Korean language (한국어, 조선말, Hangugo, Chosunmal) is the official language of the Republic of Korea, the DPRK and Korean Autonomous Okrug Yanban in China. In addition, this language is spoken by the vast majority of the Korean diaspora from Uzbekistan to Japan and Canada. It is a stunning, but challenging, language rich in history and culture. Whether you're planning a trip to a Korean-speaking country, want to reconnect with your ancestors' heritage, or just want to learn a new one foreign language, follow the following simple steps, and soon you'll be speaking Korean fluently!

Steps

Preparation

Learn the Korean alphabet. The alphabet is a good start if you want to learn Korean, especially if you plan to read and write in it in the future. The Korean alphabet looks a little strange to people who use the Cyrillic or Latin alphabet in their speech and writing, as it is completely different from the usual characters, but it is quite easy.

Learn to count. Numeracy is an essential skill when learning any language. Counting in Korean is quite tricky, as Koreans use two different systems quantitative numbers, depending on the situation: Korean and Chinese number systems.

• The Korean system is used for counting from 1 to 99 and for indicating age:
  • One= 하나 pronounced “hana”
  • Two= 둘pronounced “tul”
  • Three= 셋 is pronounced "set" ("t" is not pronounced. However, try to close the sound completely somewhere between "se" and "set")
  • Four= 넷 pronounced "net"
  • Five= 다섯 pronounced “tasot”
  • Six= 여섯 pronounced “yosot”
  • Seven= 일곱 pronounced “ilgop”
  • Eight= 여덟 pronounced “yodol”
  • Nine= 아홉 pronounced "ahop"
  • Ten= 열 pronounced “yule”
• The number system of Chinese origin is used when naming dates, money, addresses, telephone numbers and numbers after 100:
  • One= 일 pronounced “il”
  • Two= 이 pronounced “and”
  • Three= 삼 pronounced “sam”
  • Four= 사 pronounced “sa”
  • Five= 오 pronounced "o"
  • Six= 육 pronounced “yuk”
  • Seven= 칠 pronounced “chil”
  • Eight= 팔 pronounced “pal”
  • Nine= 구 pronounced “ku”
  • Ten= 십 pronounced “pinch”

1. Learn basic words and expressions. The wider and richer your vocabulary, the easier it is to start speaking the language fluently. Learn as many simple, everyday words as possible - you'll be surprised how quickly you learn them!

   • When you hear a word in Russian, think about how it sounds in Korean. If you don't know, write it down and look up the meaning later. Therefore, it is best to always have a small notebook with you.
   • Place stickers with Korean names on items in your home (mirror, coffee table, sugar bowl). If you see a word often, you will learn it subconsciously!
   • It is important to learn the translation of words and phrases not only from Korean into Russian, but also vice versa. This will help you remember how to say something rather than just remembering familiar expressions when you hear them.

2. Learn basic dialogue phrases. This way you can start communicating with a native speaker using simple and polite phrases:

   • Hi Hello= 안녕 is pronounced “annenyeon” (unofficially) and 안녕하세요 is pronounced “anneyon-haseyo” (officially)
   • Yes= 네 pronounced “ne”
   • No= 아니 pronounced "ani" or "aniyo"
   • Thank you= 감사합니다 pronounced “kam-sa-ham-ni-da”
   • My name is...= 저는 ___ 입니다 pronounced “jeongin___imnida”
   • How are you doing?= 어떠십니까? Pronounced "otto-sim-nikka?"
   • Pleased to Meet You= 만나서 반가워요 pronounced “mannaso pangawo-yo” or “mannaso pangawo”
   • Goodbye= 안녕히 계세요 pronounced “anyeonhee-keseyo” (stay happily). Says the one who is leaving.
   • Goodbye= 안녕히 가세요 pronounced “anyeonhee-kaseyo” (have a good trip). Pronounced by the one who remains.

3. Understand the use of polite forms. Verb endings in Korean vary depending on a person's age and rank, as well as their social status. It is important to understand these differences in order to keep the conversation civil. There are three main types of degree of formality:

   Learn basic grammar. To speak any language correctly, it is very important to know the grammar of that language and its features. For example:

   Work on your pronunciation. It takes a lot of practice to learn how to pronounce Korean words correctly.

   Do not despair! If you are serious about learning Korean, keep going! The satisfaction of finally mastering a language more than compensates for any difficulties along the way. Learning any language takes time and practice, you can't learn anything overnight.

