Free TOPIK Practice Test: Check Your Korean Level (Level 1–6)
25 questions in the style of the TOPIK reading paper, from easy to hard, with instructions in English. In about 10 minutes you get your estimated TOPIK level, 1 to 6, and where to start learning.
I’m a total beginner, start me at lesson 1
Free. A practice test, not an official TOPIK result.
- 25 questions
- 3 TOPIK sections
- Level 1–6 estimate
- 8 minutes
How does the TOPIK level test work?
25 short questions, a little harder every five, from TOPIK Level 1 up to Level 5. No timer, no sign-up to start, and one tap answers each question.
Start at Level 1
Everyday words, simple sentences and short messages, like the first TOPIK level. Romanization is on for the first two levels.
Step up to Level 5
Vocabulary, grammar, sentence order and short texts, one level up every five questions. Several misses in a row and the next questions come from an easier level.
See your level
Your estimated TOPIK level, 1 to 6, a score for vocabulary, grammar and reading, and the lesson to start at in Slova.
How we estimate your level
Every question is written at one level, in the question types of the TOPIK reading paper (읽기): a word gap, “what is this about?” (무엇에 대한 내용입니까?), the closest meaning of the underlined part, a grammar gap (particles, endings, connectors), four sentences to put in order, and a short text with one question. A level counts as passed when you get three of its questions right, and your result is the highest level you passed, counting up from Level 1. A short test cannot tell Level 5 from Level 6, so Level 6 shows as your next goal. The questions are original and not calibrated on large groups of learners, so the result is an estimate, not an official TOPIK result. For the real format, see the past papers on the official TOPIK site.
What your Korean level test result shows
All of it on one screen, free. Leave your email at the end to see it, and we send you a copy.
- Your TOPIK levelLevel 1 to 6 (or below Level 1), named as TOPIK I or TOPIK II, with your next goal.
- A score for each sectionVocabulary (어휘), grammar (문법) and reading (읽기), counted apart.
- Every answer explainedThe right answer and a short reason in English, for every question you saw.
- Where to start in SlovaThe lesson of our Korean course that matches your level.
- Vocabulary8 of 11
- Grammar5 of 10
- Reading2 of 4
Where to start
NextLesson 241: relationships and more natural speech.
TOPIK levels explained: TOPIK I and TOPIK II
The TOPIK has two papers and six levels. TOPIK I gives Level 1 or 2; TOPIK II gives Level 3, 4, 5 or 6. Your score decides the level, so one paper covers several.
- 1
TOPIK I · Level 1
- Read hangul and introduce yourself.
- Buy things, order food, ask the way.
- About 800 basic words.
- 2
TOPIK I · Level 2
- Make phone calls and ask favours.
- Use public places like banks and post offices.
- About 1,500–2,000 words.
- 3
TOPIK II · Level 3
- Handle daily life without much trouble.
- Follow familiar social topics.
- Often asked by Korean universities for entry.
- 4
TOPIK II · Level 4
- Follow news and general articles.
- Use Korean at work in familiar areas.
- Often asked for graduation and some visas.
- 5
TOPIK II · Level 5
- Read texts on politics, economy and society.
- Use Korean for research and work.
- Asked by many employers.
- 6
TOPIK II · Level 6
- Use Korean almost like a native speaker.
- Handle specialised and abstract topics.
- The highest TOPIK level.
TOPIK sample questions
Five questions from this test, from Level 1 to Level 5, like the vocabulary, grammar and reading items it asks. Tap to see the answer and why.
Example 1 · Level 1 · What are these sentences about?
사과가 맛있습니다. 수박도 아주 답니다.
- 계절
- 과일
- 요일
- 운동
Show the answer
과일. Apples and watermelons are types of fruit (과일).
Example 2 · Level 2 · Which best fills the blank?
어제 백화점에 ＿＿＿ 마음에 드는 옷이 없었어요.
- 가거나
- 가려고
- 가면서
- 갔는데
Show the answer
갔는데. -는데 sets the background circumstance leading to the observation that followed.
Example 3 · Level 3 · Which best fills the blank?
