Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Christinateacher]

I'm conducting research and would appreciate if people would answer the following questions:

1. How long have you been studying?
2. How has it affected your life in Korea?
3. What advice would you offer to new Korean learners?
4. How many of the following questions can you answer (honestly) yes to?

1. I can read Hangeul.
2. I can order a beer.
3. I can tell you my name.
4. I can tell you my nationality
5. I can ask for directions to the bathroom
6. I can direct a taxi to my home
7. I can arrange to meet my friends
8. I can talk about what I did yesterday
9. I can ask how someone is feeling
10. I can tell ages and professions of my family members
11. I can have a conversation about global warming
12. I can read and understand a kids book
13. I can read and understand a newspaper
14. I can watch and understand a film in Korean language

Thanks for your time

[rowdie3]

1. I have been in Korea for three years. I have never really studied Korean, but have picked up quite a bit as I've gone along.
2. How has it affected your life in Korea? It is easier and my neighbors like me more because I can speak to them a bit.
3. What advice would you offer to new Korean learners? learn to read and learn numbers
4. How many of the following questions can you answer (honestly) yes to?

Yes to the following:

1. I can read Hangeul.
2. I can order a beer.
3. I can tell you my name.
4. I can tell you my nationality
5. I can ask for directions to the bathroom
6. I can direct a taxi to my home
7. I can arrange to meet my friends

Yes but not perfectly
8. I can talk about what I did yesterday
9. I can ask how someone is feeling
10. I can tell ages and professions of my family members

No
11. I can have a conversation about global warming
12. I can read and understand a kids book
13. I can read and understand a newspaper
14. I can watch and understand a film in Korean language

[peppermint]

I think your poll is a little off, Asking where the bathroom is , is easy. Understanding the answer you get isn't always.

And watching Korean movies, some are lots easier than others. I doubt there are many who wouldn't get their head around The Long Way Home, for example

[cheeseface]

[Kimchi Cha Cha]

I'm nearing on five years in Korea altogether. I barely studied the language in my first year once I was able to deciper Hangeul, spent one and a half years studying Korean and Hanja to varying degrees of intensity, and have since done minimal study but use (stunted-)Korean quite regularly with my gf, friends, random Koreans and kids. For the most part, learning the language, especially learning Hangeul, has made my life here easier and more enjoyable. It would be even more enjoyable if I studied further so I could be completely independent when performing random tasks, chores, etc. It does cause some stress occasionally as there is an element of truth to the saying, 'ignorance is bliss', understanding what ppl are saying around and/or about you isn't always pleasant. But, all in all, learning Korean will improve your life immensely, and I believe you're foolish if you plan to stay for a long period and don't even attempt Hangeul.

I answer Yes to:
1. I can read Hangeul.
2. I can order a beer.
3. I can tell you my name.
4. I can tell you my nationality
5. I can ask for directions to the bathroom
6. I can direct a taxi to my home
7. I can arrange to meet my friends

Yes but not perfectly:
8. I can talk about what I did yesterday
9. I can ask how someone is feeling
10. I can tell ages and professions of my family members

I answer in between Yes and No to varying degrees depending on the topic and difficulty of the subject, because I can usually get the gist of it but don't understand every line/word/phrase:

12. I can read and understand a kids book (pictures help)
13. I can read and understand a newspaper (pictures help)
14. I can watch and understand a film in Korean language (something like 괴물 doesn't take a genius to get the gist of!)

I answer No to:

11. I can have a conversation about global warming (that's about five years off for me just yet!)

[Ilsanman]

11 and 13 no, but partially. 14, I can watch some movies and understand without sibtitles, but not others. nIt depends on how much ajosshi shouting there it.

[Css]

1. close to 3 years
2. improved my life dramatically
3. get into a decent class and forget studying alone

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Yes
4. Yes
5. Yes
6. Yes
7. Yes
8. Yes
9. Yes
10. Yes
11. Yes but due to limited science specific vocabulary, it wont be a very good conversation.
12. Yes but rather depends on the book..Some are far more difficult than others.
13. Not in its entirety and I definite need a dictionary for all the new vocab
14. Yes.

[HighTreason]

Good topic, by the way. I will e happy to answer the questions.

1. I have been studying for about one year.

2. It has improved my life greatly. Being able to communicate with people is invaluable. I now have several good Korean friends who I otherwise would never have met because they don't speak English that well. Even the ones who do speak English with some proficiency are often nervous to use it upon first meeting a foreigner. Learning Korean is the best thing you can do for yourself here.

3. Just study EVERY DAY and don't get discouraged. It is easy to get discouraged, especially in the beginning. Korean is so very different from English that things that seem like they should be simple end up being fairly difficult for the new learner. Talk to as many Koreans as you can even though you will feel foolish because you don't understand them. Do it anyway. You'll eventually find people who are patient enough to take the time to speak with you even with your very limited skills. Sign up for these two sites: www.learn-korean-now.com www.koreanclass101.com

4. How many of the following questions can you answer (honestly) yes to?

1. I can read Hangeul - YES
2. I can order a beer - YES
3. I can tell you my name - YES
4. I can tell you my nationality - YES
5. I can ask for directions to the bathroom - YES
6. I can direct a taxi to my home - YES
7. I can arrange to meet my friends - YES
8. I can talk about what I did yesterday - USUALLY depending on what I did yesterday
9. I can ask how someone is feeling - SOMEWHAT
10. I can tell ages and professions of my family members - YES
11. I can have a conversation about global warming - NO
12. I can read and understand a kids book - MAYBE if it's a very easy one
13. I can read and understand a newspaper - NO although I can usually pick out some themes and tell what it's about
14. I can watch and understand a film in Korean language - NO I can understand the odd conversation here and there but for the most part, no. They speak too fast.

[Whistleblower]

Can do everything apart from number 13 and 14. Just need a bit more to learn. I guess talking and learning new vocab is in order when chatting to Koreans. It just takes time.

[yingwenlaoshi]

I can eat spicy food.
I can use chopsticks.

[Cheonmunka]

나쁜말밖에 몰라요.

[Christinateacher]

Thank you very much...to most of the people who posted.

There are some interesting answers and suggestions there, they will be very useful.

[PeteJB]

[Cheonmunka]

조용하라고 대신에 입 닥쳐 ㅋㅋㅋㅋ 어쩔수없이 나오던데요?!

[PeteJB]

사투리 욕도 아셔? 좀 가르쳐 주세요 ~ 물론 메시지로.. ^^