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Learning to communicate in Korean takes less time than you think
Put that calendar away!
You don’t need a lot of time to start communicating in Korean.
If you’re looking for a plan for how to learn the Korean language, you need to start with the basics. First learn the fundamentals in a strategic way. You can do this by focusing on the parts of the language that give you the best results.
In this article, we will give you an overall road map to follow so you know how to learn the Korean language. It’s up to you which tools and resources you use to get to your end goal. Use whatever suits you best!
This page is broken down into three sections. Each section gives you an overall framework of what to do.
The first section is called “Just the Basics Korean”. Start here to learn the essentials of the Korean language.
If you’re excited and you want to keep learning, move onto the “Beginner Korean”, which will move you along in your communication abilities.
Then when you’re ready to further develop your abilities, go to “High Beginner Korean”.
Do only as many sections as you want, but don’t skip steps!
Along the way, we’ll give you resources to help you get through each part. You can also check out our Killer Resources for Learning Korean page for more options.
Grab your stopwatch, and buckle your seat belts. It’s time to learn the Korean language fast!
1. Just the Basics Korean
This part will explain what you need to get up and running with the essential communication tools to have you interacting with Koreans. After going through this section, you will be able to answer simple questions, make polite requests, and order at a restaurant. You will even be able to write your own name in Hangul!
Here are the first five steps for how to learn the Korean language.
a. Hangul Hour
You absolutely must learn Hangul (the Korean alphabet)! It’s really hard to make any significant gains without it.
Hangul is only 24 characters in total, and most people can learn it within 60 minutes if they have the right material. Associations and stories make it easy to remember the Korean characters. If you use this strategy, not only will you learn the Korean alphabet fast, but you’ll also be able to recall it more easily later on.
You can download an excellent free Hangul guide here that will teach you the Korean alphabet in less than one hour.
Time flies by when you learn Hangul!
There is Hangul on this page, so make sure you learn the characters so you can follow along!
b. English to Konglish
Thanks to Konglish, you already know more Korean than you probably realize!
Konglish are <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konglish> Korean words that sound similar to the same words in English (Korean + English = Konglish)
Tasty Konglish words
Sometimes they are very similar, such as:
- Wine = 와인Chocolate = 초콜릿
And sometimes they are not so similar:
- Apartment = 아파트
- Ballpoint pen = 볼펜
Quite a few modern words that are used in the Korean language today come from English. The word has either been adapted to fit the Korean language, or a similar word is used.
If you’ve downloaded the free Hangul guide from part (a), then you will also get a free Konglish lesson sent to you as well. Keep an eye on your inbox!
If you haven’t done so, you can get the Hangul guide for free here.
c. Essential Korean Phrases
To get interacting in Korean as soon as possible, you want to make sure you know some essential phrases. That way you can communicate with Koreans immediately.
Since these phrases are fairly simple, you can just memorize them and get to practicing. Here is a good list to start with.
For example, three essential Korean phrases you may want to start with are “thank you”, “sorry”, and “hello”.
d. Writing for Retention
You’ve already learned Hangul, so you know how to read words now. Congrats on the fast progress!
As you’ve probably noticed, it’s a bit challenging to read Korean quickly. You may also occasionally forget or confuse some of the characters here and there. That’s totally fine!
You can sharpen your kills by starting to write Hangul as well as read it. You can learn about stroke order here and then start practicing writing things in Korean.
Some things you can begin writing are:
- Your name
- Your address
- Your home country
You can also trace out the stroke order on words you are reading for additional practice as you read.
It’s not critical that you learn stroke order, but it’s better for writing efficiency. Your hand will thank you!
e. Counting in Korean
The Korean language has two systems for counting numbers. We’ll call one the “Chinese System”, and the other the “Korean System” for simplicity.
They are used for slightly different purposes. For example:
- Chinese System: Used for days, months, years, and money.
- Korean System: Used for counting age, people, animals, bottles, and time.
