We’ll teach you the most common verbs in the Korean language below. Let’s get to it!

Most Common Korean Verbs

Learning Korean verbs is an essential step in learning Korean. They express actions, states, and events. In its basic form, the Korean verb always ends with 다 (da). For example, 먹다 (meokda) means “to eat,” and 가다 (gada) means “to go.”

List of the most common Korean verbs

Here’s a list of verbs that are related to daily activities:

Korean Verb Conjugation Patterns

You can modify verbs to indicate different tenses and politeness levels. So, learning these patterns is important for communicating in Korean. Here are some common verb conjugation patterns:

Conjugation based on the Politeness Levels

There are two common polite speeches, which are 하십시오체 (hasipsioche) for formal speech and 해요체 (haeyoche) for polite informal speech.

For example, 갑니다 (gamnida) is the formal speech, and 가요 (gayo) is the polite informal form of 가다 (gada).

When speaking casually, 해체 (haeche) is commonly used. For example, 먹어 (meogeo) is the informal form of 먹다 (meokda).

Polite informal speech forms 해요체 (haeyoche) in present tense

The most common conjugation pattern is the polite informal speech forms. This form is used in everyday conversations such as at workplaces, shops, etc.

If the stem ends with Batchim (final consonant)

If the stem ends have the ㅗ /ㅏ, add 아요.

• 살다 (salda | to live) -> 살아요 (sarayo)
• 놀다 (nolda | to play)-> 놀아요 (norayo)

If the vowels are not ㅗ /ㅏ, 어요 is added.

• 먹다 (meokda | to eat) -> 먹어요 (meogeoyo)
• 입다 (ipda | to wear)-> 입어요 (ibeoyo)

If the stem ends without Batchim (final consonant)

If the vowel is ㅜ, 어요 is added:

• 주다 (juda | to give)-> 줘요 (jwoyo)* (shortened from주어요) *In speaking, the shortened version is commonly used.

If the vowel is ㅗ, 아요 is added.

• 오다 (oda | to come)-> 와요 (wayo)* (shortend from 오아요) *In speaking, the shortened version is commonly used.

If the vowel is ㅏ/ㅓ/ㅐ/ㅔ, add 요.

• 가다 (gada | to go) -> 가요 (gayo)
• 세다 (gayo seda | to count) -> 세요 (seyo)

If the vowel is l, change ㅣ to ㅕ and then add 요.

• 마시다 (masida | to drink) -> 마셔요 (masyeoyo)

If the vowel is ㅜ, change ㅜ to ㅝ and then add 요.

• 주다 (juda | to give) -> 줘요 (jwoyo)

If the vowel is ㅡ, change ㅡ to ㅓ and then add 요.

• 쓰다 (sseuda | to write) -> 써요 (sseoyo)

If the vowel is ㅡ, and the prior vowel is ㅗ/ㅏ, change ㅡ to ㅏ and then add 요.

• 모으다 (moeuda | to collect) -> 모아요 (moayo)

If the vowel is ㅟ/ㅚ, whether there is a Batchim (final consonant) or not, add 어요.

• 쉬다 (swida | to rest) -> 쉬어요 (swieoyo)

If the verb stem ends with 하, change 하 to 해 and add 요.

• 공부하다 (gongbuhada | to study) -> 공부해요 (gongbuhaeyo)

Verb Tense and Conjugation

To express different tenses, such as present, past, and future, you need to conjugate verbs by changing the verb stem.

To conjugate verbs into their polite informal form in the past tense, 았/었어요 (at/eosseoyo) is added. For the future tense, -ㄹ/을 거예요 (-r/eul geoyeyo) is added.

For example, 먹다 (meokda) becomes 먹어요 (meogeoyo) in the present tense and 먹었어요 (meogeosseoyo) in the past tense. For future tense, it becomes 먹을 거예요 (meogeul geoyeyo).

Negative Forms:

You can conjugate Korean verbs into negative forms by adding 안 (an) before the verb stem.

For example, “I don’t eat” is 안 먹어요 (an meogeoyo).

Polite command form

This verb conjugation is common as it can be used in many situations, and you will sound respectful. When telling someone to do something politely, you can add (으)세요 to the verb stem.

For example, 마시세요 (masiseyo) is the polite request form of the verb 마시다 (masida), meaning “to drink”. In a sentence, 물을 많이 마시세요 (mureul mani masiseyo) means “Drink a lot of water.”

Polite request form

When you are asking someone to do something, conjugate verbs using 아/어 주세요.

For example, 도와 주세요 (dowa juseyo) means “Please help.”

Conjugating “Hada” Verbs

There are various Korean verb endings, but many of these verbs end with 하다 (hada). Here are some common conjugations of Korean verbs ending with 하다 (hada):

Present Tense

• Formal (하십시오체 | hasipsioche): 나는 공부합니다 (naneun gongbuhamnida) – “I study.”
• Polite Informal (해요체 | haeyoche): 나는 공부해요 (naneun gongbuhaeyo) – “I study.”
• Casual (해체 | haeche): 나는 공부해 (naneun gongbuhae) – “I study.”

Past Tense

• Formal (하십시오체 | hasipsioche): 나는 어제 운동했습니다 (naneun eoje undonghaetseumnida) – “I exercised yesterday.”
• Polite Informal (해요체 | haeyoche): 나는 어제 운동했어요 (naneun eoje undonghaesseoyo) – “I exercised yesterday.”
• Casual (해체 | haeche): 나는 어제 운동했어 (naneun eoje undonghaesseo) – “I exercised yesterday.”

Future Tense

• Formal (하십시오체 | hasipsioche): 저는 한국어를 공부할 겁니다 (jeoneun hangugeoreul gongbuhal geosimnida gongbuhal geoyeyo gongbuhal geoya) – “I will study Korean.”
• Polite Informal (해요체 | haeyoche): 나는 한국어를 공부할 거예요 (naneun hangugeoreul gongbuhal geoyeyo) – “I will study Korean.”
• Casual (해체 | haeche): 나는 한국어를 공부할 거야 (naneun hangugeoreul geoya) – “I will study Korean.”

Negative Forms

You can conjugate Korean verbs into negative forms by adding 안 (an) before the verb stem. However, conjugating verbs ending with 하다 into negative form is different. For these verbs, insert “안” in the middle, before the 하다 part.

• Formal (하십시오체 | hasipsioche): 저는 요리 안 합니다 (jeoneun yori an hamnida) – “I study.”
• Polite Informal (해요체 | haeyoche): 나는 요리 안 해요 (naneun yori an haeyo) – “I study.”
• Casual (해체 | haeche): 나는 요리 안 해 (naneun yori an hae) – “I study.”

Polite command form

To make a polite command using verbs ending in 하다, simply change 하다 to 하세요.

고속도로로 운전하세요 (gosokdororo unjeonhaseyo) – “Drive to highway.”

Polite request form

To make a polite request, 주다’s polite command form 해 주세요 is used.

천천히 운전해 주세요(cheoncheonhi unjeonhae juseyo) – “Drive slowly please.”

Korean Irregular Verbs

Some verbs do not follow standard Korean conjugation patterns. These verbs often have unique conjugation rules, which need to be memorized. Familiarizing yourself with this will help you determine the appropriate conjugation patterns to use.

ㄷ irregular

Korean verb “걷다” (deotda), meaning “to walk,” doesn’t follow a regular pattern. The ㄷ Batchim of the verb stem becomes ㄹ and then conjugated as normal.

걷다 (geotda | to walk) -> 걸어요 (georeoyo)

ㅅ irregular

Some verbs with ㅅ Batchim in their verb stem are irregular. The ㅅ is dropped and conjugated as normal.

낫다 (natda | to recover) -> 나아요 (naayo)

ㅂ irregular

The ㅂ Batchim is replaced with 우, then added to the following conjugation Korean word.

눕다 (nupda | to lie down) -> 누워요 (nuwoyo) *우+어 ->워

ㅡ irregular

For ㅡ irregular verbs, you need to check the second to last syllable of its verb stem. If its vowel is ㅏ or ㅗ, ㅏ replaces ㅡ in the last syllable. If the vowel in this syllable is not ㅏ or ㅗ, ㅓ replaces ㅡ in the last syllable.

잠그다 (jamgeuda | to lock) -> 잠가요 (jamgayo)

르 irregular

When conjugating 르 irregular verb, extra ㄹ is added to the syllable before 르 in its verb stem. And then 르 becomes either 러 or 라, depending on the vowel of the syllable before 르.

고르다 (goreuda | to choose) -> 골라요 (gollayo)

ㄹ irregular

For some verbs that have ㄹ Batchim in their final syllable of the stem, their ㄹ 받침 will be dropped when conjugating with the polite request -(으)세요. Then, you will just conjugate as normal.

열다 (yeolda | to open) -> 여세요 (yeoseyo)

Conclusion

If you are a beginner, we recommend starting with simple verbs and gradually extending your vocabulary and Korean verb conjugations as you progress.

If you come across unfamiliar words, being equipped with a Korean dictionary would help. Find out more about our recommendations here.

The post Korean Verbs for Beginners – Your Easy Grammar Guide appeared first on 90 Day Korean.

If you’ve already learned Korean family terms before, you’d know how to address your family members, including any female sibling. Based on that article, you also know that the Korean language is quite specific on which words to use in which situations.

So, let’s learn the ways to say “sister” and the related words!

How to say “sister” in Korean

The way the word “sister” works in Korean is very similar to the word “brother.” As in, there is a different word to use in some cases, depending on if you are a female or a male.

If you are female, the Korean word for sister is 언니 (eonni). If you are male, the word for sister is 누나 (nuna).

However, the word for sister, which is 여동생 (yeodongsaeng), can be used by any gender. Below, we will go into more detail about when this is possible.

“Younger sister” in Korean

The word for younger sister is 여동생 (yeodongsaeng). You can use this word regardless of your own gender. The word 동생 (dongsaeng) stands for younger sibling, while 여 (yeo) designates it as female. Do take notice that you can often simply say 동생 (dongsaeng) when referring to younger siblings, omitting 여 (yeo) (or 남 (nam) if it’s a younger brother).

Sample sentence:

여동생은 대학교에서 무엇을 공부하니? (yeodongsaengeun daehakgyoeseo mueoseul gongbuhani?)

What does your little sister study in university?

“Older sister” in Korean

For “older sister,” the words to use are 언니 (eonni) and 누나 (nuna). Because an added layer of respect is involved, the word to use changes depending on the speaker’s gender. Thus, females call sisters by 언니 (eonni), and males call sisters by 누나 (nuna).

It is also incredibly common to refer to female friends older than you as 언니 (eonni) or 누나 (nuna) since 친구 (chingu) is only used when referring to friends of the same age. Sometimes, boys and men will also call the women they like or are dating by 누나 (nuna). However, that is more common among teenagers and young adults.

Another word for older sister is 누이 (nui), but this is an old term that you may hear in historical drama more often than in modern Korean.

Sample sentence:

언니는 브라질에서 일을 해요. (eonnineun beurajireseo ireul haeyo.)

My sister works in Brazil.

“Sister-in-law in Korean”

For saying sister-in-law in Korean correctly, multiple factors matter. It’s much like how you would refer to your brother-in-law, as shown in another article of ours.

Husband’s older sister: 형님 (hyeongnim) or 언니 (eonni)

Husband’s younger sister: 아가씨 (agassi)

Husband’s younger brother’s wife: 동서 (dongseo)

Wife’s older sister: 처형 (cheohyeong)

Wife’s younger sister: 처제 (cheoje)

Younger brother’s wife (for men): 제수 (jesu)

Younger brother’s wife (for women): 올케 (olke)

Older brother’s wife (for men): 형수님 (hyeongsunim)

Older brother’s wife (for women): 새언니 (saeeonni)

Sample sentence:

안녕하세요, 동서! 오늘 뭘 먹고 싶으세요? (annyeonghaseyo, dongseo! oneul mwol meokgo sipeuseyo?)

Hello, sister-in-law! What would you like to eat today?

