Hangeul was created during the Joseon Dynasty in 1443. Hangeul has 24 letters, consisting of 14 consonants and 10 vowels. However, if you include 16 diphthongs and double consonants, there are 40 letters in total. Korean also uses around 3,000 Chinese characters, or Hanja, to represent words of Chinese origin. Unlike Japanese Kanji, Korean Hanja are used in more limited contexts like academic writing, religious (Buddhist) texts, dictionaries, newspaper headlines, classical and pre-WWII Korean literature, and family names. In North Korea, the use of Hanja is almost non-existent. [4] X Research source
Use the Korean form for numbers of items (between 1 and 99) and age, e. g. 2 children, 5 bottles of beer, 27 years old. Ending consonants are not aspirated, meaning there is no ending breath at the end of the syllable. Here’s how to count to ten in the Korean form[6] X Research source : One = 하나 pronounced “hana” Two = 둘 pronounced “dul” Three = 셋 pronounced “set Four = 넷 pronounced “ne(t)” Five = 다섯 pronounced “da-seo(t)” Six = 여섯 pronounced “yeo-seo(t)” Seven = 일곱 pronounced “il-gob” Eight = 여덟 pronounced “yeo-deolb” Nine = 아홉 pronounced “ahob” Ten = 열 pronounced “yeol” Use the Sino-Korean form for dates, money, addresses, phone numbers, and numbers above 100. Here’s how to count to ten in Sino-Korean[7] X Research source : One = 일 pronounced “il” Two = 이 pronounced “ee” Three = 삼 pronounced “sam” Four = 사 pronounced “sa” Five = 오 pronounced “oh” Six = 육 pronounced “yug” Seven = 칠 pronounced “chil” Eight = 팔 pronounced “pal” Nine = 구 pronounced “gu” Ten = 십 pronounced “sib”
When you hear a word in English, think about how you would say it in Korean. If you don’t know what it is, jot it down and look it up later. It’s handy to keep a little notebook on you at all times for this purpose. Attach little Korean labels to items around your house, such as the mirror, the coffee table and the sugar bowl. You’ll see the words so often that you’ll learn them without realizing it![8] X Research source It is important to learn a word or phrase from ‘Korean to English’ as well as ‘English to Korean. ’ That way you will remember how to say it, not just recognize it when you hear it.
Hello = 안녕 pronounced “anyeong” (in a casual way) and “anyeong-haseyo” in a formal way. Yes = 네 pronounced “ne” in any situation where you would be speaking formally, or 응 “eung” if you’re speaking with someone informally. No = 아니요 pronounced “aniyo” Thank you = 감사합니다 pronounced “gam-sa-hab-nee-da” My name is. . . = 저는 ___ 입니다 pronounced “joneun ___ imnida” but the sentence “내 이름은 ___ 예요” pronounced “nae ileumeun ____yeyo” can also be used. How are you? = 어떠십니까? pronounced “otto-sib-nikka” Pleased to meet you = 만나서 반가워요 pronounced “mannaso bangawo-yo” Goodbye when other party is staying = 안녕히 계세요 pronounced “an-nyounghi kye-sayo” Goodbye when other party or both of you are leaving = 안녕히 가세요 pronounced “an-nyounghi ga-seyo”
Informal - Used to address people of the same age or younger, especially among close friends. Polite - Used to address people older than the speaker, a stranger, or a co-worker. It is used in formal social situations. Honorific - Used in very formal settings such as on the news or in the army. Rarely used in normal speech.
Korean uses the subject - object - verb order, and the verb always comes at the end of the sentence. In Korean, it is pretty common to omit the subject of a sentence when the subject being referred to is known by both the readers and the speakers. The subject of the sentence may be inferred from the context or may have been referred to in an earlier sentence. [9] X Research source In Korean, adjectives function like verbs in that they can be altered and may take on different forms to indicate the tense of a sentence. [9] X Research source
One of the major mistakes English speakers make is to assume that the pronunciation of Romanized Korean letters is identical to the same letter’s pronunciation when speaking English. Unfortunately for language learners, this is not the case. It is best to not learn with romanization because it slows your learning. [10] X Research source In English, whenever a word ends in a consonant, the speaker always makes a little sound after saying that last letter. It is very faint and difficult to hear for a person with a ‘non-Korean ear’ to hear. For example, when an English speaker says “ship” there is a tiny sound of breath following the ‘p’ when their mouth opens. [11] X Research source In Korean, they do not have that final ‘breath’ sound, as they just keep their mouths closed. [10] X Research source
If you have a Korean-speaker who is willing to help, that’s great! Otherwise, you can place an ad in the local paper or online or investigate whether there are any pre-existing Korean conversation groups in the area. If you can’t locate any Korean-speakers nearby, try finding one on Skype. They might be willing to exchange 15 minutes of Korean conversation for 15 minutes of English. Popular Korean messaging apps are a good way to practice, as well, because it will help you to learn more slang and to read Hangul quickly.
Look out for language courses advertised at local colleges, schools or community centers. If you’re nervous about signing up for a class by yourself, drag a friend along. You’ll have more fun and also someone to practice with between classes!
If you’re feeling particularly proactive, try pausing the video after a simple sentence and repeat what has just been said. This will lend your Korean accent an air of authenticity! If you can’t find any Korean films to buy, try renting them from a movie rental store, which often have foreign language sections. Alternatively, see if your local library has any Korean films or ask if they would be able to source some for you.
Korean pop music is sang primarily in Korean, but some English words are sprinkled in too. Fans will often write out English translations, so you can understand the message of the song. Get a Korean radio app on your phone, so you can listen on the go. Try downloading Korean podcasts to listen to while exercising or doing housework.
