Korean Job Discussion Forums

[seoulmon]

I am learning Korean and have been for quite a few years. I took a took a TWO MONTHS vacation from work to study Korean. I get up in the morning at 8:30 and study to 12. Then I go home and take a shower, etc. and go to a coffee shop and study. After the coffee shop closes I go to a PC pang. Studying 8 hours on the low end is not unusual for me.

How do I do it?

I make it fun. As soon as I get bored, quit. Book is boring, I stop. Vocabulary is tedious, I study drama scripts. So I give my self a lot of activities: Korean journal writing, drama watching w/script (my favorite is "Cat on the rooftop" that can been seen via internet), Korean cartoons....

For me, the hardest part is making Korean REAL, that is, actually speaking to people in Korean. I still haven't come to peace with this issue. I am really rude to people who try to practice E with me.

[Son Deureo!]

[just because]

This is a fantastic thread....
....I was just thinking the other day how long it would take to speak good Korean. I know everyone learns at different rates but as Yogi would say I'm smarter than the average bear.
I've been studying properly for about 6 months. mi've learned a lot but somedays it feels like I've learned little. I have little problem with grammar and some speaking but when Koreans speak to me I freak out a little as I can't process it quick enough. That is the hardest thing, when they speak to me in Korean. I'll know what they say but it takes me 10 seconds to break it down and figure it out.
Also, i'm having a little trouble with my levels. I've done a few Korean books so I am pretty good at Beginner but not good enough for Intermediate. Its driving me crazy a little. Ahhh...to learn a new language, who would have thought it would make one so crazy

[Jensen]

[Jensen]

[some waygug-in]

The biggest problem I have with learning Korean is motivation. I just can't force myself to put in 8 hours studying. NOt a chance. If I do an hour or two every couple of days that's about all I can handle.

I don't have a clue how I would rate my level, I have worked through Sogang's web site "novice Korean 1" and have tried a couple units of the novice Korean 2. I have to keep reviewing what I have studied, at least 5 times so that it sticks, and then I have to re-review after a couple of months or I will just forget it.

I want to learn using Korean pop songs, but I can never tell what the song title is or who sings it, so how can I ever learn that way?

Using tapes is probably the best way I've found. Listen to a tape while you are walking or exercising. That way it doesn't seem so boring.
I use the Korean through Active Listening course and it seems to help me with practicing listening, but as a course, it's not that great. I have to listen to the lessons 5 - 10 times before I can start to understand what is being said, and then I will have to repeat listening to each tape about another 10 - 20 times so that the sentences start to stick in my brain.
It's a long, boring process. I can see why Korean students are so eager to have a live teacher to talk to.

The best book I've found is the Seoul National University course book.
It's set up similar to an English grammar type course, asking and answering questions about short conversations or pictures. I wish I had used this course from day 1, my Korean would be a lot better than it is now.

Anyhow, that's my dos pesetas
anyong

[Son Deureo!]

[kiwiboy_nz_99]

I use a book called "Speaking Korean" by Francis Y. T. Park of the Myongdong Institute. It's excellent. I would be interested in adding a listening oriented course, preferably on CD not tape as if you're listening a lot the tape deteriorates, plus the CD is easier to locate start points. Can anyone recommend a good listening course?

[shawner88]

Some Canadian dude just made a book about learing how to speak Korean. There was a wrtieup on him in the Korean Herald today. I got pretty bored and didn't finish the article.

[just because]

[purrrfect]

in terms of learning a language, putting it into practice is key. I know this is so simple and obvious, but it's something that some people might not focus on very much when studying. Also, it's important to not try to learn too much at one time - you might remember it for a short while, but it's much easier to slip your mind later.
Of course, it's important to learn theory and sentence patterns, etc., from text books (I have a ridiculous amount of texts), but for myself, when I learn something new, I use it every chance I get - depending on what it is, I use it with friends or people in shops, etc, and then I find it sticks in my mind without much effort.
I think when people put too much emphasis on sitting and poring over textbooks, the learning becomes too much like work, and that's perhaps why many people get frustrated and give up.
happy studying everyone!

[just because]

Good advice from Purrfect. i use all i learn as much as i can and it sticks. It is one of the advantages of a K girlfriend as I can run certain situations past her all day. Its mostly the other way around in korea, however I'm the one using my girlfriend for practice. I love her.