“Step sister” in Korean

The word for step-sister works similarly to step-brother. If they are older than you and you are female, you may use 의붓언니 (uibudeonni). If they are older than you and you are male, you may use 의붓누나 (uibutnuna). If they are younger than you, you may use 의붓동생 (uibutdongsaeng), regardless of whether you are a girl or a boy yourself.

Sample sentence:

의붓언니에 대해서 질문이 있어요. 물어봐도 될까요? (uibudeonnie daehaeseo jilmuni isseoyo. mureobwado doelkkayo?)

I have a question regarding your step-sister. Is it OK to ask?

“Half-sister” in Korean

The word for half-sister in Korean works similarly to the abovementioned words, as well as the words related to “brother.” If they are older than you and you are female, you may use 이복언니 (ibogeonni).

If they are older than you and you are male, you may use 이복누나 (iboknuna). If they are younger than you, you may use 이복동생 (ibokdongsaeng), no matter if you are a boy or a girl yourself.

Sample sentence:

저에게는 누나가 한 명, 여동생이 한 명 있습니다. 그리고 이복누나가 한 명 있습니다. (jeoegeneun nunaga han myeong, yeodongsaengi han myeong itseumnida. geurigo iboknunaga han myeong itseumnida.)

I have one older sister and one younger sister. Also, I have one older half-sister.

“Sisters” in Korean

For saying sisters in Korean, one term you can use is 여자 형제 (yeoja hyeongje). This literally means “female siblings”. However, it is not a term you will commonly hear used in spoken communication. Another word for “sisters” is 자매 (jamae).

When you want to describe a sibling relationship with your sister while you are male – and also if you are female – you may say 남매 (nammae) or 오누이 (one).

Ways to use 언니 (eonni) in Korean

Above, we already mentioned that 언니 (eonni) is used exclusively by women to refer to an older sister. This sister can be blood-related, but also a female friend who happens to be older than the speaker.

Older Female Cousin

Additionally, the word for older female cousin is 사촌언니 (sachoneonni). However, when calling one’s older female cousin, most Koreans often just use 언니 (eonni), or they will call their cousin by their name + 언니 (eonni). However, if you are speaking about your cousin to other people, then you should use 사촌언니 (sachoneonni).

Acquaintance

Also, if the woman is your acquaintance but not a good friend, you may call them 아는 언니 (aneun eonni) in a conversation with other people. With upper classmates that are female, you will call them by their name, attached to either 언니 (eonni) or the gender-neutral 선배 (seonbae), which means senior.

Wrap Up

And now we know different ways to say “sister” in South Korea! Isn’t that great? Let us know below in the comments if you’ve got any sisters or brothers – in Korean, of course! Next up, maybe you would like to know more about some related words, such as sunbae and hubae?

The post “Sister” in Korean – Ways to address a female sibling appeared first on 90 Day Korean.

We already have a useful article for general learning of Korean for kids, but today, we’d like to specifically go over how to make learning the Korean alphabet for kids quick and fun. These tips can also work for you, even if you are older, but they have been written with the younger members of society specifically in mind.

Introduction

Naturally, if one or both of the parents have cultural and/or ethnic roots in Korea, it is an easy decision to have your kid learn some Korean from a young age as well.

But what if there is no direct connection to Korean culture and language? Learning a foreign language is beneficial either way. We are headed for a more globalized environment all the time, but language learning is also great for cognitive development.

And right now, among all the languages in the world, Korean is considered a trendy one to learn. At first, it may leave you wondering whether that is enough reason to learn a language that seems relatively small in terms of amount of speakers. But with the popularity of Korean music, dramas, and more on the rise, the number of Korean speakers also appears to be increasing.

In this article, you can find resources for what to teach your children, all of which can be used in ways that your child will enjoy what they will be learning.

The Korean Alphabet, Hangul

The Korean language has its own unique alphabetic system called Hangeul (한글). The Korean alphabet system may seem intimidating at first, but actually, it is quite easy – and fun! – to learn. You can use our article on the Korean Alphabet as the base material for learning the alphabet.

The Structure of Hangul: Vowels and Consonants

To offer your child the best Korean lessons available, it is good for you also to have some knowledge of the language if you don’t already. However, by going through the material we’re offering here, you’ll also learn so much about the basics of Korean.

Hangeul is made up of 14 consonants and 10 vowels. We have separate, comprehensive articles for both Korean Vowels and Korean Consonants. Before anything else can be taught about the Korean language, you and your kid need to know the alphabet.

However, this can be done in many fun, different ways! For example, you can purchase and use Korean alphabet toys or use modeling clay so that the children can create each letter themselves. In addition, your child may really enjoy going through a Korean alphabet song as a way of memorizing the characters.

You can move on to the more challenging alphabet portion when the basic alphabet has been learned. This means complex vowels as well as double consonants. You can also find all the information for these in the articles for Korean vowels and Korean consonants. There is still plenty more to learn about consonants, but it’s good to go step by step so the young learner won’t get overwhelmed and confused.

The rules for writing Hangul correctly

Once your child can remember all of the Korean letters, you can move on to the next topic. Learning the alphabet should not take longer than an hour or two, so in the next class you can already do this next thing: the hangul stroke order.

We have an article on hangul stroke order, which can once again work as a great base material to create a lesson out of. While learning stroke order may sound unimportant at first, it can be a lot of fun to learn. For example, the stroke order can be practiced through calligraphy or other kinds of drawing exercises.

How the consonants and vowels are combined to form syllable blocks

Now that you know all of the alphabet and their stroke order, you can start learning how each letter is combined into syllable blocks. Let’s look at the verb 공부하다 (gongbuhada), for example. Each character creates a block with 2 to 3 characters, and then these syllable blocks together form words. We have a great article you can use to learn how to create Korean syllable blocks.

Here is where you can also teach about the difficult concept of 받침 (batchim). This refers to those consonants that finish off a syllable block. It can be a singular consonant, such as ㅇ, in the above sample verb. However, they can also be more complex than this, such as ㄺ, so two consonants are squeezed into one. Feel free to take your time with this, as it may feel confusing to go over at first.

Practice Writing Hangul

Now that all the consonants and vowels are familiar and the basics of stroke order and syllable blocks have been learned, the focus can be shifted to practice writing full words and, eventually, sentences.

Tips and techniques for learning how to write in Hangul

There are a few different ways that your little one can learn and practice writing in Hangul.

Mnemonic Devices

For example, your kid may enjoy memorizing through mnemonic devices, such as creating songs and rhymes. For visual aids, you can use all sorts of things like pictures, videos, and flashcards.

Repetition

You can also search for some sample words to use for repetition. Preferably, a few words start with each consonant in the alphabet, including those that begin with ㅇ. Some words can be long, while others are short, and they can even be similar to one another.

It is even better if they are connected to your home or daily life. Once you have collected these words, you can create a Korean song game of sorts. This will not only help memorize some essential words but also give the child an opportunity to better understand the sounds the letters make.

Common mistakes to avoid when writing Hangul

Learning a new language can be challenging, but you can make it easier if you are able to avoid mistakes learners usually make early on. Here are some of them.

Not using the Hangul stroke order

Perhaps the most common mistake made when writing in Hangul is ignoring the stroke order. It is not the end of the world, as each of us has our own unique handwriting, even in Korean. However, sticking with the stroke order will make the letters easier for others to read. Especially ㄹ and ㅁ are letters where stroke order is often ignored.

Aiming for perfection

Also, it is important not to stress too much or aim for perfection too much. Instead, it’s good to keep learning light enough that it’s still enjoyable. We all make mistakes while learning, and there is no reason to be so hard on yourself when you do make one.

Not learning the Korean alphabet

The biggest mistake you could make, however, is skipping the step of learning the Korean alphabet altogether. That means learning Korean through romanization instead. But whilst romanization is a handy tool to use in supporting your studies, it is most important to learn Hangul properly and right away. The alphabet is simply the best place to start learning Korean.

You will also want to be consistent with the learning, especially at the start. Even if the child picks up the alphabet quickly, they will have forgotten it if the next lesson is a month away or something. It can also lead to losing motivation toward learning.

We actually have an article about common mistakes made while learning Korean that are good to keep in mind when progressing past the alphabet to more topics.

Exercises and worksheets for practicing Hangul writing

Worksheets may also be incredibly useful for helping the little one – and why not the adult also – practice writing Hangul. Start off with a worksheet for the Korean alphabet. Next up, there are also separate worksheets available for vowels and consonants.

Additionally, we also have a worksheet dedicated to Hangul stroke order. We also have one for writing in Korean in general.

And, if you would like some more exercises to do? For example, Amazon offers great options to cover that. Here is a book with 72 Hangul worksheets specifically geared for kids. And here is a handwriting workbook for the Korean alphabet, also made with young learners in mind. You may also get inspired enough to create your own worksheets to practice writing and memorizing Hangul.

As long as the worksheets have been made for young learners, they will surely have fun filling them out.

Beyond just the alphabet, we have numerous worksheets available for you to utilize in your or your child’s Korean studies.

Fun Ways to Learn Korean Alphabet

It is also true for adults, but even more so for children, that learning should be fun. Something great about learning languages is that, especially in the beginning, they can be so much fun for a child to learn.

In the case of learning the Korean alphabet, it is easy to make memorizing them fun. To start off with, try incorporating the language with everyday activities, especially playtime. As was mentioned above, songs are a great way to memorize the alphabet and even some words and your child would likely enjoy reciting them.

You can also turn the alphabet into craft. How about having your child draw each letter of the alphabet? Make flashcards out of them, too, and then utilize them as a memory game. You can also use something like Play-Doh to create the alphabet letters. If you have both, you can even play a game where the task is to match the letter on the flashcard with the play dough letter.

And, when your child is ready, those play dough letters can also be used to create words. They can also make drawings and then include the Korean word for the drawing’s subject in the drawing. Additionally, using calligraphy may be one enjoyable way to memorize or teach Hangul letters and simple words.

Recommendations for Korean language children’s books, movies, and TV shows

In addition to games and crafts, children will also enjoy learning the language the same way many adults do: through media.

Learning Korean through books and cartoons

A child may enjoy practicing Korean skills through books and cartoons. We have a list of Korean children’s books that any child would like to read. They are a step further than just learning the alphabet, but they are not that complicated once you’re ready for it. Other written resources available are Korean comics and webtoons, but these are often geared towards an older audience.

There is also a great textbook series called My First Korean Words Series. It consists of three books, with one book focused specifically on the alphabet, while the other two teach basic and essential words. This series is specifically geared towards children and heavily uses pictures as teaching guidance. With this series, your child will learn the alphabet and also their first 300 Korean words.

Learning Korean through songs and videos

Then, for listening practice, you can use songs, TV shows, and movies. For TV shows and movies, you can find Korean series and movies geared for children. Or, if possible, you can also use something already popular with your child and turn on Korean dubbing or subtitles.

For example, Pororo and Tayo the Little Bus are incredibly popular children’s animations in South Korea. You can find both of them on Netflix. You can find them – and more – on YouTube, as well.

Unfortunately, there are not that many famous Korean children’s movies, but just turning on a movie such as Frozen with Korean dubbing will do. In fact, it may even be better, as the content of the movie is already familiar to them.

For material specific to the alphabet, you should check out Hello Carrie Hangul. It is a fun and educative channel geared for kids, with a focus on teaching the different alphabet letters. There a multiple videos available, all short in length, so there isn’t too much information being pushed out at once.

Tips for finding a Korean language tutor or class for kids

Also, of course, you don’t need to do all the teaching yourself. If you want to learn Korean together with your child, that’s an awesome idea. However, if you want them to be taught by a professional, that’s an excellent idea as well.

In that case, you may want to consider finding a language tutor or even a group class. Before you start your search, spend a moment figuring out the goal of language learning. This will help tremendously, as different tutors and classes focus on different things. There are also different teaching methods, with some offering more speaking-based classes while others follow a textbook format more closely.

And, if at all possible, do try out a trial lesson before a longer commitment. You will want to know if the tutor is the right fit for your child first, after all. You will also want to find a tutor that has the qualities of a good teacher and is focused on teaching material that is useful in real life. You must also consider your timetable and time zone when searching for a tutor.

