Site Search:
 
Speak Korean Now!
Teach English Abroad and Get Paid to see the World!
Korean Job Discussion Forums Forum Index Korean Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Learning to read Korean
Goto page 1, 2  Next
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Korean Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> General Discussion Forum
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
tsm174



Joined: 21 Jan 2009
Location: Dongtan, South Korea
PostPosted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 10:49 pm    Post subject: Learning to read Korean Reply with quote
Hey guys, I wasn't sure how many people are actually interested in learning how to read Korean characters, but I can tell you that it is definitely a useful skill to have, and it's actually very easy. I found this link---------> http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Korean/Alphabet .... which makes it very easy. The language was actually designed to be easy to learn, and there are only 24 basic characters to learn (2 less than our own language, and how easy is that?!). Anyway, I spent about half an hour a day while I was bored at work, and after a few days I was reading signs and finding new places. Good luck, I hope it helps someone!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
dean_burrito



Joined: 12 Jun 2007
PostPosted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 10:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Definitely easy to learn and well worth the time spent doing it. Here's another site that I used to learn, www.catcode.com
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Yahoo Messenger
WendyRose



Joined: 10 Dec 2008
Location: hanam-si, seoul
PostPosted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 11:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Anyone can learn to read Korean in less than an hour and once you know the characters you'll realize a lot of their words are similar to English words. Smile
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Frankly Mr Shankly



Joined: 13 Feb 2008
PostPosted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 12:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
WendyRose wrote:
Anyone can learn to read Korean in less than an hour and once you know the characters you'll realize a lot of their words are similar to English words. Smile


Hell yes, I teach it to bar girls here in SE Asia when I am waiting for a client or to meet a friend for a drink and it seldom takes more than half an hour.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Pojogae



Joined: 30 Oct 2008
PostPosted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 12:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Sejong reckoned a wise man can learn it in a morning, and an idiot in ten days. Took me three days, although I had a lot on that week. Wink
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Soju808



Joined: 25 Jul 2007
PostPosted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 1:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
For learning Hangul,

I would say it takes about 2 hours to learn how recognize the characters.
An hour to learn how to stack them properly.
And about a week of practice to read it fluidly.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Chet Wautlands



Joined: 11 Oct 2008
PostPosted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 3:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I'm sorry, guys, but Korean CANNOT be learned. It is simply TOO hard. You must have all been learning another language...
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Soju808



Joined: 25 Jul 2007
PostPosted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 5:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Chet Wautlands wrote:
I'm sorry, guys, but Korean CANNOT be learned. It is simply TOO hard. You must have all been learning another language...


I can't tell if your being sarcastic or not.

It all depends on how much effort you put into studying the language. Learning another language is tough, and it requires lots of long and hard hours studying, and actually practice using it on the streets. Make friends who don't speak English so you have to use Korean.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Chet Wautlands



Joined: 11 Oct 2008
PostPosted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 6:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I was NOT being sarcastic. No foreigner has EVER learned to speak even BASIC Korean. If it could be done, you'd at least know of ONE foreigner who can do it.

Foreigners can learn French, Spanish, Italian and even German. Foreigners cannot learn Korean. I'm sorry!

......note: today is graduation day and I have a lot of free time.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Rusty Shackleford



Joined: 08 May 2008
PostPosted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 6:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
For me it took about 3 hours to learn the letters and how they fit together.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
English Matt



Joined: 12 Oct 2008
PostPosted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 6:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Chet Wautlands wrote:
I was NOT being sarcastic. No foreigner has EVER learned to speak even BASIC Korean. If it could be done, you'd at least know of ONE foreigner who can do it.

Foreigners can learn French, Spanish, Italian and even German. Foreigners cannot learn Korean. I'm sorry!

......note: today is graduation day and I have a lot of free time.


I'm 90% sure you are being sarcastic....a brief glance at Korean TV will show you that foreigners do indeed learn Korean (and sometimes to native level standards). My girlfriend works for Samsung; an awful lot of foreigners fluent in the Korean language there.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Soju808



Joined: 25 Jul 2007
PostPosted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 12:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote