Teaching English in Korea
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Learning Korean
More on learning to speak, read and write Korean.
Learning and adapting to unfamiliar culture of a foreign country, especially when the cultures are almost completely unrelated (as is the case with Asian and Western cultures) can be a daunting task. Some foreigners who come to Korea struggle with culture shock which can lead to all sorts of nasty side-effects like mild depression and serious homesickness.
But as distant and remote as a culture might seem, nothing penetrates its foreign walls as quickly as language acquisition. Since culture is embedded and in a sense built around language (and vice versa), learning a new language will inevitably lead you into a deeper and more significant understanding of the culture and people who speak that language.
Korean is no exception. Personally, I'd have to say that I've learned more about Korean culture and the Korean people's way of life through learning the language, than through the Lonely planet guides or tourist trips.
As I stated in a different article, Korean, along with Chinese, Japanese and Arabic, are the most difficult language to learn for Westerners with an English background. But don't let this deter you; there are many elements of Korean that make it much easier to learn than even English! The lack of lists of irregular verbs not being the least of it.
Korean is a very scientific language, very regular and fairly easy to pronounce once you've had some practice.
Of course not everyone will want to obtain fluency in Korea. Most people might be happy with a cabbanbeer fluency ("I can call a cab and order a beer!"). And of course that's just fine. With a small vocabulary and a couple of set phrases you really can get very far.
Here are some pointers and tips from my experience with language learning:
- Learn the alphabet first. Then start reading Hangeul. If you're in Korea this won't be difficult since you simply have to walk outside your door. If you're somewhere else, use the Internet to find Korean sites. Reading word out loud will adjust your ear to the sound of the language and help you recognize key patterns and maybe even an easy word or two. This will of course also help you obtain fluency in reading. See this article on learning to read Hangeul, and to download a copy of the alphabet
- Use a system. You have to follow some sort of system, be it from a book, computer prorgam or actual lessons. And stick to your system. Jumping from one Internet site to the other, or one phrase book to the next, is one way to ensure you'll make little progress. See the links at the bottom of this article.
- Focus on vocabulary first. You can know all the grammar in the world, but it won't help a bit if you don't know the WORDS! As a newcomer to Korean I suggest you start by nailing lists of vocabulary on the inside of your brain. There are good Internet resources for helping you with memorizing the most important words (which you'll use in day to day conversation) first. See this article for a list of common Korean phrases and to download a free phrase book.
- Study every day, even if it's just for 5 minutes. It's been scientifically proven that you'll learn and remember more by studying 15 minutes a day, than by doing 2 hours once a week. Daily consistency is the key to speedy progress.
Now a professional linguist might have a field day with this little list of mine, so I'm not claiming to be any sort of expert when it comes to learning new languages. These pointers are just based on my experience.
Okay, so where to from here?
- TalktomeinKorean.com
A really cool and 100% free site set up by a couple of Koreans from Seoul. Uses video and audio instruction, along with printable worksheets. Definitely worth it, check it out.
- Byki.com
The world's largest collection of free vocabulary cards. Byki's free version allow you to download sets of vocab cards and uses a nice system to help you memorize the lists. Check under the "Korean" section of the website.
- Rosetta Stone
Many people claim it to be the best, and it certainly works, but it's as expensive as any product I've seen! Rosetta Stone uses a technique called "Dynamic Immersion" that helps you acquire the language without any memorization or drilling. If you've got the bucks to spare, buy this, it really works.
- Korean made easy for beginners
This is the textbook I started out with and recommend it whole heartedly. Uses easy phrases and simply vocabulary to introduce you to the Korean language and culture. Very topical and relevant book with lots of pictures and dialogue.
And that's my recommendations, I'm sure you'll find plenty of other resources, both online and off, but I've found the above to be the best. For a look at a starter list of Korean vocabulary head over here.
But as distant and remote as a culture might seem, nothing penetrates its foreign walls as quickly as language acquisition. Since culture is embedded and in a sense built around language (and vice versa), learning a new language will inevitably lead you into a deeper and more significant understanding of the culture and people who speak that language.
Korean is no exception. Personally, I'd have to say that I've learned more about Korean culture and the Korean people's way of life through learning the language, than through the Lonely planet guides or tourist trips.
As I stated in a different article, Korean, along with Chinese, Japanese and Arabic, are the most difficult language to learn for Westerners with an English background. But don't let this deter you; there are many elements of Korean that make it much easier to learn than even English! The lack of lists of irregular verbs not being the least of it.
Korean is a very scientific language, very regular and fairly easy to pronounce once you've had some practice.
Of course not everyone will want to obtain fluency in Korea. Most people might be happy with a cabbanbeer fluency ("I can call a cab and order a beer!"). And of course that's just fine. With a small vocabulary and a couple of set phrases you really can get very far.
Here are some pointers and tips from my experience with language learning:
- Learn the alphabet first. Then start reading Hangeul. If you're in Korea this won't be difficult since you simply have to walk outside your door. If you're somewhere else, use the Internet to find Korean sites. Reading word out loud will adjust your ear to the sound of the language and help you recognize key patterns and maybe even an easy word or two. This will of course also help you obtain fluency in reading. See this article on learning to read Hangeul, and to download a copy of the alphabet
- Use a system. You have to follow some sort of system, be it from a book, computer prorgam or actual lessons. And stick to your system. Jumping from one Internet site to the other, or one phrase book to the next, is one way to ensure you'll make little progress. See the links at the bottom of this article.
- Focus on vocabulary first. You can know all the grammar in the world, but it won't help a bit if you don't know the WORDS! As a newcomer to Korean I suggest you start by nailing lists of vocabulary on the inside of your brain. There are good Internet resources for helping you with memorizing the most important words (which you'll use in day to day conversation) first. See this article for a list of common Korean phrases and to download a free phrase book.
- Study every day, even if it's just for 5 minutes. It's been scientifically proven that you'll learn and remember more by studying 15 minutes a day, than by doing 2 hours once a week. Daily consistency is the key to speedy progress.
Now a professional linguist might have a field day with this little list of mine, so I'm not claiming to be any sort of expert when it comes to learning new languages. These pointers are just based on my experience.
Okay, so where to from here?
- TalktomeinKorean.com
A really cool and 100% free site set up by a couple of Koreans from Seoul. Uses video and audio instruction, along with printable worksheets. Definitely worth it, check it out.
- Byki.com
The world's largest collection of free vocabulary cards. Byki's free version allow you to download sets of vocab cards and uses a nice system to help you memorize the lists. Check under the "Korean" section of the website.
- Rosetta Stone
Many people claim it to be the best, and it certainly works, but it's as expensive as any product I've seen! Rosetta Stone uses a technique called "Dynamic Immersion" that helps you acquire the language without any memorization or drilling. If you've got the bucks to spare, buy this, it really works.
- Korean made easy for beginners
This is the textbook I started out with and recommend it whole heartedly. Uses easy phrases and simply vocabulary to introduce you to the Korean language and culture. Very topical and relevant book with lots of pictures and dialogue.
And that's my recommendations, I'm sure you'll find plenty of other resources, both online and off, but I've found the above to be the best. For a look at a starter list of Korean vocabulary head over here.
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