We have an article on finding Korean tutors for more information if you’d like to read it through. If you are searching for a group class, the process is quite the same as hiring a private tutor. Also, in both cases, do remember to think about what kind of budget you have to work with.

We also offer our own online Korean course. If it aligns with your goals and budget, it can be one worthwhile option to check out if you’re looking for a tutor for your child.

Conclusion

Above, we have laid out the many great ways and resources with which your child can start to learn the Korean alphabet. Language learning is good to start at a young age when our brains are able to retain that kind of information with ease. However, we also have to keep in mind that we need to make learning engaging and motivating for the kids.

Finally, if you are still hungry for a little more material, we have a guide for Korean language learning resources here. It has all you need to get a child’s study journey started, from the Korean alphabet for kids to full sentences!

The post Korean Alphabet For Kids – Easy Way to Learn Hangeul appeared first on 90 Day Korean.

In the case of “and,” it has usages that both correspond to how the English language uses it and also have ways to use it that may not be seen in the English language. After this article, we hope you will have a more comprehensive understanding of the various ways to use and say “and” in Korean.

Let’s go!

Different ways to say “and” in Korean

There are four main ways to say “and” in Korean. We will list each one of them below.

-하고 (hago) and -고 (go)

This is a very standard way of saying “and.” Therefore, you will most commonly hear and see this structure being used. It links two actions (고 | go) or two objects (하고 | hago) together in a sentence. It is especially common to use in spoken language, but it isn’t rare to see in written texts, either.

새 카메라하고 프린터를 사고 싶어요. (sae kamerahago peurinteoreul sago sipeoyo.)

I want to buy a new camera and printer.

나는 비디오 게임을 하고 남자친구는 축구를 해요. (naneun bidio geimeul hago namjachinguneun chukgureul haeyo.)

I play video games, and my boyfriend plays football.

이 신발은 너무 예쁘고 편안해요. (i sinbareun neomu yeppeugo pyeonanhaeyo.)

These shoes are so pretty and comfortable.

그리고 (geurigo)

This structure links two sentences or two nouns together. Depending on the context, 그리고 (geurigo) translates as either “and” or “and then.” In many ways, it is quite identical to -하고 (hago).

However, in the case of 그리고 (geurigo), what follows after the word “and” is typically more of an afterthought. So, in a way, 그리고 (geurigo) is linking together two separate sentences, whereas 하고 (hago) links together two or more different things in the same sentence.

먼저 점심을 먹을 거예요. 그리고 영화를 보러 갈 거예요. (meonjeo jeomsimeul meogeul geoyeyo. geurigo yeonghwareul boreo gal geoyeyo.)

First I will eat lunch. And then, I will go watch a movie.

비빔밥, 불고기, 그리고 떡갈비 먹고 싶어요. (bibimbap, bulgogi, geurigo tteokgalbi meokgo sipeoyo.)

I want to eat bibimbap, bulgogi, and tteokgalbi.

(이)랑 (irang)

Here -랑 (rang) is added after vowels, while -이랑 (irang) is added after a consonant. While it is not regarded as informal as such, it is incredibly casual and almost solely used in spoken Korean. In English, this may even be better translated as “with” rather than “and.”

It also has some other applicable translations that may be used. If there is more than one object mentioned in the sentence, you can attach -(이)랑 to each of them rather than just the first one.

오늘 친구랑 영화를 보고 쇼핑했어요. (oneul chingurang yeonghwareul bogo syopinghaesseoyo.)

Today I watched a movie and shopped with a friend.

나는 여자친구랑 밥을 먹었어. (naneun yeojachingurang babeul meogeosseo.)

I had a meal with my girlfriend.

배고파서 김밥이랑 떡볶이를 먹었어요. (baegopaseo gimbabirang tteokbokkireul meogeosseoyo.)

I was hungry, so I ate kimbab and tteokbokki.

-와 (wa) and -과 (gwa)

Of all the options, these are the ones to use in formal situations, specifically added after a noun. It cannot be used after a sequence of objects; there can be only two nouns in the sentence. -와 (wa) is added after a noun ending in a vocal, and -과 (gwa) is added after a noun ending in a consonant.

This is a common way to use “and” in written Korean. It also works great in professional situations. However, this is usually avoided in spoken Korean.

Just like with the other options on this list, -와 (wa)/-과 (gwa) can also be used for other meanings, at least in how the word translates to other languages in context. For example, it can be used to state that something is different “from” another thing. It can also be translated as “with” or even “as”.

결정을 내리기 전에 어머니와 이야기를 해봐야 해요. (gyeoljeongeul naerigi jeone eomeoniwa iyagireul haebwaya haeyo.)

I’ll have to talk with my mother before I make a decision.

미식축구와 축구는 매우 달라요. (misikchukguwa chukguneun maeu dallayo.)

American football is very different from football.

내 대답은 어제와 같아. (nae daedabeun eojewa gata.)

My answer is the same as yesterday.

제일 좋아하는 음식은 피자와 스시예요. (jeil joahaneun eumsigeun pijawa seusiyeyo.)

My favorite foods are pizza and sushi.

“And” as a Korean particle

To summarize, “and” is largely used as a particle in the Korean language. -과 (gwa)/-와 (wa), -(이)랑 (irang), and -하고 (hago) all serve as the particle “and,” as well as the particle “with.” We have an article on Korean particles, where we give some supporting information on this topic.

“And” as a Korean conjunction

As you may have noticed above, “and” also doubles as a conjunction in the Korean language. As such, it is not only -과 (gwa)/-와 (wa), -(이)랑 (irang), and -하고 (hago) that work as conjunctions, but 그리고 (geurigo) and -고 (go) as well. Here, it connects sentences and phrases together. We have an article on the topic, if you would like to get more familiar with Korean conjunctions.

Wrap Up

Now, do you believe you can handle the word “and” in Korean? We think you’ll be able to! As you can see, it operates quite similarly as it does in other languages, especially as a conjunction.

Understanding how the Korean words for “and” also operate as particles and other words may be trickier, but after this lesson, you’ll know a little better. And if you feel ready, you can start making sample sentences below in the comments! Next up, how about learning how to say “of course?”

The post “And” in Korean – Using it as a particle and conjunction appeared first on 90 Day Korean.

There are more Korean terms related to “brother” than you think, and we’ll go over each of them in this article.

If you have a male sibling or you know someone who is a brother, you’ll find learning this new vocabulary useful. Here we go!

How to say “brother” in Korean

First of all, you need to understand that there is a difference depending on if you are a female or a male speaker.

If you are a female speaker, the word to use for big brother is 오빠 (oppa). But if you are a male speaker, the word for older brother is 형 (hyeong). However, the word for younger brother 남동생 (namdongsaeng) can be used by both genders. So, what determines which word you will use?

Sample sentence:

우리 오빠를 벌써 만났어요? (uri oppareul beolsseo mannasseoyo?)

Did you already meet my brother?

Now, what if you want to get formal with this word? The formal way to use this word, if you are male, is to call out your older brother with 형님 (hyeongnim). And, if you are female, you would call out your older brother with 오라버니 (orabeoni). These words are rarely used in everyday conversations, but you may hear them occasionally in drama or movies.

Korean words related to “brother”

Below, we will go over some related words. This will also help you understand the point made in the above paragraph.

“Younger brother” in Korean

The word for “younger brother” in the Korean language is 남동생 (namdongsaeng). As you may notice, in this case, it doesn’t matter if the speaker is male or female. The word remains the same.

The word 동생 (dongsaeng) expresses younger sibling, while 남 (nam) designates it as a boy. The word 동생 (dongsaeng) can be also used for a younger person that you are very close to, even if you are not related to.

If you are talking to your younger brother directly, you may choose to use their name instead, though the word 동생 (dongsaeng) is also not incorrect. Most Koreans use their younger brother’s name when calling them directly. The words 동생 (dongsaeng) or 남동생 (namdongsaeng) are usually for when talking about one’s younger brother to someone else.

Sample sentence:

내 남동생이 미국으로 유학을 갈 때가 그리울 거야. (nae namdongsaengi migugeuro yuhageul gal ttaega geuriul geoya.)

I will miss my little brother when he goes to study in the United States.

“Older brother” in Korean

Based on the above, you can perhaps already guess that the word for “older brother” in Korean is 오빠 (oppa) when the speaker is female and 형 (hyeong) when the speaker is male. You can use it with people who are not related to you, as well.

Indeed, it is also common for men to call male friends older than them 형 (hyeong), while women call male friends older than them 오빠 (oppa). It is also not uncommon for women to call their significant others 오빠 (oppa), although other terms of endearment exist for that, as well.

“Stepbrother” in Korean

For stepbrother, too, there are a few different words you can use. If they are older than you and you are male, you may use 의붓형 (uibutyeong). If they are older than you and you are female, you may use 의붓오빠 (uibudoppa). If they are younger than you, you may use 의붓동생 (uibutdongsaeng), regardless of gender.

Sample sentence:

일 년에 한 번씩 의붓오빠를 방문한다. (il nyeone han beonssik uibut oppareul bangmunhanda.)

I visit my stepbrother once a year.

“Half-brother” in Korean

If they are older than you and you are male, you may use 이복형 (ibokyeong). If they are older than you and you are female, you may use 이복오빠 (ibokoppa). If they are younger than you, you may use 이복동생 (ibokdongsaeng), regardless of gender.

Sample sentence:

이 사람은 제 이복동생이에요 (i sarameun je ibokdongsaengieyo.)

This person is my half-brother.

“Brothers” in Korean

Now, if you want to speak of more than one brother at a time, the word to use is 형제 (hyeongje).

“Brother-in-law” in Korean

Now, here is where it gets a little more complicated. But we will try to make it as simple as possible! In short, there are 11 different words for brother-in-law in Korean, based on age, gender, and even marital status.

Sample sentence:

오늘은 처남과 저녁을 먹어. (oneureun cheonamgwa jeonyeogeul meogeo.)

Today, I have dinner with my brother-in-law.

Wrap Up

And there you go, we have finished learning how to say brother in Korean! Were you surprised to find out there were so many different words to know for it? For more similar content, read our article on 형 (hyeong), 언니 (eonni), 선배 (seonbae) and so on!

And if you’d like to know the terms for other immediate family members, like your older and younger siblings, parents, and grandparents, head on to our article on Korean Family Terms!

The post “Brother” in Korean – Ways to address a male sibling appeared first on 90 Day Korean.

But what do the different Korean speech levels look like? Why and how are they used?

In this article, we will cover that and even more!

What are different Korean Speech Levels?

You may be surprised to learn that the Korean language actually has 7 different speech levels. These levels are called as follows:

1. 하소서체 (hasoseoche)
2. 하십시오체 (hasipsioche)
3. 하오체 (haoche)
4. 하게체 (hageche)
5. 해라체 (haerache)
6. 해요체 (haeyoche)
7. 해체 (haeche)

These speech levels can be further divided into formal and informal categories of speech. Of them, 해요체 (haeyoche) and 해체 (haeche) are informal levels of speech, while all of the other ones land under the umbrella of formal speech level.

How to say “formal speech” in Korean

The word for “formal speech level” is 격식체 (gyeoksikche).

How to say “informal speech” in Korean

On the other hand, the word for “informal speech level” is 비격식체 (bigyeoksikche).

In the sections below, we will cover each speech level in more detail.

The 7 Korean Speech Levels

Here, we will quickly overview the 7 Korean speech levels.

하소서체 (hasoseoche)

This is the most formal Korean speech level. This was commonly used in the past when addressing members of the royal family, the king, and the queen, or other high officials. Today, it mostly only appears in historical dramas and the Bible. The declarative form is stems + –나이다, and the interrogative form is stem + –나이까.

하십시오체 (hasipsioche)

This is an incredibly respectful and polite speech that is still in use today. You may hear it commonly used in broadcasts and public speeches, as well as in the service industry and other business situations. It is also the level of speech used when speaking to elders, those of higher rank, and strangers.

하오체 (haoche)

Also considered the formal level of speech, this is used specifically when addressing those of similar or lower social status. You’ll be more likely to hear it in a historical drama rather than in real life. Its declarative form is stem + –소/-오, and its interrogative form is stem + –오?.

