Korean language on your own. Is it difficult to learn Korean?

The modern Korean alphabet consists of 40 letters - 24 main and 16 compound. Of these 19 - consonants and 21 vowels.
In the Korean language, there are 14 simple and 5 compound letters to represent consonants sounds. Among vowels There are 10 simple and 11 compound letters in the Korean language.
Total:
Consonants - 19 (14 main and 5 constituent).
Vowels - 21 (10 main and 11 diphthongs).

자음
The creation of consonants is based on 5 initial letters:
ㄱ (To- at the beginning / G
ㄴ (n )
ㅁ (m )
ㅅ (With )
ㅇ (not at the beginning / eyn- in the middle or at the end of a syllable)
Next, the remaining consonants were formed:
ㄷ (T- at the beginning of a syllable / d- in the middle or at the end of a syllable)
ㄹ (r- at the beginning of a syllable / l- in the middle or at the end of a syllable)
ㅂ (n- at the beginning of a syllable / b- in the middle or at the end of a syllable)
ㅈ (zh )
ㅊ (h )
ㅋ (kh )
ㅌ (tx )
ㅍ (ph )
ㅎ (X )
These were 5 basic consonants and 9 consonants formed from them, but there are also 5 double consonants:
ㄲ (ky )
ㄸ (You )
ㅃ (py )
ㅆ (ss )
ㅉ (tsy )
As we can see, each double consonant is formed from two main consonants. The pronunciation of these consonants is very short but stronger than that of ordinary consonants. In total we got 19 consonants, 14 main and 5 double.
모음

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The creation of vowels is based on 2 letters:
ㅡ (s )
ㅣ (And )
Next, the remaining main vowels were formed:
ㅗ (oo )
ㅛ (e )
ㅜ (at )
ㅠ (yu )
ㅏ (A )
ㅑ (I )
ㅓ (O )
ㅕ (yo )
These are the basic vowels. There are also so-called diffthongs, these are complex vowels:
ㅐ (uh )
ㅒ (yeah )
ㅔ (e )
ㅖ (yeah )
ㅢ (th )
ㅚ (oh )
ㅘ (oa )
ㅙ (oe )
ㅟ (ui )
ㅝ (woah )
ㅞ (ye )

Everything is simple here, diphthongs are formed in the same way as double consonants. So, in total we have 21 vowels, of which 10 are main and 11 are diphthongs.

ATTENTION: Before moving on to the next lesson, learn Korean alphabet. It can be downloaded and printed in . Practice in writing letters. A simple 5 minute workout will help you master reading in Korean.

P.S. The materials on learning the Korean language posted on the site were written by one of our users who is studying at a Korean school. Since such lessons were created by an unprofessional teacher, they may contain errors (typos in Russian) and discrepancies (in the rules of the Korean language, such as “zh” and “j” or “ua” or “va”). We ask you to treat such materials as an additional tool to test your knowledge. These lessons are mainly published on the site for users who cannot attend Korean language courses in their hometown.

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This is a demo version of the alphabet course. There are a total of 6 lessons in the course, 3 lessons are posted here on the website for free access. 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.

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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.

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Korean is the official language of the DPRK and the Republic of Korea. Distributed in China, Japan, USA, Russia, Central Asian countries and has six dialects. The total number of native speakers is 78 million people. Recently, the culture of South Korea has become popular among the Russian-speaking population.

Young people learn this language in order to watch Korean TV series (dramas) in the original or read and translate comics (manhwa). K-Pop (Korean pop music) fans dream of meeting their idols and talking to them in their native language. Adults are interested in the literature and culture of the country. In addition, Korea provides quality education and well-paid jobs. The country values ​​such professions as doctor and teacher.

From a tourism point of view, this country is famous for its Jeju Island, where locals often vacation. The capital, Seoul, has historical museums, ancient streets and districts; if you wish, you can stay overnight in one of the traditional houses of Korea. But in order to feel free in a foreign country, you need to know at least the basics of its official language. On the one hand, learning Korean is not difficult, but on the other hand, you need to learn many rules and exceptions. Therefore, before learning, you should familiarize yourself with the peculiarities of the language and evaluate your strengths.

What is important to know about the Korean language

Until the 15th century, Korea used hieroglyphs, but then they created a special alphabet - Hangul, which consists of 40 letters. In a phonetic sense, the language is rich in sounds. This includes ten simple vowels and three types of consonants: simple, aspirated and glottalized.

Due to the historical influence of China and Japan, many borrowings remain in the language. Currently, the South Korean version is replenished with words of English origin, and the North Korean version with words of Russian origin. Korean has a wide variety of speaking styles. Each style is used depending on the age and social status of the interlocutor. It also depends on who exactly we are talking about. In each case, the verbs take their own distinctive suffixes.

One of the features of the language is the rules for naming relatives. Naming changes if relatives speak among themselves or if the conversation is with people who are not part of the family. In general, everything rests on one principle - if an older or higher social status person is present during the conversation, then the naming will be more official than in the presence of a younger or lower status person.

