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The best free resource isn't a single tool but four different ones, each suited to a different job: this site's level-based word lists (all 5,965 TOPIK vocabulary words, in 8 languages, each with an example sentence), a free level test, the National Institute of Korean Language's original vocabulary list (released under a Type 1 Korea Open Government License), and the official TOPIK past exams at topik.go.kr. Which one is "best" depends on whether you're building a study list, checking your current level, verifying a source, or practicing on real test questions.
| Word lists on this site | All 5,965 words, 8 languages, examples, free |
| Free level test (this site) | 3-minute vocabulary estimate |
| NIKL original list | The official source (Korean) |
| Official TOPIK site | Past papers & exam info |
This site publishes level-based word lists covering all 5,965 vocabulary items used across the TOPIK levels, translated into 8 languages, with an example sentence for every entry. Paired with that is a free level test, which gives you a quick read on where your current vocabulary stands before you commit study time to a particular level. Neither one charges for access, and both are built specifically around the TOPIK level structure rather than general-purpose Korean vocabulary.
The National Institute of Korean Language (국립국어원) publishes its own original vocabulary list, released under a Type 1 Korea Open Government License (공공누리 1유형), meaning it can be freely reused under that license's terms. It's the closest thing to a primary source for what "standard" vocabulary at each level looks like, since other lists — including the one on this site — are typically built from it. For the exam itself, the only fully authoritative material is the set of official TOPIK past exams published at topik.go.kr, which show real test questions rather than a vocabulary list.
Beyond these four, plenty of other free resources exist — flashcard apps, textbook glossaries, community-made spreadsheets — and they're worth exploring on their own merits. None of them replaces the four above; they just add more ways to encounter the same core vocabulary.
Reach for a level-based word list when you're building your actual study list: you want every word for a given TOPIK level in one place, with an example sentence showing how it's really used, and a translation in your own language rather than a Korean-only definition. This matters most in the early stages of preparing for a level, when you're deciding what to memorize before you start drilling.
Use a free level test when you're not sure which TOPIK level your current vocabulary actually matches, or when you want a checkpoint partway through your prep to see whether what you've studied is sticking. Treat it as a diagnostic, not a scored mock exam — the result is a starting point for deciding what to study next, not a prediction of your official TOPIK score.
Go to the National Institute of Korean Language's original list when you want to double-check that a word list — this site's or anyone else's — actually matches the standard source, or when you're doing more formal research into Korean vocabulary. Go to the official past exams at topik.go.kr when you want to practice on real questions under real exam conditions rather than isolated vocabulary; that's the only place to see exactly how vocabulary gets tested in context, and it's worth checking the site directly for the current exam format and schedule.
These four resources cover the research and reference side of vocabulary prep well: you can get every word for your level, see it in a sentence, check it against an authoritative source, and test yourself against real exam questions, all without paying anything. That's a genuinely complete foundation for knowing what to study and where you currently stand.
What free resources like these typically don't handle is the ongoing mechanics of memorization: audio pronunciation for every word and a spaced-repetition schedule that tells you when to review each word again before you forget it. A word list can show you a word and its meaning in text, but it isn't built to drill pronunciation, and a static list can't track your review intervals the way a dedicated flashcard app can. If audio and scheduled review matter to your routine, that's the piece worth adding a separate app for — not something to expect from a vocabulary list or level test.
It's the source that most TOPIK-focused word lists, including level-based ones, are typically built from, since it's released under a Type 1 Korea Open Government License that allows reuse. It isn't itself a TOPIK-branded document, so it's worth cross-checking against the official TOPIK past exams at topik.go.kr for how vocabulary actually appears on the test.
No — a free level-based list covering all 5,965 TOPIK vocabulary words, in 8 languages with example sentences, is enough to build a complete study list without spending anything. What you may eventually want to pay for are app-based features like audio and spaced-repetition scheduling, not the vocabulary content itself.
A free level test is a useful diagnostic for gauging roughly where your vocabulary stands, but it isn't an official scored TOPIK exam and shouldn't be treated as a prediction of your actual test result. Use it to decide what to study next, and rely on the official TOPIK past exams at topik.go.kr for real exam-format practice.
The only fully authoritative source for real TOPIK exam questions is the set of official past exams published at topik.go.kr. Check that site directly for the currently available years and formats, since exam materials and schedules are managed there, not by any third-party vocabulary resource.
Updated: 2026-09-04