어젯밤 늦게까지 축구 중계를 ＿＿＿ 오늘 아침에 늦잠을 잤다.
- 보느라고
- 보더라도
- 보도록
- 보자마자
Show the answer
보느라고. -느라고 gives the reason for a negative outcome due to spending time on an action.
Example 4 · Level 4 · Which word best fills the blank?
과도한 스마트폰 사용은 수면의 질뿐만 아니라 일상생활 전반에 부정적인 ＿＿＿을 미친다.
- 변명
- 소문
- 영향
- 칭찬
Show the answer
영향. 영향을 미치다 is the natural collocation for exerting an influence or impact.
Example 5 · Level 5 · Which best fills the blank?
수십 년간 쌓아 올린 당사자들의 신뢰 관계가 한낱 뜬소문으로 인해 흔들릴 리가 ＿＿＿.
- 다름없다
- 만무하다
- 불가피하다
- 일쑤이다
Show the answer
만무하다. -(으)ㄹ 리 만무하다 emphatically denies any possibility that long-built trust could waver over rumors.
TOPIK 1 practice test: Levels 1 and 2
The first ten questions of this test are at TOPIK I levels, and every result says whether you would likely reach them.
TOPIK I is the beginner paper. It has two parts: 듣기 (listening, 30 questions, 40 minutes) and 읽기 (reading, 40 questions, 60 minutes), 200 points in all. 80 points gives Level 1 and 140 gives Level 2. There is no writing part.
What TOPIK I questions look like here
- Vocabulary: the word that fits, such as 물 when you are thirsty or 환승 at the subway.
- What is this about?: two short sentences and their topic, like 가족, 날씨 or 요일.
- Grammar: particles (에, 에서, 을/를) and endings like -러, -고, -는데 and -아야 하다.
- Reading: a short message or notice and one question.
Our test has no listening part; the real TOPIK I does. For official past papers, see the TOPIK site.
TOPIK 1 grammar and vocabulary: what is tested
TOPIK I checks the grammar and words of everyday life. Here is what comes up most, with examples from this test.
Grammar
- Particles: 에 for time and destination (일곱 시에, 학교에 가요), 에서 for where something happens (도서관에서 읽어요), 을/를, 이/가, 은/는, 하고 and 도.
- Linking: -고 (and), -아서/어서 (so), -지만 (but), -는데 (background), -(으)면 (if), -(으)러 (to go and do).
- Endings: polite -아요/어요 and formal -습니다, past -았/었-, -고 싶다, -(으)ㄹ 거예요, -아야 하다, -(으)ㄹ 수 있다, -(으)ㄴ 적이 있다.
- Honorifics: -(으)시- for people you respect (선생님께서 가셨어요).
Vocabulary
TOPIK I uses about 1,500–2,000 everyday words, grouped by topic. In this test: 가족 (family), 날씨 (weather), 요일 (days), 과일 (fruit), 운동 (sport), 감기약 (cold medicine), 환승 (changing trains), 소포 (parcel), 수리 (repair), 저축 (savings).
The “what is this about?” questions ask you to name the topic of two short sentences, so learning words by topic pays off.
TOPIK 2 format and pass marks
TOPIK II is one paper for Levels 3 to 6. Your total score decides the level.
TOPIK II has three parts: 듣기 (listening, 50 questions), 쓰기 (writing, 4 tasks, including a 600–700 character essay) and 읽기 (reading, 50 questions). Each is out of 100, 300 in all.
| Level | Points needed (of 300) |
|---|---|
| Level 3 | 120 |
| Level 4 | 150 |
| Level 5 | 190 |
| Level 6 | 230 |
Our test covers the reading side of Levels 3 to 5: connectors like -느라고, -는 바람에 and -더라도, set phrases like 발 벗고 나서다, and short articles. It has no listening or writing part; the real TOPIK II does.
TOPIK past papers and sample papers
For full papers, use the official ones.
The official TOPIK site publishes past papers from earlier sessions, with the answers and the listening audio, free to download. They are the best way to practise the full exam with its timing. Use this test first to see which paper and level to aim for, then work through the past papers for that level on topik.go.kr.
