Learn Korean your way with a TakeLessons expert

The Korean language is a rich one with a long history. Like any language, the Korean language has gone through many changes over time. When you're learning Korean,  it can be fun and helpful to learn about the history and intricacies of the language. Here are five things you probably didn't know about the Korean language. 1. There are Minor Language Differences Between North and South Korea The biggest influences on the Korean language come from English and Chinese, respectively. Wh

Each place in the world has something that makes it unique, special, and worth visiting—and Korea is no exception. Whether you want to visit Korea to learn Korean or you just want an unforgettable experience, here are 50 amazing reasons you should plan a trip to Korea, now! 1. Sunrise Peak Sunrise Peak is a tuff cone on Jeju Island that was formed by hydro-volcanic activity almost 5,000 years ago. If you're feeling adventurous, you can take one of two trails up to the peak.

Eating authentic Korean cuisine and dining with locals is one sure way to learn about Korean culture. But it’s also a great way to quickly master the Korean language. After all, it gives you the opportunity to practice ordering, incorporating the words and phrases you already know, and picking up new vocabulary along the way.  If you’re traveling around Korea and eating in Korean restaurants, you’ll soon realize there are several different dining experiences. Some are sit-down eate

When you're learning Korean, you will be introduced to different Korean speech levels. Each Korean speech level is used to express a certain amount of respect or courtesy to the person or group you're addressing. Learn the different levels of speech with Korean teacher Bryce J.... What Are Korean Speech Levels? Korean speech levels are used to show respect and there is a certain order to how they are used like honorifics. If Korean speech levels are not used or used improperly, they can re

When it comes to learning a foreign language, Spanish, French, and Italian seem to be the most popular choices. While Korean may not be at the top of your list, there are several fantastic reasons to learn Korean. In this guest post, Billy Go from Go! Billy Korean explains the benefits of learning Korean, and shares his tips to help you overcome  three common challenges you may face on your Korean-language journey.  People often ask, "Why should I learn Korean?" I may be a bit bi

As most students know, studying the Korean language can be complicated. Luckily, with the growing popularity of Korean drama (K-drama), it's much easier, and more fun, to learn popular catch phrases and buzzwords. Korean drama shows use hundreds of slang words and catchphrases, which can be frustrating for beginning Korean-language students. If this is you, don't panic. This list will help you understand the characters and story lines in Korean drama. 1. Antis   Anti-Fans, or

In our continued series on describing the future in Korean, language teacher Bryce J. explains how to use the immediate future tense in Korean... When you learn Korean, you will be introduced to four different ways to describe the future. Today we will look at one part of Korean grammar called the immediate/promised future. Before you start learning the immediate future, however, make sure you review the probable and definite future: The Korean Future Tense Part 1: Describing th

No matter where you are in your Korean-language studies, a few key phrases can help you communicate and find your way around. Here, Paradise Valley, AZ Korean teacher Hannah V. shares 16 useful Korean phrases... By now, you know how to say basic Korean phrases like "hello" and "thank you." When you travel to Korea, however, whether to visit or to live, you will need to know a lot more than that. Here are some basic, useful Korean phrases you should know. *Note: The following

Listening to music, especially the internationally popular K-Pop (Korean pop music) or Korean Wave can be a fun way to learn vocabulary and conversational Korean. It’s easy to learn the lyrics to songs as you sing along, and this is the first step to learning proper pronunciation. It's also helpful to learn how to speak Korean with K-Pop because you will pick up  common Korean phrases, as well as metaphors and slang. To begin, find your favorite K-Pop songs and look up lyrics that a

Every language has certain expressions that have deeper meanings. When you're taking Korean lessons, it can be fun to learn these Korean expressions. Here, Paradise Valley, AZ teacher Hannah V. teaches you 10 Korean idioms... Idioms are both puzzling and interesting, and sometimes even profound. Read on to find out the true meaning behind 10 well-known Korean idioms. 쏜: Shot, 살: Abbreviation of 화살 (arrow), 같이: Like This Korean phrase means that someone or something