   Immersion in the language environment

   1. Find a native speaker. This is one of best way improve language. Korean will help you fix it grammatical errors or correct the pronunciation, and also tell you more useful information and will teach you various vocabulary phrases that you won’t find in textbooks.

      • If you have a Korean friend who is willing to help you, that's great! Otherwise, look for someone to talk to on the Internet or perhaps there are Korean language courses in your city.
      • If you don't have Korean friends and can't find them nearby, try finding a Korean friend on Skype. Find a Korean who is learning Russian and have them talk to each other periodically for 15 minutes to reinforce their language skills.

   2. Watch Korean films and cartoons. Online resources or Korean subtitles will help you. It's a simple and fun way to learn the sounds and structure of the Korean language.

      • You can even pause after simple phrases and try to say them out loud yourself.
      • If you can't find Korean films, look for them at disc rental stores - some of them have shelves with foreign films. You can go to your local library and ask them if they have movies in Korean. If not, ask if they can order them for you.

   3. Find apps that are designed specifically for Korean children. Translate "learn the alphabet" or "games for kids" into Korean and paste the results into the app store search bar. Such applications are quite simple even for a child, so you can use them even if you cannot read or speak Korean. And yes, using such applications is much cheaper than buying DVDs of Korean films. In such applications, you will be taught how to write letters correctly; Some of them use songs, dances, and games for this purpose.

   4. • Watch movies and listen to music in Korean. Just by listening, over time you will begin to notice that you understand what is being said.
      • This may sound strange, but try thinking in Korean. When you think about something you know, try thinking about it in Korean, without translation.
      • Pronounce words correctly. If you are not sure of the pronunciation, look up the pronunciation of a particular word on the Internet.
      • The best way to learn a language is to study it often enough and become emotionally invested in learning it. With frequent study, you can learn about 500 words, which will be enough for common understanding simple things. However, in order to gain a deeper understanding of a particular topic in Korean, a more detailed study of the language is necessary.
      • If you have a Korean friend, chat with him!
      • If you get the opportunity to make friends with a Korean, don't be shy. Yes, some Koreans can be shy, however, most are open and friendly. This way you can exchange language experience and learn about the culture of the Korean people. However, you may meet someone who will be more interested in learning Russian rather than learning Korean. Discuss this point in advance.
      • Practice. Get at least a little exercise every day.
      • Watch Korean TV shows and movies with Russian subtitles. Also watch music videos with subtitles.
      • Install a phrasebook application on your phone. These phrase books contain basic words and phrases, as well as a Korean dictionary.
      • Review the material you've covered from time to time so you don't forget it.
      • Make sure you pronounce the words correctly. If you are not confident in your pronunciation, download exercises to practice.

      Warnings

      • Korean can be difficult to learn for Russian speakers as it is completely different from Indo-European languages such as Spanish, English, German or Greek. Don't give up, imagine the Korean language as a huge puzzle, enjoy putting it together!

Instructions

Understand the logic

Before learning a language, you need to find its place in language family, determine immediate relatives and type of language. Yes, oddly enough, reading books on linguistics makes life much easier for people who study with a form of writing that is significantly different from their own. All beginners should know that the Korean language belongs to the Tungus-Manchu group of languages. Altai family. This is an agglutinative language, which means that the sentence is built according to the “subordination - object” scheme. That is, not “I am going to the store for food,” but “I am food because I am going to the store.” Verbs do not have a gender, but there are special conjugate endings in order to address friends, mother and father, as well as older people and high rank. It seems strange at first, but experts are confident that Korean is one of the easiest languages ​​to master.

Spin Attack

In order to learn any language, you should not only study theory, immerse yourself in grammar and build up your vocabulary, but also read, listen, write coherent texts and, of course, communicate. There are many on the Internet free resources to help lovers of the Korean language. So, for example, a resource http://www.lingq.com/ offers texts, podcasts in Korean for students of the most different levels- from beginner to advanced. The network user reads the text, listens to it at the same time, remembers the pronunciation of a native speaker and “links” new words. You can make cards from words, download them, upload them to your mobile phone or receive them by mail. Another one educational network, where you can learn Korean, livemocha.com. The free course includes more than fifty lessons: theory, test exercises, quizzes and two tasks that test native speakers - oral and written. Politeness and respect are the two pillars on which language learning in online educational networks is based.