In grammar, it is important to mention numerals. By analogy with Japanese, there are numerals of Korean (all numbers up to 99) and Chinese (100 and above) origin. A developed system of cases facilitates the study and assimilation of declensions. Adjectives have two forms: final and attributive. This is a small description of Korean grammar and vocabulary. The variety of sounds is one of the main difficulties for foreigners when learning correct pronunciation and reading, and the presence of grammatical features that are not found in Russian slows down the process of learning the language. Therefore, in order to avoid mistakes and long pauses in learning, those who want to learn Korean enroll in special language courses.

Native Korean speaker

In the photo, Korean language teacher Byundan

• 1990 Kwangwoon University Eiektronics Telecommunication Enginttring;
• 1995 Private language school;
• She has been working on our courses for 3 years.

During the educational process

6 options for learning Korean for beginners from scratch

The Master Class company provides the following levels of language learning:

• General course;
• Korean language course;
• Intensive study;
• Business style;
• Conversation course;
• Improving Korean language skills.

Any of these courses includes practice with a native speaker, lessons using modern technologies, audio training, and familiarization with the culture and traditions of the country. Every student has the right to choose their own language learning method. Individual lessons are necessary for those who want to study grammar in depth, learn correct pronunciation and features of the Korean language that are difficult to learn in a group. Group courses develop conversational speech - during them, dialogues are conducted both with colleagues and with several representatives of the Korean language. The duration of each level of training is 48 academic hours (3 months). Upon completion of the program, a certificate is issued indicating the course and number of hours.

Other languages ​​in demand for learning

• Vietnamese language.

Price for group and individual training

The price of training is calculated per month (8 lessons - 16 academic hours). The intensity of group classes is 2 times a week, each lesson lasts 90 minutes. The teacher's visit is included in the price.

Price for corporate Korean training

Drawing up an individual training schedule for organizations: you determine the days, time, place and intensity of training according to your preferences.

The price is per group.

Korean alphabet with translation into Russian

There are two basic vowels: ㅣ (i) and ㅡ (s). All other letters are formed from them by adding horizontal and vertical short strokes.

Vowels

		Sound
			pronounced more openly than the Russian "a"
			pronounced as a sound intermediate between the Russian "o" and "e"
			pronounced as a sound between "e" and "e"
			sound between "u" and "o"
			sound intermediate between "yu" and "e"

Consonants:

		Sound
			It is read as “k” at the beginning and end of a word, as well as at the junction of two voiceless consonants. After a voiced consonant or between two vowels it is read as "g".
			It is read as "n".
			It is read as “t” at the beginning and end of a word, as well as at the junction of two voiceless consonants. After a voiced consonant or between two vowels it is read as “d”.
			It is read as "r" at the beginning of a word and between two vowels. At the end of a word or before a consonant it is read as “l”.
			Read as "m".
			It is read as “p” at the beginning and end of a word, as well as at the junction of two voiceless consonants. After a voiced consonant or between two vowels it is read as “b”.
			Before iotated vowels (i, ё, yu, ya) it is read with a lisp, like something between “s” and “sch”.
			It is read as a nasal “n” (similar to English ng). At the beginning of a syllable this letter is not readable.
			It is read as “ch” at the beginning and end of a word, as well as at the junction of two voiceless consonants. After a voiced consonant or between two vowels it is read as a soft “j”.
			Read as a weak "x"

Now let's look at the remaining consonants. They are divided into two groups - aspirated and double.

There are only four aspirated consonants

		Sound
			It is read as "k" with a slight aspiration. In transcription it is designated as "kh"
			It is read as "t" with a slight aspiration. In transcription it is designated as "th"
			It is read as "p" with a slight aspiration. In transcription it is designated as "ph"

Korean is easy to learn if you immerse yourself deeply in the culture and society. Russians who strive to master the Korean language from scratch establish good relationships with Koreans.

How long does it take to learn Korean?

Many people wonder if learning the Korean language is difficult and in what time frame it is possible to understand it. All training is carried out as individually as possible. Each person has the right to determine the required level of language proficiency. Also, not all people have the skills to learn languages. The city where the training takes place is also of great importance - the capital provides experienced teachers, small cities do not have such specialists at all. Is it easy to learn the Korean language - only with great motivation, learning will proceed without problems, because a person is maximally interested in getting a high result.

Is it difficult to learn Korean as a beginner?

Each student learns differently. Anyone who has previously studied German and English finds the Korean language quite difficult. However, comparing it with Japanese, Vietnamese or Chinese languages, we can confidently say that its development is much easier. The characters of the Korean alphabet are simpler than the Japanese ones, and audio pronunciation is also easier for all students.

