How to Learn Korean Language?

Unlike other major study destinations, to study in South Korea, you would need to learn the Korean language in place of English. If your course is taught in English - it’s good but still, to be able to communicate with the locals, you’ll require an understanding of the Korean language. 

Learning Korean language can be fruitful in the long term for Indian students going to study in Korea. However it's important to know that learning the Korean language is difficult as the language has its own unique writing system, grammar structure and pronunciation. The United States Foreign Service Institute (FSI) has recognised Korean as a Category V language, which establishes the fact that Korean is one of the hardest masterable languages in the world. FSI has also suggested the estimated required time for mastering the Korean language to be around 2200 hours or 88 weeks of extremely intense study. In other words, one would be required to study the Korean language 7-9 hours per week for 3 months to be able to hold a 3-minute conversation in the language. But as they say, consistency is the key. So if you keep on practising with the language, you can gain good fluency. Let us read this article to know how to learn Korean language if you wish to study in South Korea. 

Also read- How to Concentrate on Studies? 

Why Learn the Korean Language? 

The Korean culture along with its K-dramas and K-pop has captured the hearts of many Indian students already. Learning the Korean language helps these students to- 

• Connect with native speakers- Converse with Koreans, travel to Korea and build meaningful relationships. 
• Improve your career prospects- Korean language skills are increasingly valued in various fields especially those related to international business and education. 
• Get admitted to top Korean universities- If you don’t know Korean then you can still be admitted to a Korean university to a course that is taught in English. But your options will be limited. However, if you learn Korean to up to a desired proficiency, you may be eligible to apply to a large number of S. Korean universities and even the course spectrum will widen up for you. 
• Become eligible for jobs in Korea and desired by most employers in innovation and technical fields in the country. With the latest skillsets and degree earned from a Korean college and a TOPIK Level 3 fluency in the Korean language, you can get your hands on most jobs in S. Korea.     

How is the Korean Language Different from English? 

Both Korean alphabets and English alphabets differ in their sounds which means that you cannot learn the Korean alphabets by means of associating them with the English alphabets. This forms the basis of the difficulty of learning the Korean language for native English speakers. 

On the other hand, the sentence structure in the Korean language follows the “Subject-Object-Verb” order which is entirely different than that used in the English language, i.e. “Subject-Verb-Object” order. Also, articles like a, an and the are not used in the Korean language as used in English. Both of these are also the reasons why Korean people find it difficult to learn the English language. 

Check- Top 10 Best Foreign Languages to Learn for Students 

Steps to Learn Korean Language Easily 

Learning a new language requires unbroken attention and continuous effort. However structured learning can boost your language learning process. Experts have determined the sequence of steps to be followed in the process of learning a language. Refer to the steps given below to know how to learn Korean language in a systematic manner. 

1. Begin with mastering the Korean Alphabet - Hangul 

The modern-day Korean Script or Korean Alphabet System (Hangul in South Korea and Chosŏn'gŭl in North Korea) has 24 basic letters and 27 complex letters. These complex letters are derived from the basic letters only. You can begin learning by associating the few Korean letters (or Hangul) that sound similar to some English letters. 

2. Raise Your Korean Vocabulary 

After learning Hangul - you can move on to learning basic Korean words and then the more complex Korean words. Start with basic words and phrases that come in use everyday. Use the Naver Dictionary and Korean Wiktionary that may be used for definitions and pronunciation. Check “How to learn Korean language” website that is free to use and teaches the language in a simple manner. The website also comes with pronunciation of the Korean words, phrases and sentences via a speaker feature. 

3. Get immersed in Korean language 

Learning Korean language requires you to immerse yourself completely into it. Talk to Korean people, watch K-dramas & Korean movies and listen to K-pop music & different Korean podcasts. Pause, rewind and note new words that you come across through this process. Use these new learned Korean words later for building your Korean vocabulary. 

4. Practice 

Conversing in the language is the key to revising all the concepts that you’ve learnt in the language. Don't be afraid to make mistakes while you are at it. Utilise language exchange platforms like HelloTalk to connect with native speakers and practice conversing in Korean. 

5. Set Realistic Goals and Celebrate Milestones 

Learning a language takes time and focus. So set some achievable goals, track your progress and reward yourself or celebrate when you achieve a milestone. This will keep you motivated and keep the learning process engaging till the end. 

6. Get Formal Education or Certification 

Enrolling in Korean language courses can provide structure, expert guidance and opportunities for in-person interaction with classmates and instructors. 

7. Join a Korean Community 

Connect with other Korean learners online or in your local community. Sharing experiences, tips, and challenges can boost your motivation and provide valuable support. Dedicate short but consistent periods to studying Korean daily. Regular practice even for 20 minutes is far more effective than sporadic cramming sessions. 

Related Read- 

• Letters in the Greek Alphabet 
• List of Basic Greek Words for International Students 

Top 7 Korean Language Institutes in India 

Below is a list of the top Korean language institutes in India. 

*The mentioned fees may vary depending on the specific course. 

Best Korean Language Courses Online 

There are various Korean language learning apps, each designed with a distinct theme. These apps help you learn the language in the easiest and interactive manner. Courses on these apps may be free or paid and based on the difficulty of the course, the level of proficiency earned from these courses and the assessing parameter, some of these may also provide certification/acknowledgement certificate of the time you spent for achieving your current level of fluency in the language. 7 best Korean language courses online are - 

Note- The mentioned fees and the actual fees may be different and the same may be confirmed with the regional offices or the online support helpdesk of these course providers. 

Basic Korean Words in English 

Still wondering how to learn Korean? Here, start by feeding your curiosity with some basic Korean words given in the section below. These basic Korean words below will help you to understand the basic Korean exclamations and emotions in the movies or day-to-day conversations right away. We have covered all the basic Korean words both in formal and informal tones below. 

Korean Numbers 1 to 10 

Since numbers form the foundation of every aspect of life, having knowledge of numbers in Korean language is also important if you're seeking to learn the language. So, here is the table containing 1-10 Korean numbers. 

Tips to Learn Korean 

Below are some of the tried and tested tips on how to learn Korean. 

1. Keep learning consistent. Even if you make more progress in comparison to other days, still go on learning something the other day. This will ensure - your flow of learning is not broken. 
2. Set daily and weekly targets in your journey to learn the Korean langauge. For eg., set a target of learning 10 new Korean words daily and listening a Korean podcast once a week. 
3. Be patient with your learning journey. Reaching the required fluency of Korean language requires ~2,200 hours. So, it's important to trust your journey and celebrate the small wins.  

This was all about “how to learn Korean”, “how to learn Korean language”, the “Korean alphabets”,  and some basic Korean words. If you wish to study abroad then, reach out to  Shiksha Counselling Services for free. You can also drop your queries in the comments section below. 

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