The characteristics of Korean Language

1. Korean is a subject-object-verb (SOV) language (e.g., 앤드류가 한국어를 공부해요 “Andrew-Korean-studies”. 

2. In Korean, verbs and adjectives appear at the end of the sentence. All other elements such as nouns (e.g., subject and/or object), adverbs, and numbers, appear before verbs and/or adjectives. However, the word order of Korean would be 피터가 도서관에서 역사를 공부해요 “Peter library-at history studies.”

3. Korean sentences do not always follow the SOV pattern. Korean nouns (as subjects or objects) can be freely arranged in a sentence. For example :

앤드류가 집에서 한국어를 공부해요. (Andrew home-at Korean learns.)

앤ㄷ류가 한국어를 집에서 공부해요. (Andrew Korean home-at learns.)

4. The word order affects the Korean language only when certain particles are missing in given sentences.

5. Korean has particles that always come after nouns. For example 피터 followed by 가, 도서관 followed by 에서, 역사 followed by 를.

6. In Korean the most important elements tend to cluster to the end of the sentence. In other words, what appears at the very end of the sentence (e.g., verbs) is most important.

7. Korean sentences that have no subject or object but just a verb or an adjective, such as in 먹어요 “eat,” are grammatically correct and natural in conversation.

8. The Korean language is a context-oriented language in that any contextually understood elements may be omitted unless they are indispensable.

9. Korean is a “general-to-specific” or “big-to-small” language. In other words, Koreans write or say general, or bigger, units before the specific, or smaller, units.

10. Korean is an honorific language in that it has grammatical elements that are used to indicate social meanings involved in contexts such as speakers’ attitudes (e.g., respect, humility, formality) toward who they are talking to or talking about.

Those are the characteristics of Korean language. It is very different from our language. So, don't get confused, just enjoy it while you are learning. Happy learning!!! ^.^