Ways to learn Korean

• Learning vocabulary. To expand your vocabulary, you need to use literature in Korean, newspaper sources, television programs, films and TV series. Experts advise starting with children's books, which are usually written in simple language, and only then moving on to the press, literature and cinema;
• Mastering grammar. It is necessary to focus on reading newspapers and books that have a written Russian translation, this will allow you to understand the accents as correctly as possible;
• Auditory perception. You should start listening to music, watching Korean programs, and best of all, having dialogues with native speakers;
• Spoken language. Foreign guests living in Korea have a great opportunity to have conversations with Korean residents. But even while at home, you can use the Internet to find an interlocutor who speaks Korean, who will correct and point out mistakes during the dialogue;
• Mastering writing. Through online learning, you can gain Korean writing skills. By finding sites where texts written by students can be checked by Koreans and errors corrected, you can significantly improve the learning of writing.

And also in the territory of the Chinese Yanban District, which has autonomy, the official language is Korean. This language is also alive within various other countries: from Kyrgyzstan to Canada and Japan. After all, a huge Korean diaspora lives in their territories, preserving their traditions.

In order to travel to a foreign country, you need to familiarize yourself with all the details that will be needed during your stay. Learning Korean from scratch will be useful for those who plan to move for permanent residence to the corresponding country (or simply visit it as a tourist), get acquainted with the culture and way of life, and it will also be useful for polyglots who are eager to learn a new foreign language . To speak this amazing dialect, you need to follow simple rules and learn step by step.

First step

To begin with, as with learning other languages, you need to learn the alphabet. It is essential for reading and writing. Learning the Korean language from scratch on your own may cause some difficulties at the first stage, but once you overcome them, the language itself will attract the student.

It's worth talking a little about the alphabet. For people who use it in their speech it will seem a little strange. However, among the trio of Asian languages ​​- Japanese, Chinese and the one described - it is the easiest. Korean was invented in 1443. And since then it has 24 letters, of which 10 are vowels. In the early stages, this knowledge will be enough to master the basic language.

Korean has diphthongs, and hanchu. There are 16 of the first two. Accordingly, the complete alphabet consists of 40 different letters. What is khancha? A few centuries ago, when the Korean language was developing, many Chinese words began to come into it, which have never found analogues in the described structure to this day. Therefore, the average Korean knows about 3 thousand. And if in Japanese words of foreign pronunciation have become part of everyday conversations, then Korean keeps their distance - they are used only in official letters, texts on religious topics, dictionaries and classical works. It is worth noting that hanja is not used in North Korea.

Why is the alphabet so easy? Knowing basic information will, of course, help with such a time-consuming process as learning the Korean language from scratch on your own. Unlike Japanese and Chinese, which use hieroglyphs, words are made up of letters. And the individual symbols that make up the alphabet mean only one (sometimes two, if we are talking about a voiced-unvoiced pair) letters.

Step two

Having mastered the alphabet, you should begin to study numerals. The main thing here is to immediately understand the difference when the Korean number system is used and when the Chinese one is used. The first is usually necessary for counting from 1 to 99 and when indicating the age of any matter. For example, one is “khana”, two is “tul”, three is “set”. The second is used by the population when counting after 100, in the names of streets, houses, dates, money and telephone numbers. For example, one is “il”, two is “and”, three is “himself”. At the same time, letters are used in their writing, and it may also seem difficult, but further it is even more difficult, and without mastering this, it will be very difficult to develop further. After all, such a task as learning the Korean language from scratch cannot be compared with trying to master some Slavic system native to Russian.

Step three

Step three involves learning small phrases and several dozen basic words. You just have to start and you will immediately notice how Korean combinations themselves begin to pop into your head.

It is imperative to have a small notebook with you where you can write down how to pronounce certain words. A great way to learn Korean from scratch is to stick stickers with phrases in prominent places. This way the brain will better assimilate new information.

The most important process in the third step is to learn not only the Korean-Russian translation, but also the Russian-Korean translation. So it will be possible to learn to speak the language, and not just understand it.

Step four

When learning Korean from scratch on your own, you should not forget about basic words like “hello” or “bye.” They are necessary even for the most uneducated polyglots and will always help out when talking with a native speaker. Among the standard words are the following: yes (“ne”), no (“ani”), thank you (“kamsamnida”), hello (“annen”).

Step five

In Korean culture, there is a clear division between official and unofficial forms of the language. Which one to use when communicating with a certain person should be determined from the following factors: the age of the interlocutor, his profession and achievements, social status. Formality in dialogue has three stages:

• Official. Used to talk with elders, boss and unfamiliar people.
• Unofficial. It is more suitable if the opponent is a close friend, relative or younger in age.
• Respectful. It is not used in everyday speech, but can often be heard on television in scientific and news programs, as well as in the army.

For those learning Korean from scratch, this division is important to understand. Those who do not adhere to formalities are considered impolite, and thereby the person himself spoils relationships with others.

Step six

Now you should master the grammar. It is difficult only in one thing - in the huge number of different forms of the same verb. And you need to know all of them.

Among the most common grammar rules are the following:

1. The verb in the sentence is placed in the very last place.
2. The subject is used only if it is not clear from the context or from the previous sentence what or who is being talked about.

Step seven

The important step is practice. The more a person speaks and writes, the better his skills become.

Don't be afraid to start learning Korean from scratch. This is morally difficult, although technically not difficult. The main thing is desire and perseverance. Good luck!