Serious preparation

If a Korean language student needs a certificate or confidence in being taught best teachers, then it’s worth signing up for free courses Korean language at Cultural Center Embassies of the Republic of Korea: http://russia.korean-culture.org/welcome.do You can also learn Korean for free at language school Won Gwan http://www.wonkwang.ru/. There you can download free audio courses and purchase educational literature. In addition, Korean is studied in courses at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and at departments at RGSU, RGGU, MGIMO, ISAA and others. These educational establishments prepare professional students of Korean studies.

My first acquaintance with the Korean language took place almost 8 years ago, when my son Grisha entered the BSU oriental studies department of the faculty. international relations and he got the Korean language. I remember well how I tried to help him remember words. He wrote in Korean, I dictated in Russian. All the words were like hedgehogs, prickly and alien...

Only over time we learned that in ancient times the Koreans did not have a written language and were forced to use Chinese characters to record the sounds of their native speech, which was inaccessible to the majority ordinary people. That is why in 1446, King Sejong, who ruled the state of Joseon, invented the Korean alphabet, which was originally called “Hunmin Jeongum” (Instruction to the People on Correct Pronunciation).

In October 1997, the book "Hongmin Jeongum Haerebong" (Interpretation of Hongmin Jeongum), which explained the purpose of creating the Hangul script, the meaning of words and the rules for writing them, was included in the register " World memory" UNESCO. In honor of this invention in the educational system, UNESCO annually awards two prizes named after King Sejong. The prizes are funded by the Government of the Republic of Korea and awarded educational programs and projects.

More than five centuries have passed since the creation of Hangul, but only relatively recently have modern artists and designers of various styles begun to consider the possibility of using its potential as a leitmotif for their works.

Steel sculpture created by Kang Byung-in

in the shape of Korean word"flower"

“Blossoming Dream” - that’s what Zhong Kuam called his work

As for me, I can say that my interest in Korea, its people and language appeared only after Grisha brought home the Korean drama “The First Cafe Prince” in his second year. I looked in by chance while passing by the computer and... stayed until the end of the viewing. Sixteen days and sixteen episodes. I begged Grisha to translate at least something, but he said that he himself knew a little. So I looked at how they looked at painting and... fell in love with the sincerity coming at me from the screen. The story left a mark on my soul. Time passed and two years later Grisha obtained subtitles for this drama especially for me. It was a holiday!!! Day after day, my passion for Korean cinema led to a state of falling in love with the Korean language. I discovered the beauty of this language, but the desire to start learning it did not arise.

About a year ago, when I was visiting my son in Seoul, Grisha once told me: “Mom, it’s time for you to start learning Korean! There are museums where you can only go by bus. But I can’t let you go alone, but I'm working. If you just learn to read, I can let you go on the bus." Setting a mini-task at the beginning is his way of encouraging me to start something new. And it works! But, to be honest, the moment has already come when I wanted to go beyond the limits of 감사합니다 ( “Thank you”) I easily agreed and we agreed to go buy a textbook for me the next day.

We immediately headed to this display to find exactly the textbook that is considered one of the best for foreigners. And when we found what we were looking for, the receipt that we printed had all the necessary information: the sector in which the textbook was located and the route to it.

The author of the textbook (or maybe not the author, but that’s what I thought then) smiled at me enticingly, pointing her finger at the title, saying that learning Korean is easy! I brought him home happy. I opened it and found information about the author:

And then I finally realized: this textbook explains everything in English language. But I’ve been learning English on my own from scratch for only two years; before that I studied German for many years, first at school and university, and then at the Goete-Institute. Grisha reassured me and suggested that I start studying right away, even though it was past midnight. And it was good! The first lesson with a teacher like Grisha freed me from fear. He was right! The textbook encourages learning by playing. The exercises are varied. EVERYONE has an audio recording. I did the exercises, but it didn’t feel like I was learning. Not overloaded with grammar. The rules are shown in examples, highlighted in font and color. And, of course, it is especially worth noting the design of the publication, which helps to immerse yourself in the element of language and learn with pleasure, as this probably only happens in early childhood.

A few days later I returned to Minsk and put off learning the Korean language, it just so happened. I learned a little of the alphabet and my enthusiasm faded.

The hour struck only with the appearance in our familyin the month of FebruaryJuho (주호), a student from Busan who came to gain experience at the Korean company "KOTRA".

