Korean Job Discussion Forums

Farnsworth · Joined: 28 Apr 2006

...other than taking a course somewhere. Anyone found a magic formula?

Hater Depot · Joined: 29 Mar 2005

My biggest challenge is vocabulary. I really enjoy learning new grammar, but learning new words is just drudgery for me. So when I'm trying to memorize some words, I do it not with flash cards but by writing a page full of sentences that use those words. That's a lot more fun than flash cards and it integrates the new words into my existing knowledge base.

I also find it useful to strike up conversations with bartenders. They are, after all, being paid to make the customers happy, and as long as you keep buying beer, they'll keep talking to you.

Demophobe · Joined: 17 May 2004

Marry a Korean.

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

My biggest problem has been listening comprehension. The best thing for me has been sitting on my ass for a couple years slowly getting used to it. If I were to really apply myself right now I could become fluent pretty quickly. But it's kind of low on my list these days.

seoulsucker · Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 8:09 pm Post subject:

I have a whiteboard in my apartment that I write a few phrases or vocab words on once a week. Writing it down in and of itself is a great help, but also seeing it everyday multiple times helps.

crazylemongirl · Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Location: almost there...

The course I took at SNU.

Sorry, but that's when my korean really improved.

just because · Joined: 01 Aug 2003 Location: Changwon - 4964

I just rotate everything around..

grammar one week, vocab next, listening the next or until i get bored of something..

Songs and dramas are a good way to learn Korean

StAxX SOuL · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Location: London

Language Exchange. I've found I pick up most when using it in the practical sense.

capebretoncanadian · Joined: 20 Feb 2005

Getting a Korean girlfriend that will whine at you everyday for not knowing her language better.....mine has improved 1000%!!

kermo · Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 8:53 pm Post subject:

I've picked up a lot in the classroom listening to a co-teacher. She tended to repeat the same commands, and in context it wasn't too hard to figure out what she meant.
Also, little kids tend to repeat the same word over and over, so that's often fruitful.
I get almost nothing (at this point in my learning curve) out of watching TV or listening to music, but when people are chatting around me, I listen very carefully, ask questions, and often pick up interesting vocab or grammar. Whatever's being repeated often.

krats1976 · Joined: 14 May 2003

sjrm · Joined: 27 Jul 2005

i've picked upl some from some of my students, and a couple of my korean friends.

Css · Joined: 27 Sep 2004 Location: South of the river

text messaging..

Its done wonders for my written korean and it also transfers to my spoken...

Hater Depot · Joined: 29 Mar 2005

Oh, definitely second that. I text in Korean as often as I get the chance.

Son Deureo! · Joined: 30 Apr 2003

I've always made the fastest progress when I've been taking a regular course 5 days a week. For most people, that probably is the best way.

Other things that have been especially helpful....

Reading. I'm a big fan of it, it's probably the best way to build vocabulary. Once you've gotten a grounding in basic grammar try kids books, comic books, and subway ads, then work your way up. Expect to have to look a lot of things up in the dictionary. My favorite thing to read these days in Maxim in Korean

Conversation practice. Girlfriend, language exchange partners, cab drivers, my landlady, miscellaneous bar staff, anyone who has the patience to put up with my mistakes. So far as learning went, probably the best conversation partners for me were actually Japanese classmates who didn't speak English. That raised some eyebrows from the locals, but screw 'em.

DVDs. For me, listening has always been a weak point. This is a problem because it's hard to have a conversation if you can't understand what people are saying to you. The Korean subtitles on DVDs serve as training wheels to help you get past that. I like DVDs over TV because I can check the Korean subtitles, or the English if necessary, and rewind to listen again as necessary. There are a lot more good Korean movies than there are good TV shows anyway.

Paying attention to Chinese character roots. If you don't already have the unexcitingly titled Handbook of Korean Vocabulary: A Resource for Word Recognition and Comprehension , buy it, and look it over on a regular basis. This makes it sooooo much easier to learn new vocabulary and recognise new words from context.