Beginner to Korean? Here is our handholding learning guide for you.

Are you fascinated by the rich culture, delicious cuisine, and vibrant entertainment scene of South Korea? Perhaps you’re planning a trip to Korea or simply just want to dive into the world of K-dramas and K-pop. Whatever your motivation, learning the Korean language can be an incredibly rewarding experience.

Beyond the Korean entertainment and food, learning the Korean language offers you a deeper connection to this vibrant culture. If you’re a beginner looking to start your journey into the Korean language, you’re in the right place. Here is the step-by-step learning guide for beginners to Korean, a comprehensive approach to learning the language.

Your Trusted Learning Partner

Dear Asia London is more than just a language school; it’s a passionate community dedicated to promoting and celebrating Asian culture and languages. Our approach to teaching Korean, especially for beginners, is immersive and supportive, ensuring a steady progression towards fluency. Whether you’re starting from scratch or have some prior exposure to Korean, this Korean beginner guide can make your learning experience enjoyable and successful.

Getting Started

Mastering Hangul: The Korean writing system, Hangul, is known for its simplicity and logical structure. Start by acquainting yourself with Hangul characters and their pronunciation. With well-structured lessons and practice materials, mastering Hangul will be a first step and a particular enjoyable one to beginners. Many students can learn it as little as 24 hours.

Hangul is made up of 14 consonants and 10 vowels, making it an alphabet with a total of 24 letters. After you have learnt Hangul, you should learn combined vowels and then double consonant sounds. And finally, you should learn final consonant sounds known as ‘batchim’ (받침). Once you have learned these, you should be able to read the Korean alphabet and Korean words comfortably.

Basic Vocabulary: After learning Hangul, you should begin with everyday words and phrases. Learn common greetings, numbers, and essential expressions. These are words and phrases such as “Hello”, “Goodbye”, “Sorry”, “Thank You”, “Yes”, “No”, etc. Just like in any other language, these phrases are used incredibly often in Korean. This foundational knowledge will enable you to communicate in simple situations from the very beginning.

Grammar Essentials: Korean grammar differs significantly from English, so understanding its basic structure is crucial. At Dear Asia London, we offers clear explanations and engaging practice exercises to help you grasp these fundamentals. Once you learn some basic grammar, you can use what you learned about conjugating verbs and making Korean sentences to construct more varied sentences.

Supportive community: Our interactive classes, together with regular culture events, workshops and socials create a dynamic learning environment. Interacting with native teachers and fellow students will boost your confidence and speaking skills. The community aspect fosters support and motivation.

Progressing Further

If you have learnt all the basic for beginners, continue practice and learning is a key to progressing steadily. Here is the guide of keys and tips to success.

Listening Comprehension: Korean pronunciation and intonation can pose challenges for beginners. Dedicate time to practice listening to native speakers, watching Korean drama, movies with subtitles, and using language apps designed to enhance your listening skills as a supplement.

Reading Practice: Gradually advance from basic texts to more complex materials. Start with simple books, news articles. Our classes use real life materials like books, news, our own learning materials, which you can read, discuss the content with fellow students, providing valuable insights and context.

Writing Proficiency: To become a well-rounded Korean language learner, practice writing sentences and short paragraphs. Keeping a journal, using social media in Korean, or having a language diary so you can try to write daily in Korean in a enjoyable ways to hone your writing skills.

Cultural learning: Learning a language is not just about vocabulary and grammar; it’s also about understanding the culture it represents. Dive deeper into Korean culture by exploring traditional customs, cuisine, and history. This not only enhances your language skills but also provides a deeper connection to the culture. We organise regularly fun culture events and workshops in order to provide all-rounded cultural experiences for our students including Korean festive celebrations, food and tea tasting, crafting workshops etc.

Your Support System

What sets Dear Asia London apart is its robust support system. Learning a new language can be challenging, but you’re not alone on this journey. In addition to lessons, we offers a supportive community where students can ask questions, seek guidance, and share their progress inside or outside of the classes. Joining this community can be motivating and inspiring, especially during moments of frustration. You’ll find encouragement, tips, and cultural insights that will enhance your learning experience.

Overcoming Challenges

While learning Korean is undoubtedly rewarding, it comes with its challenges. Here are some valuable tips to help you overcome common obstacles:

Consistency: Dedicate a specific study time each day. Consistency is key to language learning, and even short, regular practice sessions can yield significant progress.

Patience: Learning a language is a journey, not a destination. Don’t get discouraged by slow progress. Celebrate small victories along the way and remember that every bit of effort you put in contributes to your growth as a Korean speaker.

Practice: Incorporate Korean into your daily life as much as possible. Label items around your house in Korean, think in Korean, and practice speaking with our teachers or fellow students whenever possible. Practical application is invaluable.

Mistakes are Learning Opportunities: Embrace your mistakes as chances to improve. Koreans are generally appreciative when foreigners attempt their language, so don’t be afraid to communicate even if you’re not perfect. Native speakers will often appreciate your effort.

We hope this comprehensive approach to learning will help you progress steadily toward fluency. Don’t hesitate to embark on this enriching journey and discover the beauty of the Korean language and culture. We are here to guide you every step of the way. Your adventure into the world of Korean language and culture awaits!