Here are the numbers for the Chinese System:
| English | 한국어 (Korean) |
|---|---|
| one | 일 |
| two | 이 |
| three | 삼 |
| four | 사 |
| five | 오 |
| six | 육 |
| seven | 칠 |
| eight | 팔 |
| nine | 구 |
| ten | 십 |
Here are the numbers for the Korean System:
| English | 한국어 (Korean) |
|---|---|
| one | 하나 |
| two | 둘 |
| three | 셋 |
| four | 넷 |
| five | 다섯 |
| six | 여섯 |
| seven | 일곱 |
| eight | 여덟 |
| nine | 아홉 |
| ten | 열 |
Don’t worry if you confuse which numbers to use in which cases for now. It may sound a bit strange to Koreans if you use the wrong set of numbers, but they will understand you. Keep at it, and eventually it will come to you naturally.
You’ll be finished with the Korean numbers before you know it!
2. Beginner Korean
You’re now a “Just the Basics Korean” graduate. Congratulations, Mom and Dad will be so proud!
You can now read, write, count, and say some essential phrases in Korean.
In this next section, we’ll give you additional tips for how to learn the Korean language fast. They will beef up your verb, listening, and keyboard skills for heavenly Korean communication!
a. Core Korean Verbs
There are a few core verbs that you should learn first to help you accelerate your Korean learning. Some examples are:
- To have: 있다
- To not have: 없다
- To give: 주다
However, those are the base forms, so you’ll want to know the conjugated forms. A conjugated verb simply means that you dressed the verb up in another form so that it fits a specific purpose. Kind of like wearing a trainers to the gym or a dress to a wedding. The common forms of the three verbs above will look like this:
- To have: 있어요
- To not have: 없어요
- To give: 주세요
Here are examples of the core verbs in action:
- 동생있어요: I have a sibling
- 시간없어요: I don’t have any time
- 콜라주세요: Please give me a cola
To get lots of use out of these verbs, substitute other words in the blanks and use them for different situations.
Soon you’ll have a lot to talk about!
If you’ve signed up for the free learn Hangul guide above, then you will also receive a lesson teaching you these verbs.
But don’t stop there! Make sure you add in more targeted core Korean verbs. You should pick out the verbs that are used the most often in the Korean language. Using these verbs often will boost your conversation skills quickly!
Build a strong core when learning Korean
b. Korean Dictionary
Now that you’ve got your core Korean verbs handled, it’s time to learn more vocabulary.
Having a Korean dictionary handy while you’re studying and talking with Koreans will boost your learning speed. You’ll be able to learn the words that you want, which will make Korean learning more fun.
Try using the Naver dictionary in your browser or download the application for your smartphone through iTunes or Google Play.
c. Active Listening
At this point, you can read, write, and speak Korean.
It’s important to balance out your skill set by getting some listening practice in.
The key here is to make sure that it’s focused active listening. There is a difference between active listening and passive listening.
An example of active listening would be when you’re listening to an MP3 of a conversation where you know about 50% of the content. You focus on the other 50% to actively understand what the people are saying. Then you go back and listen again while following the script.
Passive listening would be if you had K-pop playing in the background as you cleaned your house.
Both active and passive listening are good, but you’ll learn Korean faster if you do more active listening.
You should find Korean audio that matches your skill level. Since you’re likely just starting out, you can listen to single vocabulary words being pronounced. Naver has a page called “국어사전” (Korean Dictionary) where you can listen to the correct pronunciation for many Korean words.
Naver Korean Dictionary
d. Dressing Up the Verbs
After you get comfortable using the core Korean verbs, you need to learn how to dress them up for different situations.
In other words, you need to learn the conjugation rules.
There are various conjugation rules for Korean, so don’t worry about learning them all. Start off with the simple present standard form.
For example:
- 가다 = 가요
- 오다 = 와요
- 주다 = 줘요
You can learn the conjugation rules here and then check them in the Dongsa Korean verb conjugator here.
Once you learn these rules, you’ll be able to conjugate any verbs you want. Total verb freedom!
e. Keyboard Connections
Get yourself typing in Korean in emails, web searches, forums, and the KakaoTalk messenger as soon as possible.
Knowing how to type in Korean is simpler than you think. Here is a great resource to get you typing in no time.
Once you can type your computer keyboard, it will be even easier to type on your smartphone.
Soon you’ll be searching and navigating Korean sites like a pro in no time!
You can type in Korean without a Korean keyboard!
3. High Beginner Korean
Congratulations, you’re moving up in the world!
If you’ve done the previous two sections, then you already know how to count, make basic sentences, and communicate over messenger.