When you're taking Korean lessons, it's great to have some study materials to supplement your learning. Here Korean teacher Keulin H. shares the best books to help you learn how to speak Korean... Interested in learning Korean, but not sure where to start?  A comprehensive, thorough Korean book can help you learn the basics. Because Korean pronunciation is quite different than English, it's essential to enlist the help of a Korean language teacher. If you can, try to find someone who

The best way to learn Korean is through lessons with a Korean language teacher, but supplemental study materials - such as Korean learning apps - can be very beneficial for language students as well. Learning to speak Korean can be challenging, especially for English speakers. The language has a different alphabet, Hangul, and it contains sounds that aren't found in English. However, with the right resources, guidance, and practice, you can absolutely learn to speak Korean, and even becom

Although Korean is the official language of both North and South Korea, there are noticeable differences in the dialect of the two nations. Here, we will examine these differences so you can gain a better overall understanding of the Korean language...  North Korea and South Korea were originally divided across the 38th Parallel, then later, along the Demarcation line. The division, a result of the end of Japanese rule following World War II, pitted the two nations in a bitter battle. S

When you're studying Korean, it's fun to learn about various Korean holidays. Mark your calendar, here are the major (and minor) Korean holidays. Along with the national holidays, in South Korea, the 14th of each month is a fun, unofficial holiday. Read on for a list of all the holidays and celebrations! Diary Day January 14th At the beginning of the new year, it's customary for friends and loved ones to trade diaries, journals, and planners. Friends and family members write down imp

  Korean drama, or K-drama, are televised drama programs in the Korean language. K-dramas are filmed in South Korea, and the shows are usually in mini-series format. The most popular genres are romantic comedy, action, and fusion science fiction. Although South Korea began shooting televised dramas back in the 1960s, K-drama only recently began catching fire in places like the United States. Watching Korean drama can be very helpful when you're taking Korean lessons, because you c

Looking for a complete guide on how to learn the Korean alphabet for beginners? In this article, you'll learn all you need to know about hangul - an essential component of the Korean language. The Korean alphabet, also known as hangul, was invented by King Sejong the Great and his scholars in 1443. It was proclaimed the official alphabet in 1446, and is one of King Sejong’s greatest and most unique achievements. Hangul is a phonetic system that is both scientifically and philosophi

When you're taking Korean lessons, some reliable, thorough online resources can help you brush up on your skills between sessions with your Korean teacher. From Korean-language websites to fun YouTube videos, here are the best online resources to help you learn Korean. Websites How to Study Korean Learning any new language isn't just about memorizing grammar rules and vocabulary, mastery of a language requires the ability to apply it in real-life situations. How to Study Korean und

If you're studying Korean for an upcoming trip, then you need to know more than just basic vocabulary and sentence structure. In order to have a fun, safe trip, you need to plan ahead. Luckily, there are several resourceful Korea travel blogs that will help you prepare in advance for your trip to Korea. If a trip to Korea is on your bucket list, here are five must-read Korea travel blogs you should check out now. 1. Discovering Korea The Korea Tourism Organization named  Discovering K

When it comes to foreign language studies, most students choose to learn Spanish, French, or German before they even consider learning an Asian language. When they do think about Asian languages, they usually choose Chinese or Japanese first, and then maybe Korean as a distant third. This is unfortunate, because there are many great reasons you might want to consider learning Korean. There are many benefits to learning Korean, and if any of them resonate with you, find a Korean tutor to h

Looking for some fun ways to practice your Korean language skills? Here, Severn, MD Korean tutor Keulin H. shares some fun and effective study methods to practice speaking Korean... Learning Korean can be daunting for beginners. Of course, working with a Korean teacher will help you get started with the alphabet and correct pronunciation of the different letter combinations. From there, practice makes perfect!  So how can you practice?  Here are five fun ways to practice speaking Korean

