Learn to Speak Korean
Whether you are traveling for pleasure, traveling for business, hosting a foreign exchange student, or just simply intrigued by the idea of learning a new language, learning to speak Korean can be a fulfilling and enriching experience. Yes, a challenging endeavor to undertake, especially when learning a new language entails learning an entirely different alphabet, as with Korean. Most lessons will start the novice pupil out with just that. An introduction to the Hangul alphabet system used in Korean.
The Hangul Alphabet system consists of 24 letters. 10 are vowels, 14 are consonants, and they are commonly written in blocks of 2-5 characters. The use of double vowels, consonants and regular vowels are all explained in most introductions to the Korean language, as well as where each letter appropriately fits when it comes to the complex structuring of words in block form and the correct positioning of each block in a sentence. For example, in English, one might say "I go to the mall in order to buy clothes." But in Korean, this would not work. Instead, they would say "I buy clothes, in order to buy at mall." This is a rough example, but similar to the unique way in which Korean sentences are structured when it comes to the placement of verbs. In English, one might also say "Where is the book?" In Korean, this would be phrased like "The book, where is it?"
There are also many key additions to sentences, sometimes at the beginning or end, which serve to properly ask questions, properly address others, and describe things. In many cases, these are either whole words which must be added, or simply a few letters accompanied by a dash, sometimes with emphasis on male and female specifications. These are called copulas. Situational vocabulary is also important as it indicates the nature of a statement or question, be it serious or lighthearted, formal or informal. Knowing what to say, when, makes a great difference in a conversation with Korean speakers.
To learn all of this and more, many classes are available to those willing to be prepared and serious students. It may be hard to find an actual Korean classroom in one's area, but many classes can be purchased as computer programs, books, and audio books. There are also a vast amount of online resources, to help a student learn from home. Helpful tools like Korean speaking online forums for new learners, Korean pen-pals, and online tutors can aid in learning Korean properly. There are also online Korean dictionaries and encyclopedias. This makes it possible for one to learn Korean without spending a penny, except on their internet connection. Not all lessons are free, but most are. And a lot of the free ones offer just as adequate a lesson than the ones that charge. Classes range from beginner to advanced.
Historically, Korean has been a difficult language to classify. It has been said that it can fall in to the Altaic language category, which is what most Central Asian languages are. But this is still disputed. Some elements of the Korean language, such as gender, numbers and pronouns are associated with Turkic languages, languages used mostly in Eastern Europe. And more confusingly, Korean is a language composed of nearly 60% Chinese influenced words. 35% is strictly Native Korean, and the last 5% is made up of loan words pulled from other languages completely. The Korean language even differs between Northern and Southern Korea. Pronunciation, spelling, grammar and vocabulary all take on different forms between the two sides.
The Hangul Alphabet system consists of 24 letters. 10 are vowels, 14 are consonants, and they are commonly written in blocks of 2-5 characters. The use of double vowels, consonants and regular vowels are all explained in most introductions to the Korean language, as well as where each letter appropriately fits when it comes to the complex structuring of words in block form and the correct positioning of each block in a sentence. For example, in English, one might say "I go to the mall in order to buy clothes." But in Korean, this would not work. Instead, they would say "I buy clothes, in order to buy at mall." This is a rough example, but similar to the unique way in which Korean sentences are structured when it comes to the placement of verbs. In English, one might also say "Where is the book?" In Korean, this would be phrased like "The book, where is it?"
There are also many key additions to sentences, sometimes at the beginning or end, which serve to properly ask questions, properly address others, and describe things. In many cases, these are either whole words which must be added, or simply a few letters accompanied by a dash, sometimes with emphasis on male and female specifications. These are called copulas. Situational vocabulary is also important as it indicates the nature of a statement or question, be it serious or lighthearted, formal or informal. Knowing what to say, when, makes a great difference in a conversation with Korean speakers.
To learn all of this and more, many classes are available to those willing to be prepared and serious students. It may be hard to find an actual Korean classroom in one's area, but many classes can be purchased as computer programs, books, and audio books. There are also a vast amount of online resources, to help a student learn from home. Helpful tools like Korean speaking online forums for new learners, Korean pen-pals, and online tutors can aid in learning Korean properly. There are also online Korean dictionaries and encyclopedias. This makes it possible for one to learn Korean without spending a penny, except on their internet connection. Not all lessons are free, but most are. And a lot of the free ones offer just as adequate a lesson than the ones that charge. Classes range from beginner to advanced.
Historically, Korean has been a difficult language to classify. It has been said that it can fall in to the Altaic language category, which is what most Central Asian languages are. But this is still disputed. Some elements of the Korean language, such as gender, numbers and pronouns are associated with Turkic languages, languages used mostly in Eastern Europe. And more confusingly, Korean is a language composed of nearly 60% Chinese influenced words. 35% is strictly Native Korean, and the last 5% is made up of loan words pulled from other languages completely. The Korean language even differs between Northern and Southern Korea. Pronunciation, spelling, grammar and vocabulary all take on different forms between the two sides.