하게체 (hageche)

This formal type of speech is also used with those of similar or lower rank. It is considered somewhat outdated, so typically, you would only see older people using it. Its declarative form is stem + –네, and its interrogative form is stem + –ㄴ/는가?. These structures are still sometimes taught in Korean classes.

해라체 (haerache)

This is considered the plain style or formally impolite. This is common in writings such as newspapers, magazines or grammar books. In spoken Korean, this is used between close friends or family of similar age. It is also commonly used in exclamations.

해요체 (haeyoche)

Although this is an informal level of speech, it is still deemed quite polite. It is the speech style Koreans use in everyday life and situations.

해체 (haeche)

This is a casual form of informal speech. Its use is restricted to siblings, close friends, relatives, and people younger than the speaker.

Commonly-used Korean Speech Levels

As you may have noticed, not all of these speech levels are still in active use, at least not regularly. So, let’s go over in a little more detail the four ones that are, so you can gain a better understanding of them.

Formal Speech Level

하십시오체 (hasipsioche) is the most respectful level of speech still used today. You’ll notice that its structure is really familiar, as it is often the first piece of grammar taught in Korean classes. However, it is only used in public speeches and business conversations, as well as by service industry workers. Its declarative form is stem + –ㅂ니다, and its interrogative form is stem + –ㅂ니까?

For example, it may be used in a sentence such as :

오늘 저희 행사에 와주셔서 감사합니다. 즐거운 시간 되십시오. (oneul jeohi haengsae wajusyeoseo gamsahamnida. jeulgeoun sigan doesipsio.)

Thank you for coming to our event today. Have a great time.

Most Commonly-used Speech Level

해라체 (haerache) is one that you definitely must become familiar with, as it is the most common speech level used. It is the plain form of formal speech used with those who are of the same status or lower rank. It doesn’t include any added respect, so it shouldn’t be used with those who rank above you or are much older than you.

This is the form of speech you will most often see in use in textbooks, newspapers, and even dictionaries, as well as indirect quotations. With this form of speech, you can casually express your present state in spoken language.

The declarative form is stem + ㄴ다/-는다, and the interrogative form is + –냐?

For example, it may be used in the following manner:

형태소는 의미를 가진 언어의 가장 작은 단위이다. (hyeongtaesoneun uimireul gajin eoneoui gajang jageun danwiida.)

Morphem is the smallest unit of language with meaning.

난 도착했다. 너는 어디냐? (nan dochakaetda. neoneun eodinya?)

I’m here. Where are you?

Informal Speech Levels

해요체 (haeyoche): As haeyoche is described as an informal level of speech, you may be surprised to learn this is the structure you are most likely to use while conversing in the Korean language.

It is regarded as quite polite, so it can be used with strangers, colleagues, and even those of higher rank or older age than you. Provided, of course, the situation doesn’t specifically require honorifics to be used. Thus, if you are not entirely sure which level of speech to use, this is the one you should choose.

Both the declarative form and the interrogative form end with stem + –요. Meanwhile, its imperative form ends with stem + –세요.

To refresh your memory, here is an example of a sentence using this speech level:

이 비빔밥은 맛있어요. (i bibimbabeun masisseoyo.)

This bibimbap is delicious.

해체 (haeche): Finally, we have the other casual speech level, haeche. This is a level of speech that can be used between friends as well as with those younger than you. This is also the same type of speech that you may have heard being referred to as 반말 (banmal). If you have studied Korean for some time already, this pattern of speech may already be familiar to you.

Its declarative form is stem + –아/어/지, and its interrogative form is stem + –냐/니?

For example, it can be used in a sentence like this:

나는 지금 책을 읽고 있어. 스티븐 킹의 책을 아니? (naneun jigeum chaegeul ilkko isseo. seutibeun kingui chaegeul ani?)

I’m reading a book now. Do you know Stephen King’s books?

Speech levels vs politeness level

Here is a good point to note that a speech level does not automatically determine the level of politeness of what you are about to say or write. As we have noted above, 하십시오체 (hasipsioche) is highly formal (and polite) to use, but it is not that common for regular spoken communication.

Thus, if you want to make sure you are being polite, use the polite form instead. This can be done by adding the -시 (-si) conjugation to your sentences. Most likely, you have already seen it in use by combining it with the verb 주다 (juda), which on its own means “to give.” In action, it shows the phrase 주세요 (juseyo), which translates as “please give.”

Additionally, there are some Korean verbs and nouns that have another, specifically honorific form for the situations that call for their use. Here is a list of honorifics that you should be aware of.

You can also add the -시 (-si) conjugation to a verb in the middle of a sentence. That is to say, you can use whichever level of speech, as long as you add 시 (si) to specifically show your politeness towards the person in question.

To a foreigner, this Korean system may sound odd at first. In many other languages, there may not be such a distinction between formality and politeness.

So, why is there one in the Korean language, and how will you be able to differentiate between the two? Well, here it is: formal/informal refers to the situation you are in, e.g., you are in a business meeting or enjoying dinner with your best friend. Meanwhile, how polite/impolite you need to be or can be is dependent on the person you are speaking to or about.

Explanation of how a sentence changes depending on the speech level used

One of the most obvious changes that appear depending on the speech level is how the speaker refers to themselves. For more formal situations, “me” is always 저 (jeo). However, if you want to speak casually, you can switch up to the more casual 나 (na).

Another easy example is the way you address others. When you use 하십시오체 (hasipsioche), you will address and refer to others by their title. This is also the level of language that Koreans refer to as 존댓말 (jondaenmal).

해요체 (haeyoche) is the other one that is considered as 존댓말 (jondaenmal), although you can drop most titles at this level. With 해라체 (haerache) and 해체 (haeche), you can get casual enough to use 너 (neo) when talking to someone. However, you will want to keep in mind that 너 (neo) is quite rarely used, as it can easily be deemed as a disrespectful way of addressing someone.

Here are some more concrete examples that illustrate these differences:

• When you meet your friends, you can casually greet them with 안녕 (annyeong). However, when meeting with your teacher, grandparents, boss, or a stranger, you should say 안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo).
• Sometimes, the word used may change entirely depending on the speech level used. For example, with your friend, you can ask 밥 먹었어? (bap meogeosseo?), which means “Did you eat?”. However, with your grandparents or boss, you will use 식사하다 (siksahada) and add -시 when conjugating like this, 식사하셨어요? (siksahasyeosseoyo?). It is the shortened version of 식사하시었어요 (siksahasieosseoyo?).
• Similarly, to a friend, you can simply say “잘 자 (jal ja)” when you want to wish them goodnight. But to your grandparents, you would instead say “안녕히 주무세요! (annyeonghi jumuseyo!)”. Which has its own verb, 주무시다 (jumusida), in use but also requires the greeting 안녕하다 (annyeonghada).

There are also some nouns that change depending on the formality of the situation. Our list of honorifics covers many of those, as well. Formal verbs to use are included in that list, too.

Why learning Korean Speech Levels is important

Shortly put, learning these speech levels is important because they are an important aspect of Korean society and language. Also, you need to know these if you ever plan to converse with a Korean person. You absolutely do not want to offend the person you are speaking to, and thus, you want to be aware of the correct level of formality and politeness.

However, you will also want to be able to get casual with your close friends. Thankfully, in this guide, you’ve learned a lot about which speech level to use in different scenarios.

Sample words and sentences that use each speech level

Finally, let’s go over some examples with each speech level to make it easier to understand and notice the differences.

1. “Have a meal.”

하십시오체 (hasipsioche): 식사하십시오 (siksahasipsio)

해라체 (haerache): 밥 먹어라 (bap meogeora)

해요체 (haeyoche): 식사해요 (siksahaeyo)

해체 (haeche): 밥 먹어 (bap meogeo)

2. “Glad to meet you.”

하십시오체 (hasipsioche): 만나서 반갑습니다 (mannaseo bangapseumnida)

해라체 (haerache): 만나서 반갑다 (mannaseo bangapda)

해요체 (haeyoche): 만나서 반가워요 (mannaseo bangawoyo)

해체 (haeche): 만나서 반가워 (mannaseo bangawo)

3. “How are you?”

하십시오체 (hasipsioche): 어떻게 지내십니까? (eotteoke jinaesimnikka?)

해라체 (haerache): 어떻게 지내냐? (eotteoke jinaenya?)

해요체 (haeyoche): 어떻게 지내요? (eotteoke jinaeyo?)

해체 (haeche): 어떻게 지내? (eotteoke jinae?)

4. “Thank you.”

하십시오체 (hasipsioche): 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida)

해라체 (haerache): 고맙다 (gomapda)

해요체 (haeyoche): 감사해요 (gamsahaeyo)

해체 (haeche): 고마워 (gomawo)

5. “Sorry.”

하십시오체 (hasipsioche): 죄송합니다 (joesonghamnida)

해라체 (haerache): 미안하다 (miannhnda)

해요체 (haeyoche): 죄송해요 (joesonghaeyo)

해체 (haeche): 미안해 (mianhae)

6. “I’ll call you.”

하십시오체 (hasipsioche): 제가 전화드리겠습니다 (jega jeonhwa deurigetseumnida)

해라체 (haerache): 내가 전화할 거다 (naega jeonhwahal geoda)

해요체 (haeyoche): 내가 전화할게요 (naega jeonhwahalgeyo)

해체 (haeche): 내가 전화할게 (naega jeonhwahalge)

Wrap Up

Wow, we learned so much about Korean speech levels today! Was this already a familiar topic to you or something entirely new? Do you think it will be easy to start using these different speech levels in your communication from now on? Let us know below in the comments! Now, how about Korean etiquette as your next lesson?

The post Korean Speech Levels – Be polite without sounding outdated appeared first on 90 Day Korean.

Here is how Koreans count from 1 to 20 in general. Note that in Korean, there are two different number systems. The Sino-Korean number system and the Native Korean number system.

To start, here are the numbers for the Sino-Korean number system:

1. 일 (il) – One
2. 이 (i) – Two
3. 삼 (sam) – Three
4. 사 (sa) – Four
5. 오 (o) – Five
6. 육 (yuk) – Six
7. 칠 (chil) – Seven
8. 팔 (pal) – Eight
9. 구 (gu) – Nine
10. 십 (sip) – Ten
11. 십일 (sibil) – Eleven
12. 십이 (sibi) – Twelve
13. 십삼 (sipsam) – Thirteen
14. 십사 (sipsa) – Fourteen
15. 십오 (sibo) – Fifteen
16. 십육 (sibyuk) – Sixteen
17. 십칠 (sipchil) – Seventeen
18. 십팔 (sippal) – Eighteen
19. 십구 (sipgu) – Nineteen
20. 이십 (isip) – Twenty

Now that you know these numbers, we’ll help you learn everything else you need to know about Korean numbers 1 through 20. Let’s get to it!

What are Sino-Korean numbers?

Sino-Korean numbers are based on characters in the Chinese language and are used to indicate dates, phone numbers, and addresses. It is also used when counting money. If you’d like to know more about Chinese characters in the Korean language, we have a separate article about Hanja.

Sino-Korean Numbers 1-20

Below is the list of Korean numbers from 1-20 using the first Korean counting system, Sino-Korean number system.

1. 일 (il) – One
2. 이 (i) – Two
3. 삼 (sam) – Three
4. 사 (sa) – Four
5. 오 (o) – Five
6. 육 (yuk) – Six
7. 칠 (chil) – Seven
8. 팔 (pal) – Eight
9. 구 (gu) – Nine
10. 십 (sip) – Ten
11. 십일 (sibil) – Eleven
12. 십이 (sibi) – Twelve
13. 십삼 (sipsam) – Thirteen
14. 십사 (sipsa) – Fourteen
15. 십오 (sibo) – Fifteen
16. 십육 (sibyuk) – Sixteen
17. 십칠 (sipchil) – Seventeen
18. 십팔 (sippal) – Eighteen
19. 십구 (sipgu) – Nineteen
20. 이십 (isip) – Twenty

What are Native Korean numbers?

Native Korean numbers are what Koreans generally use for counting in everyday life, such as time, age, number of items, or people. These can also be used with Korean counter words, such as 개 (gae), 명(myeong), or 벌 (beol).