This section will help build on those foundations, as well as introduce some valuable tools that you can use throughout your Korean language learning journey!
a. Formal and Informal Korean
Korean is a hierarchical language. There are various levels of the grammar and vocabulary based on the relative rank of the people communicating. In most cases, rank is determined by age.
In short, younger people have to use the respectful Korean forms when talking to older people.
The rules for formal and informal Korean can seem confusing, especially to someone first learning Korean. If you want to learn Korean fast while still maintaining politeness, your best bet is to break down the ranks into three levels:
- Formal: High level respectful Korean. Used when speaking to customers or grandparents
- Standard: Regular everyday Korean. Used to speak to to most people in normal situations
- Informal: Casual Korean. Used when speaking to younger people who you’re close to
Some examples of these three forms using the verb “가다”, which means “to go”:
- Formal: 가세요
- Standard: 가요
- Informal: 가
It’s likely you’ll run into all three forms while you’re learning Korean. Here’s a strategy to help you learn Korean fast:
- Formal: Learn this form so you recognize it, but don’t use it
- Standard: Learn this form to recognize and use it
- Informal: Learn this form to recognize it, but don’t use it
You’re welcome to use the higher and level forms of the language. However, you may want to stick to the standard form for now so you don’t have too many things to focus on at once.
b. Korean Flash Cards
As your vocabulary learning rate starts quickly picking up, you’re going to want to make sure you keep those words fresh in your mind.
Flash cards are a great supplement to your normal Korean study plan. Use manual flash cards, or download a smartphone application such as Anki, Memrise, or Quizlet. Using an SRS system is highly recommended!
c. Power Korean Phrases
As your grammar and vocabulary skills get better, you’ll want to add more phrases into your repertoire.
You’ve already learned Essential Korean phrases earlier. Now you want to focus on Power Korean phrases. These are phrases that have components that can be used in various situations by substituting in different words. There is a reason for this.
You don’t want to strictly stick to memorizing phrases. Memorizing isn’t that useful, and it’s much harder to do. Instead, learn versatile Power Korean Phrases that you’ll be able to adapt for different situations.
For example, let’s take a Korean phrase from this list.
If you want to ask the question “can you speak Korean?”, you could ask:
“한국말 할 수 있어요?”
Once you know this Korean phrase and it’s components, you can substitute other parts in. For example, if you know the word for “Chinese”, you can ask:
“중국말 할 수 있어요?
which means “can you speak Chinese?”
Power Korean Phrases will differ depending on each person. Choose the phrases that you will likely use in your daily life so you can get the most out of them!
d. Practice with a Partner
Make sure you have someone to practice speaking and listening with. This could be a friend, pen pal, spouse, significant other, formal language partner, or 1:1 tutor.
Use this time wisely by practicing a new piece of Korean every time you talk. It may be a new grammar point, a Power Korean Phrase, or some new set of vocabulary words. Speaking and listening will help reinforce the things that you read and write.
If you don’t have a practice partner, check out this resource page for language meet ups and pen pal sites.
e. K-pop and Korean Dramas
Add some fun to your studies while learning about Korean culture by listening to K-pop and watching Korean dramas.
You will hear more slang and unique expressions when you study this way, so be prepared for some unusual words. Here are some resources for watching Korean dramas and listening to music.
Remember, learning Korean should be fun. Make sure you choose the right material to focus on so you stay motivated and learn Korean fast!
4. Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How long will it take to learn the Korean language?
A: The rate at which you learn largely depends on three things: 1)how much time you have to study, 2) how focused you are when you are studying, and 3) the quality of the material you are using. Limit your distractions while studying and make sure you choose highly targeted material that will help you achieve you Korean language learning goals.
Q: Do I need to take formal Korean classes?
A: You don’t need to take formal Korean classes. There is lots of Korean language information on the internet that you can organize to help you study. However, there is a time cost associated this, and you do need to know what you’re doing when choosing material.
Q: Do I need a Korean language partner?
A: You’ll progress much faster if you have someone to communicate with in Korean. You can have a study partner in another country thanks to technology. You can also practice with non-native speakers, but you’ll get better results if you talk with a Korean.
What questions do you have related to how to learn the Korean language?
Learn to read Korean and be having simple conversations, taking taxis and ordering in Korean within a week with our FREE Hangeul Hacks series: http://www.90DayKorean.com/learn