Learning a new language is a rewarding and enriching experience. Unfortunately, for some, it can also be intimidating. The Korean language is full of complex sounds, grammar rules, and confusing sentence structures. For native English speakers, Korean can be hard to digest. With a qualified Korean teacher, and supplemental materials like Korean textbooks, however, a dedicated student can learn and master the Korean language. The right tools can help you get off to a great start when yo

One of the first questions that aspiring Korean speakers ask is, “Is Korean easy to learn?” There are plenty of reasons for wanting to know how to study Korean in the most efficient way possible. For starters, South Korea has the 11th largest economy in the world. In addition, Korean is the 12th highest spoken language with more than 77 million speakers. The possibilities that stem from learning Korean are endless! Not only does understanding Korean allow you to communicate with mo

When you learn how to speak Korean, it's important that you practice reading, writing, and speaking. Learning a new language also requires guidance from a knowledgeable, experienced tutor. In addition to Korean lessons, however, some reliable online resources can help you gain a better understanding of the Korean language. Audio and video resources can be extremely beneficial to Korean-language students, especially for pronunciation and speech development. Luckily, there are number of Kor

Learning a new language isn't just about memorizing grammar rules, it's also about tickling your taste buds and sampling some amazing new foods. So as you're taking Korean lessons, let these Korean food blogs be your guide as you treat yourself to some delightful Korean delicacies. Koreans are foodies, and it shows in their diverse cuisine. It’s an excellent food culture to explore, and it features everything from traditional dishes, Korean BBQ, and street food favorites like the gian

Have you ever wondered about wedding traditions from other countries or cultures? Maybe you're learning Korean and it piqued your interest in worldly affairs. In this article, you'll learn about neat traditions practiced for Korean weddings... In Korea, traditional weddings are a very important and special event. There are many customs and traditions that are followed during a Korean wedding. Some of these include the bride and groom not seeing each other before the wedding, bowing t

Learning any new language can seem difficult at first. If you’re feeling apprehensive about learning Korean, these tips from Korean tutor Bryce J. can help... When considering language lessons, many people shy away from Asian languages like Japanese and Korean because they fear these languages are too challenging to learn. While every language has certain challenges, some languages are more complex than others. Here are seven reasons why learning Korean isn't as hard as you think!

You may have all of the resources to learn Korean, but can you speak like a native yet? If you can't, we'll help with that! In this article, guest blogger Anum Yoon from Current on Currency will teach you eight Korean slang words to make your speech sound more natural…   By now, you should be aware of the fact that Koreans love incorporating slang into casual conversations. In any given Korean drama or reality show, there are a variety of different slang terms being thrown around.

TakeLessons Blog Whether you're studying Korean for academic reasons or to prepare for an upcoming trip, there are a few key Korean sentences that can help you communicate and find your way around. Formal and Informal Phrases The following Korean phrases are a mix of formal and informal. Unlike Western languages that conjugate verbs based on the subject (such as I, you, he/she/it, we, and they), Eastern languages conjugate verbs based on formal and informal speech. You use informal spee

Learning the Korean numbers is necessary to read, write, and speak in Korean. In this article, we'll show you how to count in Korean from 1–10. The Korean number system is complex, but with a little practice, anyone can learn it! There are two different categories of numbers in Korean: Korean numbers and Sino-Korean numbers. The two categories can cause some confusion, so let's look at the differences between them, so you can learn how to count in Korean. An Intro to Korean Numb

Are you ready to taste some mouthwatering Korean BBQ recipes? This post has everything you need to know.  One of the best things about studying the Korean language is learning about different aspects of the culture. What better way to learn some Korean vocabulary than sampling some delicious Korean delicacies? Korean BBQ restaurants have table-top grills so guests can cook their own food at their tables. The food is delicious, and the table-top grills make for a fun group dining experie

As you progress in your Korean lessons, you will learn different ways to describe different events in the past, present, and future. Here's a look at the Korean future tense with Minneapolis, MN teacher Bryce J... In the Korean language, there are five future tenses to master.  In this post, we’ll give you a breakdown of the first method - something that is known as the probable future. How Many Future Tenses Are There in Korean? When you’re learning Korean, you might wonder