Native Korean Numbers 1-20

Here are the Korean numbers from 1-20 using the Native Korean number system.

1. 하나 (hana) – One
2. 둘 (dul) – Two
3. 셋 (set) – Three
4. 넷 (net) – Four
5. 다섯 (daseot) – Five
6. 여섯 (yeoseot) – Six
7. 일곱 (ilgop) – Seven
8. 여덟 (yeodeol) – Eight
9. 아홉 (ahop) – Nine
10. 열 (yeol) – Ten
11. 열하나 (yeolhana) – Eleven
12. 열둘 (yeoldul) – Twelve
13. 열셋 (yeolset) – Thirteen
14. 열넷 (yeollet) – Fourteen
15. 열다섯 (yeoldaseot) – Fifteen
16. 열여섯 (yeoryeoseot) – Sixteen
17. 열일곱 (yeorilgop) – Seventeen
18. 열여덟 (yeoryeodeol) – Eighteen
19. 열아홉 (yeorahop) – Nineteen
20. 스물 (seumul) – Twenty

Which Korean numbers should I learn first?

We recommend learning Sino-Korean numbers first for two reasons. First, it is easier to learn. Sino-Korean number words are usually shorter than the Korean words for Native Korean numbers, so they’re easier to memorize.

Secondly, it is more practical. The Sino-Korean number system is used to tell dates, phone numbers, and addresses. It is also used for larger numbers, such as hundreds or thousands, which are essential words in Korean currency.

How to say the Korean numbers 1-20

Let’s learn how to say each number further with the help of the sample sentences below.

1 in Korean

하나 (hana) / 일 (il)

Native: 그녀는 사과 하나를 가지고 있어요. (Geunyeoneun sagwa hanareul gajigo isseoyo.)

She has one apple.

Sino: 일 층에 가주세요. (Il chunge gajuseyo.)

Please go to the first floor.

2 in Korean

둘 (dul) / 이 (i)

Native: 둘만 남았어요. (Dulman namasseoyo.)

Only two are left.

Sino: 이 달러예요. (I dalleoyeyo.)

It’s two dollars.

3 in Korean

셋 (set) / 삼 (sam)

Native: 셋이서 함께 갈까요? (Sesiseo hamkke galkkayo?)

Shall the three of us go together?

Sino: 삼 일 후에 봐요. (Sam il hue bwayo.)

See you in three days.

4 in Korean

넷 (net) / 사 (sa)

Native: 넷이서 게임을 했어요. (Nesisseo geimeul haesseoyo.)

Four of us played a game.

Sino: 사 층으로 가세요. (Sa cheungeuro gaseyo.)

Go to the fourth floor.

5 in Korean

다섯 (daseot) / 오 (o)

Native: 다섯 명이 왔어요. (Daseot myeongi wasseoyo.)

Five people came.

Sino: 오 분만 기다려 주세요. (O bunman gidaryeo juseyo.)

Please wait for five minutes.

6 in Korean

여섯 (yeoseot) / 육 (yuk)

Native: 여섯 시에 만나요. (Yeoseot sie mannayo.)

Let’s meet at six o’clock.

Sino: 육 번을 눌러주세요. (Yuk beoneul nulleojuseyo.)

Please press number six.

7 in Korean

일곱 (ilgop) / 칠 (chil)

Native: 일곱 개의 색이 있어요. (Ilgop gae-ui saek-i isseoyo.)

There are seven colors.

Sino: 칠은 행운의 번호예요. (Chireun haengunui beonhoyeyo.)

Seven is a lucky number.

8 in Korean

여덟 (yeodeol) / 팔 (pal)

Native: 여덟 살 때 학교에 갔어요. (Yeodeol sal ttae hakgyoe gasseoyo.)

I went to school when I was eight.

Sino: 팔 번 버스를 타세요. (Pal beon beoseureul taseyo.)

Please take the bus number 8.

9 in Korean

아홉 (ahop) / 구 (gu)

Native: 아홉 개를 샀어요. (Ahop gae-reul sasseoyo.)

I bought nine of them.

Sino: 구 층에 있어요. (Gu chunge isseoyo.) –

It’s on the ninth floor.

10 in Korean

열 (yeol) / 십 (ship)

Native: 열 사람이 왔어요. (Yeol sarami wasseoyo.) –

Ten people came.

Sino: 십 분만 더 기다려주세요. (Ship bunman deo gidaryeo juseyo.)

Please wait ten more minutes.

11 in Korean

열하나 (yeolhana) / 십일 (ship-il)

Native: 열하나의 별이 빛나고 있어요. (Yeolhanaui byeori bitnago isseoyo.) –

Eleven stars are shining.

Sino: 십일 월에 만나요. (Sibil wole mannayo.)

Let’s meet in November.

12 in Korean

열둘 (yeoldul) / 십이 (sip-i)

Native: 모두 합해서 열둘이요. (modu hapaeseo yeolduriyo.) –

It’s twelve in total.

Sino: 십이 월은 겨울이에요. (Sibi woleun gyeourieyo.)

December is winter.

13 in Korean

열셋 (yeolset) / 십삼 (sip-sam)

Native: 열셋까지 셀 수 있어요? (yeolsetkkaji sel su isseoyo?) –

Can you count to 13?

Sino: 십삼 일은 금요일이에요. (Sipsam ireun geumyoirieyo.)

The thirteenth is a Friday.

14 in Korean

열넷 (yeollet) / 십사 (sip-sa)

Native: 열넷은 너무 많아요. (yeolleseun neomu manayo)

Fourteen is too much.

Sino: 십사 호선을 타세요. (Sipsa hoseoneul taseyo.)

Take line fourteen.

15 in Korean

열다섯 (yeoldaseot) / 십오 (sip-o)

Native: 열다섯 권의 책을 읽었어요. (Yeoldaseot gwon-ui chaeg-eul ilgeosseoyo.) –

I read fifteen books.

Sino: 십오 분만 기다려 주세요. (Siboo bunman gidaryeo juseyo.)

Please wait for fifteen minutes.

16 in Korean

열여섯 (yeolyeoseot) / 십육 (sip-yuk)

Native: 열여섯 살 때 콘서트에 갔어요. (Yeolyeoseot sal ttae konseoteue gasseoyo.) –

I went to a concert at sixteen.

Sino: 십육 일에 시험이 있어요. (Sipyuk ire siheomi isseoyo.)

There’s an exam on the sixteenth.

17 in Korean

열일곱 (yeorilgop) / 십칠 (sip-chil)

Native: 열일곱 개의 선물을 받았어요. (Yeolilgop gae-ui seonmureul badassseoyo.) –

I received seventeen gifts.

Sino: 내가 묵을 방은 십칠 호예요. (naega mugeul bangeun sipchil hoyeyo.) –

The room I’ll be staying in is room 17.

18 in Korean

열여덟 (yeoryeodeol) / 십팔 (sip-pal)

Native: 열여덟 살 때 대학에 갔어요. (Yeolyeodeol sal ttae daehake gasseoyo.)

I went to college at eighteen.

Sino: 십팔 번 버스를 타세요. (Sippal beon beoseureul taseyo.)

Take bus number eighteen.

19 in Korean

열아홉 (yeorahop) / 십구 (sip-gu)

Native: 열아홉 살 때 해외여행을 갔어요. (Yeolahop sal ttae haewaeyeohaenge gasseoyo.)

I went on an overseas trip at nineteen.

Sino: 십구 일은 목요일이에요. (Sipgu ireun mogyoirieyo.)

The nineteenth is a Thursday.

20 in Korean

스물 (seumul) / 이십 (i-sip)

Native: 스물 다음은 스물 하나예요. (Seumul daeumeun seumul hanayeyo.)

After twenty, it’s twenty-one.

Sino: 이십 분 후에 만나요. (Isip bun hue mannayo.)

Let’s meet in twenty minutes.

Wrap Up

Counting in Korean isn’t as hard as it seems, right? Now, you know how to count up to 20 in the Korean language using the two Korean number systems. 잘했어요 (good job)!

If you want to start learning Korean numbers beyond 20, we will teach you all about it in this article.

The post Korean Numbers 1-20 – How to count up to twenty appeared first on 90 Day Korean.

Below, we’ll cover the top 23 online language programs for learning Korean.

These are the top courses we recommend for learning Korean online.

1. 90 Day Korean
2. Udemy
3. Mango Languages
4. Loecsen
5. Rocket Korean
6. Pimsleur Korean
7. Verbling
8. Coursera: First Step Korean
9. iTalki
10. Hills Learning
11. Glossika
12. Lingodeer
13. Learn Langs
14. My Language Connect
15. King Sejong Institute
16. Cyber University of Korea
17. KoreanClass101
18. Hanyang University’s Online Korean Course
19. FluentU
20. StoryLearning: Korean Uncovered
21. Quick Korean
22. How to Study Korean
23. Talk to Me in Korean

In this article, we will go over these courses in detail. Whether you are completely new to the Korean language, have already studied it before, or have self-studied by consuming Korean language media, you are likely to learn just the right course for you.

Let’s see, which one will you pick?

Online Korean Courses

Thanks to today’s digitalization era, learning new things has become more convenient. Learning the Korean language is no different! Ideally, we might all want to travel to the country where the language is spoken and attend Korean language classes there, but that is impossible for everyone.

That’s where learning a language online comes in. Using online resources for language learning is simply so convenient and versatile. You can easily listen to music, watch dramas or movies, read news clips, challenge yourself with digitalized flashcards, and, of course, choose from many online Korean courses to attend one or more.

And the absolute best part? It can all be done whenever is most convenient for you! Below, we have listed 23 stunning courses worth looking at right now to help you find your pick.

Top Online Korean Language Courses in 2023

In this section, we believe you will find the right Korean course – one or more! – to start or continue studying the language with.

1. 90 Day Korean

First of all, have you already checked out all of the resources our own site has to offer? Many start to learn Korean by going through Korean textbooks for learning. Thus, we have also answered that need by releasing our own Korean book, Learn to Read Korean in 60 Minutes, which can easily be added onto your Kindle and be taken with you anywhere you go. And the best part is that it’s completely free!

And what if you loved the content provided in our Korean book? Well, we’ve got far more than that to offer you! First of all, our blog is full of great material to use to support your studies.

Inner Circle Course

Once you’ve scoured through our free resources and would like to commit to more, we offer our own Korean online course as well! Our Inner Circle offers you the same content that you would be able to learn through Korean textbooks. However, the execution is rather different. Our class has a very similar vibe to a traditional classroom environment. You will also be able to receive personal coaching.

The classes and lessons focus on the essentials of your language learning journey, skipping over fillers. We’re also utilizing psychology and stories that make the lessons unforgettable – quite literally!

By signing up for our VIP program, in addition to the personal coaching, we will also offer you homework grading. Having to do homework for an online class may sound like a drag, but we believe it is a great way to learn immediately in practice what you’ve just been taught in class.

Overall, we have four modules available, each of them lasting 90 days. That’s a whole year’s worth of lessons! By the end of it all, you’ll know far more than just the basics of the language. In Module 3, we dive into things like Korean slang, and in Module 4, we focus on spoken communication.

2. Udemy

Udemy is an online academy of sorts that offers courses in many different areas of life, the Korean language being one among them. There are several different courses offered for Korean, some of which are more popular than others.

Many of these classes focus on learning spoken Korean, so while you’ll still learn the Korean alphabet, much of the vocabulary and grammar is taught through speaking communication concepts. Classes are available for both complete beginners and those with prior knowledge.

3. Mango Languages

Mango Languages is an app that offers language learning in more than 70 languages, including Korean. It will teach you full sentences to work with, and it will be great to practice your pronunciation with, for example. If you love to learn through repetition, it is an excellent resource.

However, there is not much available past the intermediate level, and there is no deep dive taken to understanding Korean grammar.

4. Loecsen

With Loecsen, you can get a quick run into the Korean language, and especially its essentials. There are 17 lessons overall that utilize word association to help you remember. There are even quizzes available so you can keep track of your learning.

