passages or listening exercises in TOPIK, so it’s good to be familiar with it.
Now, let’s look at one more verb from this section: 준비하다 (to prepare). In the guide, the example is, ‘내일 발표를 위해 자료를 준비하고 있어요,’ meaning ‘I’m preparing materials for tomorrow’s presentation.’ 준비하다 is a very versatile verb, used in all kinds of situations—whether you’re preparing a meal, getting ready for a trip, or working on an event. A common grammar structure is pairing a noun with 준비하다 using the object marker 을/를, like ‘저녁을 준비하다’ (to prepare dinner). This verb shows up frequently in both the exam and daily life, so it’s one to remember!
Now, let’s move on to the ‘Shopping & Money’ section of the guide. This section is packed with useful words that you’ll not only see in the TOPIK exam but also use often when shopping or handling money in Korea. It’ll become handy if you plan to visit Korea. So, let’s take a look at a few key words together.
First, we have 가격 (price). This is a noun that refers to the cost of something. In the guide, the example sentence is, ‘이 가방의 가격이 너무 비싸요,’ which means, ‘The price of this bag is too expensive.’ For info, I’ve added the word ‘이 가방의’ because this is reading context. In real-life, you can omit this and simply say ‘가격이 너무 비싸요’. So, 가격 is really useful when shopping because it helps you ask about or talk about the cost of items. You can pair it with adjectives like 싸다 (cheap) or 비싸다 (expensive) to describe the price. For example, you might say, ‘이 옷의 가격이 싸요,’ meaning ‘The price of this clothing is cheap.’ This word shows up often in the listening and reading sections of TOPIK, so it’s important to recognize it in various contexts.
Next, let’s talk about 할인 (discount). This word is also very common in Korea, especially when shopping during sales. The sentence in the guide is, ‘세일 중이라서 20% 할인을 받았어요,’ which translates to, ‘I got a 20% discount because of the sale.’ When you’re shopping, you’ll hear 할인 paired with verbs like 받다 (to receive) or 주다 (to give), depending on whether you’re the customer or the store offering the discount. For example, if you’re at a store during a sale, you might hear, ‘할인 받으세요,’ meaning ‘You can get a discount.’ Understanding this word will help you in practical shopping situations, and it’s also likely to appear in TOPIK listening sections where sales or prices are discussed.
Another important word in this section is 현금 (cash). The example sentence in the guide is, ‘현금으로 지불할 수 있어요,’ meaning ‘You can pay with cash.’ While 현금 is less commonly used in Korea these days, as most people prefer to pay with 신용카드 (credit card) or even through mobile payment systems, it’s still an important word for foreigners or visitors. When you’re visiting Korea, you might find yourself using cash in street stores, markets, or certain situations where card payment isn’t available. For example, in a real-world situation, you might ask, ‘현금만 돼요?’ which means, ‘Do you only accept cash?’ Understanding these terms will help you navigate daily transactions, especially as a visitor.
These words—가격, 할인, and 현금—are all practical for both the exam and everyday life. When you’re preparing for TOPIK, think about how you would hear these words in conversations or reading passages about shopping or sales. And the best part is, once you learn them for the exam, you can immediately use them while shopping in Korea! Oh I love shopping! Do you?!
Make sure to practice these words when you’re out shopping or even just talking about prices and sales with friends. The more you use them, the more confident you’ll feel, both in real-life situations and on the exam.
So that was just a taste of the vocabulary in the ‘Daily Life & Routines’ and ‘Shopping & Money’ section of the guide. Each word comes with an example sentence and usage tip to help you see how it’s used in context.
The great thing about this guide is that it’s not just about learning isolated words. It helps you understand how to use the vocabulary correctly, both in the exam and in real-life situations. Make sure to review these words regularly and try to use them in your own sentences to really solidify them. If you’ve learned any new words today, go ahead and write them down or highlight them in the guide so you can review later.
If you’re following along with the guide, make sure to try the TOPIK-style questions at the end of this section to test your understanding. Remember, if you’re unsure about any of the answers, join the Facebook group, post your questions and/or responses, and I’ll give you feedback to help you improve.
