The Korean language is spoken by over 80 million people, mostly in North and South Korea as well as by the Korean diaspora around the world.
It's long been considered a language isolate, which means that linguists can't find any languages related to it, though linguists have suggested it may have some relatives.
In this article, we'll look at the Korean language, why you should learn it, and how you can learn the language online.
The Korean Language at a Glance
Thanks to its 82 million native speakers, Korean is the 16th most popular language in the world. Whilst this certainly won't put it by the most popular languages like Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, English, Hindi, and Bengali, it still puts it ahead of over 7,000 other languages spoken in the world today.
native Korean speakers!
Korean, Almost a Language Isolate
Lots of languages have related languages. English, for example, is related to its fellow Germanic languages including German and Dutch. French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish, which all evolved from Latin, are related to one another, too.
When it comes to Korean, though, linguists historically had a hard time finding any relatives. However, the Jeju language that's spoken on the island that bears its name is considered its own language while also part of the Koreanic language family. Naturally, there are also extinct languages predating modern Korean that are related to it.
Either way, Korean is pretty special and you won't find many languages like it.
Korean belongs to the Koreanic language family. It's a small language family, but it means that it does have some related languages and isn't technically a language isolate.
Korean's Special Writing System
The language is special in the sense that it also has its own unique writing system, Hangul, which was created to improve literacy amongst Korean speakers.
The Korean writing system is pretty special, too, as it was created to be used specifically with Korean and isn't used by any other language.
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Why You Should Learn Korean
There are plenty of reasons to learn any language, including Korean, but here are just a few of the main ones we believe might convince you.
Advance Your Career with Korean
You can use Korean language skills to impress potential employers or to do jobs that specifically require language skills.
For certain roles, Korean language skills are essential, but most employers will appreciate the time and effort you put into learning a foreign language.
Learn More About Korean Culture
You can study Korean culture in English, but you can only really gain an appreciation for a culture once you speak the language. Otherwise, everything you learn will always be a translation of what it means.
Use Korean When You Travel
Learning Korean will also help if you want to travel to South Korea. While a lot of South Koreans learn other languages like English, Japanese, and Mandarin, you can't always guarantee there'll be somebody to speak English to you.
If you learn to speak Korean, you won't have to worry about it.
Enjoy Korean Media
Whether it's K-dramas, K-pop, Korean literature, or any other cultural product in Korean, it's much more enjoyable to experience these natively via the language in which they were made.
Korean is Good for Your Mind
Learning any language, not just Korean, has been shown to have several health benefits including reducing the risk of Alzheimer's and cognitive decline. Foreign languages also can improve focus, memory, and general cognitive function.
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How to Go About Learning Korean Online
Since every student is different, we can't explain exactly how you should go about learning the Korean language, but there are a few things you should keep in mind when studying Korean whether it's in a class, through immersion, or online.
Set Appropriate Goals
Are you planning on learning Korean to travel or for work? What level do you want to achieve? Conversational or fluent?
Each learner's goals will affect the level and type of resources they use, whether or not they attend classes, and how much they might budget to learn their desired language skills.
Learning any language takes time and Korean generally takes more time than many other languages, especially for native English speakers.
Choose the Right Resources for Learning Korean
Not only will your goals affect the resources that you use, but so will the type of learner that you are. Different students learn differently and if you've already learned another foreign language, you may already have a good idea of which kinds of resources work well and which don't.
If you're new to learning a foreign language, you'll need to try different resources and test how effective they are.
Korean Language Apps
Anyone with a smartphone or a tablet can download great language-learning apps to help them on their way. With so many great language apps out there, we can't name them all, but ones like Drops, Duolingo, Memrise, and Talk To Me In Korean all come recommended.
As with any resource, regularly check how effective they are and if they're not working for you, consider switching to another app or resource.
Korean Translation Tools
While it won't help you to learn a language by simply translating it back into English, you may need to occasionally look up words, translate certain sentences from your online courses, or just double-check you've understood everything by using a translation tool.
Luckily for you, there are plenty of excellent translation apps, tools, and sites that can help you with this. Just remember that these translation tools won't replace learning and Korean is so different to English that it can be unhelpful to translate between the two.
From popular translation tools like Google Translate and Microsoft Translator to Korean to English dictionary tools, remember that you should avoid relying too much on them.
Korean Podcasts
Korean podcasts are an excellent way to learn the language. Beginners can listen to podcasts to learn Korean while advanced users can just listen to any podcast in Korean to improve their comprehension skills.
Popular podcasts for learners include KoreanClass101, Let's Learn Korean, Talk To Me in Korean, and Learn Korean the Easy Way, though there are many more!
You can find wonderful Korean podcasts on the podcast app of your choice. Listen to a few and see which ones are the most useful to you and how you like to learn.
Korean Websites
The internet has made learning languages much easier than ever before and there are lots of useful websites for learning Korean vocabulary and grammar, the Korean writing system, and even Korean pronunciation.
Popular sites include Hangul Forest, Dom & Hyo, Daum, Digital Dialects, and The National Institute of Korean Language, but there are plenty of incredible websites for learning Korean out there.
Learn the Basics of Korean First
Many people fall into the trap of running before they can walk when it comes to learning a foreign language.
Everybody wants to get to the stage where they can use their Korean language skills, but learning to speak Korean (or any foreign language) can take a long time and you have to learn all the foundational skills before you can even consider having anything close to a meaningful conversation with a native.
Don't forget that it took you several years just to learn your mother tongue and that process was fairly non-stop. Don't expect to speak Korean fluently in a matter of months!
That said, you can still get to speaking and having basic conversations in Korean quite quickly if you immerse yourself in the language. Just make sure that you adapt everything to your level!
Don't Underestimate the Importance of Korean Vocabulary
A rich vocabulary can help you in a lot of situations. Nothing stops a conversation quicker than not knowing the word or having the vocabulary to explain your way around it.
Right from the very start of your journey into learning Korean, make sure you're regularly practising Korean vocabulary, teaching yourself new words, and studying the words you previously learned.
You Can't Ignore Korean Grammar
You'll always make mistakes with Korean grammar and it's to be expected as a learner, but that doesn't mean you can completely ignore it.
From the second you start learning Korean, make sure you choose resources and learning approaches that give you a good foundation with the grammar.
Korean grammar can be very different to English grammar, which is why translating word-for-word is rarely helpful. Instead, try to look for courses, classes, or online resources that teach you Korean grammar as well as important vocabulary and phrases.
배움에는 왕도가 없다
- Korean Proverb
"There is no shortcut to learning"
(Lit. There is no royal way to learn).
Practise Speaking and Listening
When you're completely new to Korean, you'll find that you can't immediately have engaging conversations with native Korean speakers. However, that doesn't mean you can't practise speaking and listening.
Languages are made to be spoken and Korean is no different. Right from your very first lesson, you can practise speaking and listening to give you a better ear for the language and to reinforce whatever vocabulary or grammar you're studying.
Many of us learn better by listening or doing. Make sure you regularly practise reading, writing, speaking, and listening as part of your studies.
If you still need help learning Korean, don't forget you can always get online lessons from a private tutor!
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