This site is perfect for those who want to learn how to survive some everyday situations in Korea, such as placing a restaurant order. However, you’ll have to look elsewhere for more intense Korean classes.

5. Rocket Korean

Rocket Languages is a website that also offers lessons in multiple different languages, including Korean classes.

Their program is well-structured and will offer a clear path for progression. It also allows for skipping lessons if you are feeling like it. However, it is likely not recommended if you want to get a full foundation of the language.

Their instructional dialogues only cover the essentials, so very little time is spent on anything a student may consider filler. It covers listening, writing, reading, and speaking Korean starting from the very beginning of learning the language. However, unfortunately, the course may not yet offer classes reaching all the way to the more advanced levels of Korean.

6. Pimsleur Korean

Yet another site offering lessons in multiple different languages, including a Korean online course, is Pimsleur.

The classes at Pimsleur also emphasize lessons on spoken communication, and thus, the focus is on improving your speaking skills. The lessons are structured in detail, and the length is just long enough to offer you a proper lesson but not so long that you would lose focus.

However, unlike some other courses, you cannot customize the speed with which the lesson moves. And, while the classes all complement one another, they are largely audio-based. Thus, this might be a difficult class for a visual learner.

7. Verbling

With Verbling, you will sign up for a Korean online course with a personal teacher of your choice. You will work from a type of online classroom and have tools like flashcards, a calendar for your homework, and a system with which you can file all the lesson materials as you get them.

The lessons are well-structured, and finding a high-quality teacher shouldn’t be difficult. The focus is also more on long-term progression, so it is for someone who likes to commit to their studies. Also note that, unfortunately, not all of the teachers stick to the flashcards and materials provided by the site.

8. Coursera: First Step Korean

Unlike most other courses on this list, Coursera’s First Step Korean isn’t a full-stretch Korean online class. Instead, it is mostly an introduction to the language, comprising five lessons, each of which includes four units.

You will learn the basics of the language, and improve your Korean language skills such as reading, speaking, listening, and writing skills. It is offered through Yonsei University, a prestigious university in Seoul. In addition to English, it is available in seven other languages. Thus, it can offer a good foundation for many to continue their studies.

9. iTalki

Yet another site that offers language classes in numerous different languages is iTalki, with more than 300 teachers signed up to teach Korean. With these tutors, you can get private and personalized online lessons.

Before committing to any teacher, you may also try out multiple different ones by booking trial lessons with them. However, you will want to take note that these trial lessons are not free. Also, the content of the classes, as well as the price, depends entirely on the teacher.

But, on the good side, you can search for teachers based on what type of Korean they teach, for example, conversation practice, business Korean, test preparation, or Korean for kids.

10. Hills Learning

Based in New York, Hills Learning focuses on offering classes in various Asian languages, including Korean. They offer physical classes in their academy, but some can be taken online.

They offer several different classes from beginner to pre-intermediate level. Each course lasts for 8 weeks, with 1.5 hours worth of classes taught each week. Note that these classes are quite pricey, but their live classes are of top quality. It’s possible to take private classes, but they are also offered in small group settings.

11. Glossika

Glossika’s curriculum for Korean classes vastly differs from most others on this list. There are no textbooks in use, and grammar does not play a big part.

Instead, Glossika uses a rather unique method of teaching the Korean language one sentence at a time. And it does it so that you will repeat each sentence numerous times until it has been stuck in your head.

There are thousands of sentences available, with audio provided by native speakers. It promises teaching Korean language that gets you to speak Korean in a natural way.

12. Lingodeer

Lingodeer is a language app that offers lessons in Korean as well. Although it adds gamification to its lessons, it follows a well-structured path to learning.

In comparison to many other language apps, Lingodeer shines in a positive light, at least when it comes to lessons offered in Korean and other Asian languages. It will give you a solid foundation to start building your Korean language journey, with each lesson complementing the one before.

However, at least right now, it only offers lessons for beginners and perhaps intermediate-level learners.

13. Learn Langs

Learn Langs is a great course for those hoping to take a deep dive into the Korean alphabet specifically. It actually does not cover anything else besides the Hangul.

However, it offers six lesson units, each of which covers a different aspect of the alphabet. Taking this class will give you a strong understanding of Hangul, after which you can take other classes on this list to learn everything else about Korean.

14. My Language Connect

My Language Connect is another site offering private lessons in numerous languages, including Korean. On it, you will get assigned a private tutor with whom you will take classes via Zoom.

This Korean online course can be especially efficient if you are preparing to take TOPIK. However, you will need to commit and pay for at least 10 classes on this site.

15. King Sejong Institute

King Sejong Institute is especially renowned for its live classes. However, in the past couple of years, they’ve also begun adding more Korean online courses into their repertoire. There are also online resources you can use without officially signing up for a class.

Meanwhile, their classes typically last for at least a few weeks. The majority of the lesson content is created using the institute’s own textbooks. They also offer culture courses for those interested in learning more than just the language. However, while there is a lot of variety in course offerings, they may not always be available to sign up for.

16. Cyber University of Korea

Affiliated with the prestigious Korea University, Cyber University of Korea is a free resource for Korean classes. Their amount of content is rather comprehensive, and their YouTube channel, especially, is easy to navigate. However, it may prove to be difficult to navigate the website itself to find the lesson material.

17. KoreanClass101

With KoreanClass101, you will especially get trained on your listening comprehension. The audio-heavy lessons follow a style that is similar to a podcast. Lessons are offered to any level, from beginner to advanced, covering essential vocabulary and grammar.

At this time, it seems the majority of their content targets beginner-level learners. However, they are continuing to work on more lessons for higher-level learners. The lessons are also kept short and sweet, so you can include your Korean classes even on a busier day. The site also utilizes tools like flashcards to enhance your learning.

18. Hanyang University’s Online Korean Course

Over the course of 10 weeks, this Korean online course provided by Hanyang University promises to be an intensive journey into beginner-level Korean. It does, however, assume that you already know the Korean alphabet, so it won’t be appropriate for someone with zero knowledge of the language.

The lessons are taught in video format, using Hanyang University’s own Korean textbooks. Their on-site language program is considered among the best in Korea, so at least some of that should transfer onto their video lessons as well. The course focuses mainly on grammar, vocabulary, and expressions.

19. FluentU

FluentU offers classes in several languages but is perhaps most famous for its Korean online course. It creates language lessons through movie trailers, music videos, news, inspiring talks, and other unique content.

Basically, the vocabulary and grammar structures chosen for each class come from the video material picked. However, it aims to keep everything you learn in relation to everyday life.

In addition, FluentU also utilizes a lot of quizzes that will help you in memorizing what you’ve learned thus far. It can also be downloaded as an app if you prefer that over a website.

20. StoryLearning: Korean Uncovered

Coupled with a unique, creative name, Korean Uncovered by StoryLearning promises its students a comprehensive lesson guide to the Korean language.

Currently, it offers a course for beginners and another one for pre-intermediate level. The 20 modules in the beginner course have you following a story from start to finish. Each lesson will cover a part of that story, with a teacher breaking down the grammar introduced to you in it. The vocabulary in each part of the story will, of course, be taught to you as well.

You’ll also learn how to read and write Korean. You’ll be taught pronunciation as well, but this program is less focused on verbal communication.

21. Quick Korean

Quick Korean is offering Korean classes for free in a setting that reminds you of a traditional classroom, only online. There are four levels of classes offered, with the difficulty of them increasing with each level. There are also some additional Korean lectures, each lasting around three minutes, that serve to support your learning.

Unfortunately, there is no additional tutoring available. However, the program does promise you that once you have completed it, you should be ready to take on TOPIK.

22. How to Study Korean

How to Study Korean is a free resource that operates similarly to a Korean online course. Its lessons are divided into seven units, each of which contains 25 lessons in total.

There are also some quizzes and unit tests along the way, testing how much of their content you have retained. Each lesson teaches you grammar, as well as new vocabulary. Unfortunately, there is a little visual aspect to their lessons, but each new piece of vocabulary comes with an audio.

And, as long as you like to read, the grammar lessons are always written in detail. Additionally, it appears that the site admins are still working tirelessly to add more lessons to the site.

23. Talk to Me in Korean

Talk to Me in Korean is a resource offering lessons and courses that you can move through at your own pace. They cover beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels, and you can even take a language-level test to figure out where you should start.

The lesson forms are mostly video and audio, though they also sell their own textbooks. Besides a structured curriculum, they offer you the option to choose singular video lessons depending on what you wish to learn at that moment.

Wrap Up

Hopefully, among these Korean courses, you can find one or more that you’ll take up studying with! Each of them is perfect for some kind of student. And, with a few put together, you can create your own customized and perfect learning journey into the Korean language!

The post Korean Courses – The Top 23 Online Language Programs appeared first on 90 Day Korean.

Did you know that there are two number systems in Korean? Here are the ones you should start with:

1. 일 (il) – One
2. 이 (i) – Two
3. 삼 (sam) – Three
4. 사 (sa) – Four
5. 오 (o) – Five
6. 육 (yuk) – Six
7. 칠 (chil) – Seven
8. 팔 (pal) – Eight
9. 구 (gu) – Nine
10. 십 (ship) – Ten

Once you learn the first system, you can learn the second, as well as when to use each one.

In this article, we’ll teach you how to count from 1-10 using the two systems used in Korea. Let’s get to it!

What are Sino-Korean numbers?

Sino-Korean numbers are a set of numbers derived from Chinese characters.

You can use Sino-Korean system primarily for dates, money, addresses, phone numbers, and minutes and seconds.

This system is also often used in formal or technical contexts, like banking and mathematics.

Sino-Korean Numbers 1-10

The system goes from one to ten and then builds on those basics. Here are the numbers one to ten in Sino-Korean:

1. 일 (il) – One
2. 이 (i) – Two
3. 삼 (sam) – Three
4. 사 (sa) – Four
5. 오 (o) – Five
6. 육 (yuk) – Six
7. 칠 (chil) – Seven
8. 팔 (pal) – Eight
9. 구 (gu) – Nine
10. 십 (ship) – Ten

What are Native Korean numbers?

Native Korean numbers are the original numerical system used in the Korean language. They are commonly used for everyday counting, such as counting people and objects.

Native Korean Numbers 1-10

Here’s how you can count from 1-1o with the Native Korean number system.

1. 하나 (hana) – One
2. 둘 (dul) – Two
3. 셋 (set) – Three
4. 넷 (net) – Four
5. 다섯 (daseot) – Five
6. 여섯 (yeoseot) – Six
7. 일곱 (ilgop) – Seven
8. 여덟 (yeodeol) – Eight
9. 아홉 (ahop) – Nine
10. 열 (yeol) – Ten

Which Korean numbers should I learn first?

We recommend learning the numbers in the Sino-Korean system first. They are easier to learn, and they are used more often in Korean.

Once you know them well, then you can focus on the Native Korean numbers.

Picking the right strategy will make learning Korean easier. This is one of the principles we use inside of our structured Inner circle courses.

How to say the Korean numbers 1-10

Below, we’ll show you two ways to say each number from 1-10 in Korean. We’ve also included sample sentences so you can pick up some new Korean words as you learn the numbers.

1 in Korean

하나 (hana) / 일 (il)

Native: 그녀는 사과 하나를 먹었다. (geunyeoneun sagwa hanareul meogeotda.)

She ate one apple.

Sino: 일 분만 기다려주세요. (il bunman gidaryeojuseyo.)

Please wait for 1 minute.

2 in Korean

둘 (dul) / 이 (i)

Native: 그들은 둘 다 좋은 친구입니다. (geudeureun dul da joeun chinguideyo.)

They are both good friends.

Sino: 이 번 출구로 나가세요. (i beon chulguro nagaseyo.)

Go out to exit number two.

3 in Korean

셋 (set) / 삼 (sam)

Native: 우리는 셋이서 영화를 봤어요. (urineun sesiseo yeonghwaleul bwasseoyo.)

We three watched a movie.

Sino: 그는 삼 년 동안 해외에 살았습니다. (geuneun sam nyeon dongan haewae salassseubnida.)

He lived abroad for three years.