Korean test for beginners
Just learned hangul? You can still take the test.
The first five questions are at TOPIK Level 1, and the first ten show a line of romanization under the hangul (Revised Romanization, the kind on Korean road signs). You can turn it off with one tap if you read hangul well. If the start is still too hard, the test swaps in picture questions, then stops early and sends you to lesson 1.
New to Korean? Skip the test and start at lesson 1.
Korean placement: where to start in Slova
Your result also places you in Slova’s spoken Korean course of 400 lessons, so you skip what you already know.
Slova is a speaking course: you learn by talking, with an AI tutor, from the first lesson. The course moves in six stages, and your result opens the stage that matches it.
| Your result | Start at |
|---|---|
| Below Level 1 | Lesson 1 · First everyday conversations |
| TOPIK I · Level 1 | Lesson 81 · Plans and getting by on your own |
| TOPIK I · Level 2 | Lesson 161 · Experiences and explanations |
| TOPIK II · Level 3 | Lesson 241 · Relationships and more natural speech |
| TOPIK II · Level 4 | Lesson 311 · News, decisions and reasons |
| Level 5 and up | Lesson 361 · Telling experiences and keeping the conversation going |
Korean level test FAQ
Taking English too? Try the English level test. For the official exam, see topik.go.kr.
What is TOPIK?
TOPIK (Test of Proficiency in Korean, 한국어능력시험) is the official Korean test for non-native speakers, run by Korea’s National Institute for International Education (NIIED). Universities, employers and the Korean immigration service use it. Results are valid for two years.
What is TOPIK 1?
“TOPIK 1” can mean two things. TOPIK I is the beginner paper (listening and reading), which gives Level 1 or Level 2. TOPIK Level 1 is the lowest level, for 80 of 200 points on that paper. This test names both: your result reads, for example, TOPIK I · Level 2.
What is TOPIK 2?
TOPIK II is the intermediate and advanced paper: listening, writing and reading, 300 points in all. It gives Level 3 (120 points), Level 4 (150), Level 5 (190) or Level 6 (230). People also say “TOPIK 2” for Level 2, the top level of TOPIK I.
How many TOPIK levels are there?
Six. Levels 1 and 2 (basic) come from TOPIK I, and Levels 3 and 4 (intermediate) and 5 and 6 (advanced) from TOPIK II. There is no separate exam for each level; your score on the paper decides it.
What is TOPIK level 6?
The highest level: 230 of 300 points on TOPIK II. It shows you can use Korean for research and specialised work, close to a native speaker. A short test like this one cannot tell Level 5 from Level 6, so Level 6 shows as your next goal after Level 5.
How is TOPIK scored?
TOPIK I is out of 200 (listening and reading, 100 each) and TOPIK II out of 300 (listening, writing and reading, 100 each). Your total decides the level, and there is no pass mark per part. This test does not give a TOPIK score; it estimates the level.
Can I take TOPIK online?
You can take this level test online, free, in about 10 minutes. The official TOPIK is taken at a test centre, on paper or, in some countries, on computer (IBT); it is not taken from home. Dates, fees and registration are on topik.go.kr and differ by country.
What is level 1 Korean?
TOPIK Level 1 means you can read hangul and handle basic survival Korean: introducing yourself, buying things, ordering food and asking the way, with about 800 words. It is roughly CEFR A1.
Is this a Korean proficiency test?
It is a short Korean level test, modelled on the TOPIK reading paper, that estimates your TOPIK level from vocabulary, grammar and reading. It has no listening or writing part, which the real TOPIK has, and it is not an official proficiency certificate.
How do I register for TOPIK?
On topik.go.kr, or through the TOPIK centre in your country, which sets its own dates and fees. Places can fill up early, so register as soon as registration opens for your session.
Is the result an official TOPIK certificate?
No. This is a practice and level test made by Slova, not by NIIED, and its result is an estimate. Only the TOPIK itself gives an official score report. Use our result to choose which paper and level to aim for.
Learn Korean at your level with Slova
A spoken course of 400 short lessons, from your first 안녕하세요 to holding a warm, natural conversation.