Now let’s practice together using a sample passage that’s similar to what you might find in everyday situations or in the TOPIK exam. I’m not going to go over the passage from the vocab guide's TOPIK-style questions because I want you to try answering those on your own—practice makes perfect, right? Instead, I’ve prepared a new example for us to explore together. And hey, this also gives you a chance to practice your listening skills! See how determined I am to help you improve your Korean in all corners? I’ve even prepared this listening exercise just for you!
So, listen carefully for the following passage:
‘저는 주말마다 시장에 가서 장을 봐요. 오늘은 특별 할인 행사라서 현금으로만 계산할 수 있었어요. 가격이 저렴해서 과일과 야채를 많이 샀어요.’
And he question asks:
‘오늘 시장에서 어떻게 계산할 수 있었나요?’
Can you answer the question in Korean?
Let’s break it down, sentence by sentence.
* ‘저는 주말마다 시장에 가서 장을 봐요.’
This means, ‘I go to the market every weekend to buy groceries.’
* 주말마다 means ‘every weekend.’ The particle 마다 means ‘every,’ so it’s used to describe something that happens regularly.
* 장을 보다 is an expression that means ‘to go grocery shopping.’ It doesn’t literally translate to ‘buying groceries,’ but in Korean, this phrase is commonly used when talking about shopping for food and other household items.
* ‘오늘은 특별 할인 행사라서 현금으로만 계산할 수 있었어요.’
This translates to, ‘Today, because of a special discount event, I could only pay with cash.’
* 할인 행사 means ‘discount event’ or ‘sale.’ The word 행사 refers to an event, and 할인 means ‘discount,’ so together it refers to a special sale event.
* 현금으로만 means ‘only with cash,’ with 현금 meaning ‘cash’ and the particle 만 meaning ‘only.’ The structure 으로만 is used to indicate the method of payment.
* ‘가격이 저렴해서 과일과 야채를 많이 샀어요.’
This means, ‘The price was cheap, so I bought a lot of fruits and vegetables.’
* 저렴하다 is a common word used to describe something as cheap or affordable, especially useful in shopping situations when comparing prices.
* 과일과 야채 means ‘fruits and vegetables.’ The particle 과 is used to mean ‘and’ between nouns, so you’ll often see this when listing items.
* 많이 샀어요 means ‘bought a lot.’ 많이 is an adverb meaning ‘a lot,’ which emphasizes the quantity of something being bought.
Now, let’s look at a TOPIK-style question based on this passage. The question was:
‘오늘 시장에서 어떻게 계산할 수 있었나요?’
This means, ‘How could you pay at the market today?’ So, based on the passage, you’d need to recognize that the answer is 현금으로만 계산할 수 있었어요—you could only pay with cash because of the special discount event.
When answering questions like this on the TOPIK exam, it’s important to focus on specific details mentioned in the passage, such as payment methods or reasons for an action, to get the right answer. Practicing passages like this helps you get used to finding key information quickly.
Before we finish, let’s quickly talk about how you can use this guide effectively in your study routine.
* Repetition is key when learning vocabulary. Make sure to review the word lists regularly, even just a few words each day, to help the new vocabulary stick.
* Practice is just as important. Try creating your own sentences using the new words or doing the exercises provided in the guide. The more you actively use the words, the better you’ll remember them. Join my invite-only Facebook group and share your sentences there—I’ll be there to guide you and provide feedback every step of the way.
* And don’t forget about contextual learning. It’s not enough to memorize words—seeing them used in context, whether through reading passages, listening exercises, or conversations, will help you truly understand how and when to use them.
So, if you haven’t done so already, be sure to download the free vocabulary guide from the link in the show notes. Use it as a regular part of your study routine and revisit both this episode and the guide as often as needed to solidify your learning.
And if you want to dive deeper and get feedback on the exercises, remember to join my invite-only Facebook group, where you’ll find extra tips, resources, and support from other learners.
Thanks for joining me today, and happy learning! 다음 주에 봐요! See you next week!
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