How to Speak Korean

Korean (한국어, Hangul) is the main language of Korea, Korea and the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Region of China, and is the dominant language of the Korean community around the world, from Uzbekistan to Japan and Canada. It is an interesting, complex language with controversial origins, and rich in history, culture, and beauty. Whether you’re planning a trip to the land of Korean, trying to reconnect with your national heritage, or simply interested in learning new languages, follow these simple steps to speak Korean. Korean and you will soon be fluent in the language!

Table of Contents

Begin

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Learn Hangul, Korean alphabet. If you’re learning to speak Korean, the alphabet is the right place to start, especially if you want to improve both your reading and writing skills later on. Korean has a fairly simple alphabet, although the Korean alphabet can be a bit strange to most Vietnamese, because it is completely different from the Latin alphabet.

Hangul was established in the Joseon Dynasty (Korea) in 1443. Hangul has 24 letters, 14 consonants and 10 vowels. However, if 16 diphthongs and diphthongs are included, the total number of Hangul letters is 40. ^{[1] X Research Source}
Korean uses about 3000 Chinese characters, or Hanja, to represent words of Chinese origin. Other than Japanese kanji (Kanji), Hanja in Korean is restricted to scholarly, religious (Buddhist) articles, dictionaries, newspaper headlines, classical Korean literature, and previous literature. World War II, as well as the surname part of the person’s name. In North Korea, Hanja is hardly used. ^{[2] X Research Source}

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Learn to count. Counting numbers is an important skill when learning any language. Numbers in Korean can be a bit “difficult”, because Koreans use two numbering systems depending on the context: pure Korean or Sino-Korean, which is rooted in Chinese and has a few Chinese characters. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Use pure Korean numerals to count the number of objects (from 1 to 99) and age, for example 2 children, 5 beer bottles, 27 years old. Here’s how to count to 10 using the pure Korean numeral system:
- One = read as “ha-na”
- Hai = read as “dul”
- Ba = 셋 reads as “se(t)” (the “t” sound is not produced. However, make sure to stop the sound completely between ‘se’ and ‘seth’)
- Four = read as “if(t)”
- Year = 다섯 read as “multi-number(t)”
- Six = read as “yo-só(t)”
- Seven = reads as “il-gop”
- Eight = read as “yo-dp”
- Nine = pronounced “a-hop”
- Ten = read as “yp”
Use Sino-Korean numerals for dates, amounts, addresses, phone numbers, and numbers 100 and up. Here’s how to count to 10 in Sino-Korean numbers:
- One = read as “il”
- Hai = read as “i”
- Ba = read as “sam”
- Four = read as “sa”
- Year = read as “um”
- Six = 육 read as “yuk”
- Seven = read as “chil”
- Eight = read as “pal”
- Nine = 구 pronounced “gu” (Most people say “ku”.)
- Ten = read as “cyprus”

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Memorize simple words. The wider your vocabulary, the easier it will be for you to master a language. Get used to many simple Korean words in everyday life – you’ll be surprised how quickly your vocabulary increases!

When you hear a Vietnamese word, you should think of the corresponding Korean word. If you don’t know that Korean word, write it down to look up later. It helps to accomplish this goal when you keep a small notebook with you at all times.
Put Korean labels on objects in your home, such as mirrors, coffee tables, and sugar bowls. You will often see these words and not realize you are memorizing them!
Learning a ‘Korean to Vietnamese’ word or phrase is just as important as ‘Vietnamese to Korean’. You will remember how to say words and not stop at recognizing words as you listen.

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Learn basic communication sentences. You can quickly interact with Koreans on a simple level through some basic polite lines. Try learning the following words and phrases:

Hello = 안녕 reads as “an-noong” (common speech) and 안녕하새요 “an -noong-ha-se-yo” in formal speech.
True/Right = reads as “ne”
False/Not = read as “a-ni” (casual speech) or 아니요 “a-ni-yô” (formal speech)
Thank you = 감사합니다 reads as “cam-za-ham-nida”
My name is… = 저는 ___ 입니다, pronounced “cho-nùn___ im-nida”
How are you? = 어떠십니까?, pronounced “o-to-shim-ni-fish?”
Nice to meet you = 만나서 반가워요 reads as “man-na-so ban-ga-ùa-yo” or “man-na-so ban-ga-ùa”
Goodbye when the other party is the one to stay = 계세요 reads as “an-noong hi kê-se-yo”
Goodbye when the other party leaves or both parties leave = 안녕히 가세요, pronounced “an-noong hi kase-yo”

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Understand polite forms of communication. You need to learn the difference between the degrees of formality in Korean speaking. Korean differs from Vietnamese in the ending of the verb, which will change depending on the age and rank of the person being spoken to as well as the social situation. It is important that you understand how to use formal speech so that you can direct your conversation appropriately. There are three main ways of saying things with varying degrees of formality:

Casual – Used with people the same age or younger, especially among close friends.
Polite – Use with people older than the speaker and in formal contexts.
Honorifics – Use in very formal situations, such as on the news or in the military. This expression is rarely used in everyday communication. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

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Learn basic grammar. To speak any language correctly, you need to learn its grammar. There are a few specific differences between Vietnamese grammar and Korean grammar, for example:

Korean usually applies subject-object-verb order, and verbs always end sentences.
In Korean, it is quite common to omit the subject in a sentence, if both the speaker and the listener already know the object being talked about. The subject of a sentence can be inferred from the situation or from a previous statement.^{[5] X Research Sources}
In Korean, adjectives are also used as verbs. Specifically, they are also mutable and have many forms to express the tense of that sentence.^{[5] X Research Sources}

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Practice pronunciation. Korean pronunciation is different from Vietnamese, and you need to practice regularly to be able to pronounce words correctly.