• Then all the words written here. I became excited and, turning the package over, began to read everything that was written in small print. Having accidentally discovered in this way that I already stammer much less, from there I took into the dictionary, as it later turned out, several new words that were important to me. And it was this experience yesterday that helped me once again become convinced that a great mood is the main key to success! In such an unexpected way, I replenished my vocabulary with 25 new words, but at the same time I was not pierced by the thought “Oh, studying again! When will this end and it will be possible to rest?”
• Errors. They accompany me, nothing can be done. One of the most common is that I always try to make one of the syllables stressed, and the peculiarity of the Korean language is that all syllables are equally stressed. And only when I ask do I highlight the last syllable. When Grisha told me about this, I also began to pay attention to this when listening and learn to pronounce it correctly. But for now it’s not easy for me to do this.
• What else do I do to make my habit of learning Korean sustainable, so that words are remembered more easily and so as not to lose heart? I include Korean expressions in my Facebook friends' birthday greetings and send them voice messages. I use some of them at work when I offer something to colleagues or thank them. But most often I say them to Juho. Thanks to him, some of them became part of me. In other words, I use them wherever possible. But in Belarus, unfortunately, there are not many opportunities to speak in Korean.
• And there's one more thing I want to talk about. Juho once told me that Korean system education is different from ours. When learning a foreign language, the emphasis is on creating a powerful vocabulary. And he added that he learned 30,000 at school English words. I was surprised how it was possible to know the number so accurately, but he said that in the Republic of Korea a dictionary of English words that they must learn was specially created and published for schoolchildren. And he learned them, it's true. From any field, no matter what word I say, he will immediately tell me what it means. I observe the same picture every day regarding the Russian language. He knows an incredible amount of Russian words. I asked him if words really play a key role? He replied that about thirty percent, yes. And these observations also help me, at least for now, not to lose motivation. But the main thing I would like to say is this moment: You should never be afraid to start learning a foreign language; on the contrary, you should use this chance. Language is part of the culture of a people. Therefore, it helps us enrich our internal culture and expand our understanding both of the world as a whole and of individual people as part of it.

Then this video course is for you, let's learn Korean together.

This is a demo version of the alphabet course. There are a total of 6 lessons in the course, here on the website at free access 3 lessons posted. The remaining 3 lessons are available only to my subscribers. I recommend that you immediately subscribe to the course, and then every day you will receive 1 lesson by email. The alphabet course is completely free and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Attention! Very important! After subscribing, check your email and wait subscription confirmation emails(it arrives no longer than 10 minutes later). If your subscription is not confirmed, lessons will not come!

If after 10 min. no letter, check your spam folder, Click “not spam” and confirm your subscription.

I have prepared two ways for you to receive full version alphabet lessons, and then continuation of the course:

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• subscribe to VKontakte - Choose a subscription Korean language lessons - Zero level. Alphabet

Video Course“Speak, read and write Korean.”

Korean from scratch. Alphabet.

Lesson 1. Part 1.

This is the first lesson, part 1 of the series

You will become familiar with the Korean alphabet, learn to read and write the first 4 vowels (ㅏ, ㅑ, ㅓ, ㅕ).

To make your studies as effective as possible:

1. During the lesson, be sure to pronounce all the letters out loud, repeating them after me and the Korean teacher.
2. To remember, you need to listen carefully, repeat loudly out loud and write the letter. And so on several times.

Forward! You will succeed!

Homework after watching the video:

1. write each vowel on 1 line,
2. Take a photo of your work and post it below in the comments for verification.

Watch the first video and start learning Korean from scratch right now!

Full Version Video Course Korean Language for Beginners “Speak, Read, Write Korean”, as well as Workbooks With additional tasks , are available only to my subscribers.

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Foreign languages

Learn Korean (Pass TOPIK II level 4)

I have been learning Korean since September 2015. "Why Korean?" - you ask. "Why not?!" - I will answer.

I started learning it for two reasons: 1. I like learning languages. I won’t say that I know many languages, I’m still just striving for it. 2. There are free Korean courses in my city that fit perfectly into my schedule (easy to combine with my studies).

Before you start teaching given language, I listened to K-pop, sometimes watched dramas. And, of course, my love for Korean music and TV series only grew stronger with the start of my studies. This language is very interesting, unusual, and, of course, quite complex. I expected to master it completely in 3 years, but now I doubt whether I can learn it that quickly.

The Test of Proficiency in Korean is divided into two parts: TOPIK I (levels 1, 2) and TOPIK II (levels 3,4,5,6). The first two levels are not particularly difficult, but the difference between levels 2 and 3 is simply something. I was told that it is possible to achieve the third level (already having the second) in only 3 years. This news surprised me and upset me, but then I thought about it and realized that, damn, who cares what they say? It all depends on me and my efforts! Also, I can take some additional courses to speed up the process.