4 in Korean

넷 (net) / 사 (sa)

Native: 넷이서 게임을 했습니다. (nesiseo geimeul haetseumnida.)

Four of us played a game.

Sino: 사무실은 사 층에 있어요. (samusireun sa cheunge issoyo)

The office is on the fourth floor.

5 in Korean

다섯 (daseot) / 오 (o)

Native: 그녀에게 다섯 마리의 강아지가 있습니다. (geunyeoege daseot mariui gangajiga issseubnida.)

She has five puppies.

Sino: 오 분 후에 만나요. (o bun hue mannayo)

Let’s meet in five minutes.

6 in Korean

여섯 (yeoseot) / 육 (yuk)

Native: 여섯 살 때 처음 학교에 갔어요. (yeoseot sal ttae cheoeum hakgyoe gasseoyo)

I went to school for the first time when I was six.

Sino: 그들은 육 개월 동안 여행했습니다. (geudeureun yuk gaewol dongan yeohaenghaetseumnida.)

They traveled for six months.

7 in Korean

일곱 (ilgop) / 칠 (chil)

Native: 일곱 개의 무지개 색깔이 있어요. (ilgop gae ui mujigae saekkkari isseoyo.)

There are seven colors in a rainbow.

Sino: 이사 온 지 칠 개월이 되었어요. (isa on ji chil gaewori dweossoyo.)

It’s been seven months since I moved in.

8 in Korean

여덟 (yeodeol) / 팔 (pal)

Native: 여덟 명이 파티에 초대되었습니다. (yeodeol myeong i patie chodaedoe eossseubnida.)

Eight people were invited to the party.

Sino: 그는 팔 개국어를 할 줄 압니다. (Geuneun pal gaegugeoreul hal jul amnida.)

He can speak eight languages.

9 in Korean

아홉 (ahop) / 구 (gu)

Native: 아홉 개의 행성이 태양계에 있습니다. (ahop gaeui haengseongi taeyanggyee itseumnida.)

There are nine planets in the solar system.

Sino: 구 월에 가을이 시작됩니다. (gu wole gaeuri sijakdoebnida.)

Autumn starts in September.

10 in Korean

열 (yeol) / 십 (ship)

Native: 열 명의 학생들이 수업에 참석했습니다. (yeol myeongui haksaengdeuri sueobe chamseokaetseumnida.)

Ten students attended the class.

Sino: 십 년 전에 이 일이 일어났습니다. (ship nyeon jeon e i iri ireonassseubnida.)

This happened ten years ago.

123 in Korean

The Native Korean number system is used when counting in Korean. If you count 1,2,3, you can say it like this:

하나 (hana), 둘 (dul), 셋 (set)

This is also something you say before taking a picture.

Wrap Up

That’s it for the Korean numbers 1-10! Taking it step-by-step makes learning numbers a lot easier, right?

If you’re now ready to proceed to a more extensive lesson on numbers in Korean, you can go to this article.

The post Korean Numbers 1-10 – Easy Ways to Start Counting appeared first on 90 Day Korean.

The post Korean Poems – Learning the language through literature appeared first on 90 Day Korean.

As you progress in your Korean learning journey, you might come across this word, too.

All Korean vocabulary you’ll learn below will be in Hangeul (Korean Alphabet) with Romanized Korean next to it. We recommend learning the Korean alphabet so you can learn these terms faster and have accurate pronunciation.

Knowing how to read the Korean alphabet will help you retain the core Korean words you should learn first. It will also improve your overall Korean language learning plan.

“Fluent” in Korean

With the goal of being fluent in Korean in mind, why don’t we also learn the word for “fluent” in Korean?

“Fluent” in Korean – Adjective

You can say “fluent” in Korean as 유창한 (yuchanghan), which is used as an adjective.

For example:

유창한 영어 (yuchanghan yeongeo)

fluent English

그는 유창한 영어를 구사합니다 (geuneun yuchanghan yeongeoreul gusahamnida)

He speaks fluent English.

“Fluent” in Korean – Verb

The original form 유창하다 (yuchanghada) is a verb that means “to be fluent.”

This is used in sentences as ~가 유창하다 (~ga yuchanghada) or ~을/를 유창하게 하다 (~eul/reul yuchanghage hada).

For example:

중국어가 유창하시네요! (junggugeoga yuchanghasineyo!)

You’re fluent in Chinese!

나는 한국어를 유창하게 하고 싶어요. (naneun hangugeoreul yuchanghage hago sipeoyo.)

I want to be fluent in Korean.

이 아이는 벌써 영어를 유창하게 해요. (i aineun beolsseo yeongeoreul yuchanghage haeyo.)

This child is already fluent in English.

The Korean term 능통하다 (neungtonghada) can also be used to say “fluent” in Korean. Here are some examples:

당신은 많은 언어에 능통합니까? (dangsineun maneun eoneoe neungtonghamnikka?)

Are you fluent in many languages?

그는 일본어와 러시아어에 능통해요. (geuneun ilboneowa reosiaeoe neungtonghaeyo.)

He is fluent in Japanese and Russian.

“Fluency” in Korean

The word for “fluency” in Korean is 유창함 (yuchangham). You can also use the word 능숙함 (neungsukam) which also translates to “proficiency.”

How to become fluent in Korean

Fluency doesn’t happen overnight. But if you want to start your journey towards becoming fluent in Korean, then the best way to do it is to learn a bit each day.

Here are some resources that’ll give you step-by-step instructions and some tips to help you in your Korean language journey.

• Learn Korean
• How long does it take to learn Korean?
• Is Korean Hard to Learn? 

Wrap Up

And that’s it for this lesson! We hope you achieve the Korean fluency that you’re aiming for.

To further help you in your Korean language journey, you can also read through our blog for useful Korean learning resources.

화이팅! ^^

The post “Fluent” in Korean – How to express your proficiency appeared first on 90 Day Korean.

You might be curious about what Korean uniforms are called and what they usually look like. Or perhaps you have seen one in Korean dramas and wonder where you could possibly rent one. In this article, we will cover all of that!

Uniforms in Korea

You may have noticed that Koreans have a bit of a thing for uniforms. Of course, they’re not the only country in the world where school uniforms are a norm. And, of course, it’s typical for certain jobs, as well as the military, anywhere you are, to use a uniform of some kind to express their occupation.

But in South Korea, they sometimes also seem to take the idea of a Korean uniform a little further than this! By that, we mean that it is considered fun and popular to wear uniforms even outside of the school and work setting!

For example, some rent a school uniform from a rental shop and wear it to an amusement park like Lotte World. It’s also popular to rent a vintage school uniform and walk around Ihwa Mural Village, taking many gorgeous photos to keep as a memory or to share on Instagram. This activity is not yet as common and popular as renting a hanbok, but it does seem to be an emerging trend.

What are Korean uniforms called?

The Korean word for “uniform” is 제복 (jebok).

Sample sentence

유니폼을 입은 선수들이 입장하고 있어요. (yunipomeul ibeun seonsudeuri ipjanghago isseoyo)

Players in uniforms are entering.

Each different uniform has its own name. Thus, we have included a short list below from where you can find the name of the clothing you’re looking for.

Vocabulary for the different types of uniforms in Korean

All of the vocabulary below will be in Hangeul (Korean Alphabet) with romanized Korean next to it. We recommend learning the Korean alphabet so you can learn these terms faster and have accurate pronunciation.

Being able to read the Korean alphabet will help you retain the core Korean words you should learn first. It will also improve your overall Korean language learning plan.

But if you’re already well-equipped in Korean, let’s head on to the vocabulary!

These words are specifically about uniforms, but if you’d like to learn more about what clothes are called in Korean, you can find out more about it in this article: Clothes in Korean

What does a typical Korean uniform look like?

Now, what can you expect the typical Korean school uniform to look like? Let’s go through each of the categories below.

Korean school uniforms based on the seasons

Firstly, there are two types of uniforms worn in Korean schools— summer and winter uniforms. There is one uniform worn during the warmer seasons and then a winter uniform for winter and other colder seasons. It is usually announced ahead of time which uniform should be worn and when.

Summer uniforms

The summer uniforms are, of course, lighter and made of thin fabric. A summer uniform is only worn during the summer period, which is thought to take place between May and September. The shirts are short-sleeved, and the skirts are made of thinner fabric.

Winter uniforms

Meanwhile, the winter uniforms feature long-sleeved shirts, while the skirts and pants are made of thick fabric. Winter is considered to take place between November and March. There is also a jacket and a vest included in the uniform. However, jackets aren’t worn during fall or spring.

To learn more about the different seasons in Korea, you can read our separate article: Seasons in Korean.

Korean school uniforms based on gender

Korean school uniforms worn by boys and girls have different designs.

Typically, female students will wear skirts, but they do have the option of wearing pants, as well.

Male students wear pants, and their school uniforms look quite similar to how an office worker may dress for a day of work. A tie is also a common uniform attire.

Korean school uniforms based on the school

Each school has its own color scheme and unique style in their uniforms. The school’s region, level, and status are also an important part of shaping the way the uniform looks. This means, in many cases, you will be able to determine the high schools students attend based on the uniform they wear.

School uniforms are typically worn from middle school to high school. There are some exceptions where elementary school students will also wear a uniform. For example, it is expected in some private institutions.

What is the history of a Korean school uniform like?

It comes as no surprise that the earliest versions of Korean school uniforms were shaped after hanboks. However, already in the first half of the 1900s, the uniforms became more Westernized and, ultimately, what we’re accustomed to seeing now.

Where can you buy/rent a Korean uniform?

Although each school has its unique uniform, students typically buy them themselves. They can be found in department stores but are common to order online nowadays. Before, most Koreans would stitch the uniforms together by themselves.

Uniforms are quite expensive, so it is not uncommon for a Korean student to take good care of their uniform so that they can wear the same one through middle school and high school.

What if you want to rent one for yourself for the day? One example of a shop that rents out school uniforms is Ehwa School Uniform. Located in Seoul’s Jamsil neighborhood, it’s a popular place to go when someone wants to dress up for a day in Lotte World, for example.

It’s actually quite an affordable way to add some extra fun to your day! This particular shop mostly carries modern uniforms, similar to the ones you might see in K-dramas these days. But if you’d like to try on uniforms that are more retro, many other rental shops carry those, too.

Korean uniform in popular culture

Much more so than in many other cultures, school uniforms are popular features in popular culture as well. For example, many Korean dramas take place in a high school setting. That, naturally, means they spend a lot of the drama in high school uniforms!

These dramas are typically directed towards teen audiences, but many older people watch them too and get nostalgic and excited over their school days again. Additionally, some Korean idols and K-pop groups wear school uniforms occasionally as well.

On these occasions, they usually wear the uniforms – either on stage or in a reality show – to appeal to a younger audience and get them more excited about wearing the uniform daily.

If you’d like to know more about other different outfits and fashion in Korea in general, here’s a separate article about that: Korean Fashion

Wrap Up

Is Korean uniforms, school uniforms, in particular, something that interests you? Let us know below in the comments!

Next, how about switching to a different topic and learning about something else that is big and popular in Korean culture: mukbang?

The post Korean Uniform – Vocabulary for school and work attires appeared first on 90 Day Korean.

We’ve already taught you how to say “yes” in Korean, and now it’s time to take it up a notch and level up how you speak Korean.

We’ll also teach you sentences and additional vocabulary related to “of course” below. Let’s get to it!

How to say “Of course” in Korean

There are a few different words you can use to say “of course” in the Korean language.

The common way to say “of course” in Korean is 그럼요 (geureomyo). It is formed from the descriptive verb 그렇다 (geureota), which translates as “yes.” This phrase also means “certainly” and can be used as such.

Now, let’s head on to how to use this word as an adverb and adjective.

“Of course” in Korean (Adverb)

The first one is 물론 (mullon), which is used as an adverb. You can use it as it is, so there is no need to conjugate further. You just need to add it in the correct spot within the sentence.

However, you can also combine it with the verb 이다 in endings such as -입니다 (imnida) or -이죠 (ijyo) or -이지요(ijiyo). In these cases, the adverb and the verb are likely the entirety of the sentence.