One of the main mistakes that Vietnamese people when learning Korean often make is that they think that the Latin transliteration of Korean words will be pronounced the same as in Vietnamese. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Beginners to learn Korean will have to relearn the correct pronunciation of words that have been transliterated into Latin. ^{[6] X Research Sources}
In English, when a word ends in a consonant, the speaker usually pronounces the whole letter. For those who don’t have ‘Korean earphones’, the sound from this letter is very weak and hard to hear. For example, when English speakers pronounce the word ‘ship’, there’s a little breath coming out after the ‘p’ when they open their mouth. Korean speakers don’t have that ‘breath’ sound, because they don’t open their mouths. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

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Don’t get discouraged in a hurry! If you’re serious about learning Korean, give it a go – the satisfaction you get from mastering a second language will outweigh all the difficulties you’ve encountered. Learning a new language takes a lot of time and practice, you can’t succeed overnight.

Immerse yourself in Korean

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Find a native speaker. One of the best ways to improve your new language skills is to practice speaking with native speakers. They will easily correct your grammar or pronunciation mistakes, as well as teach you how to speak more naturally or colloquially that you cannot find in books.

It’s great that you’ve got a Korean-speaking friend willing to help! If not, you can advertise in your local newspaper or online to find Korean language groups in your area.
If you can’t find Korean speakers in your area, try searching on Skype. They will gladly exchange 15 minutes of Korean speaking with 15 minutes of English speaking, if you know English.

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Consider signing up for a language course. If you need some extra motivation or feel you’ll do better in a serious study environment, try signing up for a Korean language course.

Look for language courses advertised at local colleges, universities, or community centers.
If you’re nervous about signing up alone, ask a friend to study with you. You’ll have more fun and also have someone to practice with between classes!

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Watch Korean movies and cartoons. Look for Korean DVDs (with subtitles) or watch Korean anime online. This is an easy and entertaining way to get a feel for the sound and structure of Korean.

If you’re feeling particularly “energised,” try pausing the video after a simple sentence and repeating them. Your Korean pronunciation will be somewhat more realistic!
If you can’t find Korean movies, rent them out at video rental stores as they often have foreign films. Alternatively, you can go to your local library to ask about Korean movies or ask them to help you find them.

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Look for software designed for Korean children. Translate the phrase “learn the alphabet” or “game for babies and/or children” into Korean, and cut and paste the phrase in Hangeul into the AppStore search bar. The software is simple enough for young children to use; so you don’t need to know how to read or speak Korean to use them. This is also cheaper than buying DVDs. The above software will teach you the right way to write Korean letters; most have Korean songs and dances to go with; At the same time, you can also participate in quizzes and play games to learn daily vocabulary in Korean. Be careful because you may mistakenly purchase a software designed for Korean children to learn English.

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Listen to Korean music or radio stations in Korean. Listening to music and/or listening to Korean radio is also a great way to immerse yourself in the language. Even if you don’t understand everything, try to find the keywords to capture the basic content being conveyed.

Korean pop music is mostly sung in Korean, but there are also a few English words in the lyrics. Korean music fans often write down English translations of the lyrics, so you can also understand the message being conveyed.
Installing Korean radio software on your phone will help you listen to the radio anytime, anywhere.
Download Korean podcasts to listen to while exercising or doing housework.

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Consider a trip to South Korea. Once you’ve mastered the basics of communicating in Korean, consider a trip to Korea. There’s nothing better than immersing yourself in Korean on a journey to its native country!

Advice

You have to practice. Practice a little each day, even if you’re self-taught.
Try watching Korean dramas and listening to Korean music. Just listening to Korean, you will be more familiar with this language and realize that you have understood a bit of the content being conveyed.
Make sure you are pronouncing it correctly. If you are unsure of your pronunciation, you should look up pronunciations online.
Review language learning materials from time to time. This will help you not to forget the knowledge.
This may sound strange, but you can try thinking in Korean. When thinking of a topic that you know, think in Korean without translating from Vietnamese to Korean in your mind.
You can try installing Phrasebook software; This software will provide you with simple vocabulary, greetings as well as a Korean dictionary.
Take pictures of your favorite lyrics in Korean songs, try to rewrite these sentences and memorize them.
Watch Korean shows or listen to Korean music without subtitles. After trying to translate a sentence, check the correct answer.
Download Korean learning software to your computer or phone. That software can help you learn Korean as well as learn more about Korean culture.
Take lots of notes! When learning a new word/sentence, write down the meaning of the words/sentence you have learned. Also, try writing in Korean letters, this will help you improve your reading and writing skills. Watching YouTube videos to learn Korean words and sentences is also a great way.
Watching Korean dramas can help you a lot. Try downloading the “Viki” software, which will provide you with many Korean movies with subtitles (CC) under each video to help you learn vocabulary and expressions.

Warning

Korean can be a difficult language for English speakers, because it is completely different from the languages of the Indo-European language family, such as Spanish, German, Irish, Russia and Greece. Do not rush to give up when learning becomes more difficult. Treat learning Korean like solving a puzzle and enjoy it!

Steps

Begin

Immerse yourself in Korean

Advice

Warning

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