You can use this kind of like stating that something is “duh.” It’s obvious or otherwise well-known, and whatever it is should not surprise whomever you are speaking to.

Additionally, you may use this term when you want to give someone permission for something, especially if you want to be especially polite or formal. To learn more about adverbs, you can refer to this resource.

“Of course” in Korean (Adjective)

Another one is the descriptive verb 당연하다 (dangyeonhada). It translates as “natural,” so it is not directly the term “of course.” However, by combining it with the casual conjugation -지 (ji) and its more polite form -죠 (jyo) or -지요 (jiyo), you can also use it to say “of course” or its close meaning “naturally.”

You may also use it in the form of an adverb, in which case it is conjugated as 당연히 (dangyeonhi). This is especially good to use whenever you want to emphasize the point you are trying to make. You can also use 물론 (mullon) in this context.

Here’s where you can learn more about other Korean adjectives.

How to say “Of course not” in Korean

Now, the negative of “of course” is, naturally, “of course not.” In Korean, a common way to say so is the verb 물론 아니다 (mullon anida). As you may know, 아니다 (anida) is a verb simply meaning “to be not.” You can use this casually but also in more polite situations, as it is a sympathetic way of expressing “of course not.”

Other vocabulary related to “Of course”

Below, you can find a quick list of vocabulary with similar meanings to the term “of course.”

Sample dialogues for “Of course” in Korean

Below you can find some dialogue examples between Person A and Person B to help guide you on how to use “of course” in Korean. Practice this with friends if you can!

Sample dialogue 1

A: 영화는 어땠어? 재밌었어? (yeonghwaneun eottaesseo? jaemisseosseo?)

How was the movie? Was it fun?

B: 물론이지! 이 감독님은 절대 실망시키지 않아. (mulloniji! i gamdongnimeun jeoldae silmangsikiji ana.)

Of course! This director never disappoints.

Sample dialogue 2

A: 와, 지금 너무 속이 더부룩해. (wa, jigeum neomu sogi deoburukae.)

Wow, I feel so bloated now.

B: 당연히 햄버거 세 개를 한 번에 먹으면 속이 더부룩해지지. (dangyeonhi haembeogeo se gaereul han beone meogeumyeon sogi deoburukajiji.)

Of course, if you eat three hamburgers in one go, you will feel bloated.

Sample dialogue 3

A: 사과 하나 주시겠어요? (sagwa hana jusigesseoyo?)

Can I please have one apple?

B: 그럼요! 마음껏 드세요. (geureomyo! maeumkkeot deuseyo.)

Of course! Please help yourself.

Sample dialogue 4

A: 죄송합니다, 제가 당신을 귀찮게 하나요? (joesonghamnida, jega dangsineul gwichanke hanayo?)

I’m sorry, am I bothering you?

B: 물론 아닙니다. 무엇을 묻고 싶었습니까? (mullon animnida. mueoseul mutgo sipeotseumnikka?)

Of course not. What did you want to ask?

Wrap Up

Hopefully, we have given you the answers to your questions about how to say “of course” in Korean! There are many more ways you can use the term “of course” in Korean besides the sample dialogues presented above. But now, with this lesson, you should have wonderfully enriched your Korean vocabulary further.

Were you already using some of these words and phrases before? Let us know your answer in the comment section below. If you have any questions, feel free to drop them below, too!

Next, you will want to know how to say the very similar word, “sure” in Korean!

The post “Of Course” in Korean – How to use this common expression appeared first on 90 Day Korean.

Maybe not always, but sometimes there are moments when we are absolutely “sure” of something. Or, someone says something that you surely agree to. Or perhaps, you are given a suggestion by someone to which you want to respond “sure.”

Whatever the situation, “sure” is another handy term to learn.

All of the Korean vocabulary you’ll learn below will be in Hangeul (Korean Alphabet) with Romanized Korean next to it. We recommend learning the Korean alphabet so you can learn these terms faster and have accurate pronunciation. You can download a free guide here and be reading Korean words in about 1 hour.

Being able to read the Korean alphabet will help you retain the core Korean words you should learn first. It will also improve your overall Korean language learning plan. Let’s begin!

Different ways to say “sure” in Korean

As was described above, there are a few different ways to say “sure” in Korean. Quite specifically, you can use it as an adjective, as a form of agreement, or as a slang word used in Korea. Below, we will go over how to say “sure” in detail so that you can best learn how to apply its different uses.

If you can’t read in Korean just yet, I suggest you go through our Korean alphabet article first!

“Sure” in Korean (as an adjective)

The first way to use “sure” is as an adjective. In this case, there are a few different ways you can utilize it.

확신하다 (hwaksinhada)

Conjugated as 확신하는 (hwaksinhaneun), this is used when it is sure that something or some situation is true. You can also use it to mean that someone is sure they are getting something. You can think of this particular term to also mean that something is “certain.”

Sample sentence:

이 저녁 식사가 반드시 성공할 것이라고 확신해요. (i jeonyeok siksaga bandeusi seonggonghal geosirago hwaksinhaeyo.)

I am sure this dinner will be a success.

확실하다 (hwaksilhada)

Conjugated as 확실한 (hwaksilhan), this can also be used to mean that someone is sure that they are getting something.

By turning it into the adverb 확실히 (hwaksilhi), you can emphasize that what you are saying is sure or for sure. You can also add 하다 (hada) to 확실히 when you want to make sure that something is getting done.

If you’d like to learn more about how to conjugate in Korean, here’s an article dedicated to teaching you all about it!

“Sure” in Korean (as a form of agreement)

There are a few ways in which you can use “sure” to agree with something someone is saying or suggesting. These two words are 물론 (mullon) and 그럼 (geureom).

물론 (mullon) can also be taken to mean “Of course.” To clearly differentiate between the two, when saying “Of course,” you may stretch it out as 물론이지 (mulloniji).

그럼 (geurom) can be used in an informal way. But you may also want to switch to 그럼요 (geureomyo) in some instances. This is the noun form of 그렇다 (geureota), which simply means “Yes.”

Sample dialogue:

A: 우리 내일 점심에 아직 만나는 거예요? (uri naeil jeomsime ajik mannaneun geoyeyo?

Are we still meeting for lunch tomorrow?

B: 그럼요! 절대 잊지 마세요. (geureomyo! jeoldae itji maseoyo.)

Of course! Please don’t ever forget it.

Other uses of “Sure” in Korean

For such a simple term, it can be used in surprisingly many ways in the Korean language. Here are some more ways you can use it.

확인하다 (hwaginhada)

This can be used to make sure something is just how you expect or want it to be.

Sample sentence:

집을 떠나기 전에 버스 시간표를 확인했어요. (jibeul tteonagi jeone beoseu siganpyoreul hwaginhaesseoyo.)

I made sure to check the bus schedule before I left home.

확신을 가지다 (hwagsineul gajida)

This can be used when you are sure of yourself. In other words, you trust your abilities and are confident in yourself.

반드시 ~하다 (bandeusi ~hada)

Similar to 확실히 하다 ((hwaksilhi hada), this is also used when taking action to make sure something will happen or be true. This is typically used more so to talk about the action you yourself are taking rather than suggesting someone else do something.

Wrap Up

Now, are you sure you know how to say “sure” in Korean? We are sure that after this article, you have learned many ways to use it. And you’ll do a fantastic job using them, too!

Got any questions? Let us know in the comments!

Now, we think you might love to learn Korean further! Let’s find out more words by learning Korean adjectives and Korean slang next.

The post “Sure” in Korean – Expressing certainty and agreement appeared first on 90 Day Korean.

Whether you speak English, Korean, German, or other languages, or if you’re a student, office worker, or human in general, you are in a hurry at one point in your life.

This seems, at times, to be especially true when you look at the life of Koreans, particularly those living in Seoul. As there are a few different Korean words for “hurry,” it is useful to learn each one and how each is used. This is also a vocabulary you are likely to hear quite often, especially in Seoul, where lives tend to get quite busy.

Although our topic is about “hurry,” take this as a sign to slow down first so we can carefully study these words and sentence examples.

Different ways to say “hurry” in Korean

There are three main ways in which you can say “hurry” or “hurry up” in Korean. If you’re not yet familiar with Korean letters, I suggest you check our article on the Korean alphabet first before we go in-depth into learning these Korean words!

서두르다 (seodureuda)

The first word for “hurry” in the Korean language is 서두르다 (seodureuda). Technically this may not be the more popular word of the two. However, this is the word that literally translates as “to hurry,” unlike the other verb you are about to learn below. This verb is also commonly used.

It also has a deep sense of urgency to it. It’s great to use when you want to imply something to be done or to happen fast, aka in a hurry. It can be used in any tense, although it is less likely to be used in future tense. Much like the below word, 서두르다 (seodureuda) can also be used to order someone to hurry up. But it can also be used to describe your own feelings or situation.

Here are some sentence examples:

서둘러 주세요. 늦으면 안돼요. (seodulleo juseyo. neujeumyeon andwaeyo.)

Please hurry up. We can’t be late.

서두를 필요 없어! (seodureul pillyo eopseo!)

No need to hurry!

서두르는 게 좋을 것 같아요. (seodureuneun ge joeul geot gatayo.)

We better hurry up.

오늘 요리를 서두르다 보니 샌드위치만 먹게 되었어요. (oneul yorireul seodureuda boni saendeuwichiman meokge doeeosseoyo.)

Because I hurried with cooking today, I ended up just eating a sandwich.

빠르다 (ppareuda)

The second Korean word for “hurry” is 빠르다 (ppareuda). Specifically, this word means “to be fast.” Thus, it doesn’t directly translate as “to be in a hurry.” However, it is often used in that context.

If you want to use it in the context of hurry, you are typically ordering someone to hurry up rather than describing your own feeling of hurry. You are also using it a little differently than a regular descriptive verb. Specifically, here is the word you will be using for hurry with this verb:

빨리! (ppalli!)

Hurry up!

숙제 빨리 해! 놀러 가고 싶어. (sukje ppalli hae! nolleo gago sipeo.)

Hurry up and do your homework fast! I want to go play.

You can use it on its own but also with action verbs in their imperative form. In other words, to use the action verbs casually, drop the -ㅂ니다 (-mnida) and -요 (-yo) endings. For example:

빨리 와! (ppalli wa!)

Come quickly!

빨리 타! (ppalli ta!)

Hurry up and get on! (a bus, taxi, train, car, etc.)

The verb 빠르다 (ppareuda) can also be used to form the short phrase, 빨리빨리 (ppallippalli), which is another hugely popular way to express hurry or that something needs to be done quickly. You might have heard this phrase in K-dramas before. As it combines the word 빨리 (ppali) twice, it can be seen as an expression of an even bigger rush than the above sample sentences contain. It directly translates as “Quickly, quickly!”.

You can also use it with any other action verb you can think of, with which you can imply hurry. However, due to the casual tone of the orders, you may want to refrain from using these sentences with those who are not close friends or are younger in age.

급하다 (geupada)

Finally, the third Korean word for “hurry” is 급하다 (geupada). This, too, can be used to mean something is urgent or pressing. You can use it to describe you are in a hurry, or something you’re doing is in a hurry. And you can also use it to tell someone to hurry up.

This is also the perfect verb to use when you want to assure someone they don’t need to hurry, so when the sentence is constructed as a negative. Below we’ll offer some sample sentences you can use to better memorize and understand this word.

뭐가 그렇게 급하냐? (mwoga geureoke geupanya?)

What’s the hurry?/What’s so urgent?

급하지 않아요. 우리 아직 시간 있어요. (geupaji anayo. uri ajik sigani isseoyo.)

It’s not urgent. We still have time.

나는 급해요. (naneun geupaeyo.)

I’m in a hurry.

여기 날씨도 좋고 분위기도 좋아서 집에 가는 것은 하나도 급할 게 없어요. (yeogi nalssido joko bunwigido joaseo jibe ganeun geoseun hanado geupal ge eopseoyo.)

Because the weather and atmosphere are so good here, I am in no hurry to go home.

Related vocabulary

Here are a few more words you can use in situations where you want to describe “hurry” or that you are busy with something.

Wrap Up

So, be honest: did you hurry through this article or take your time with it? Share your answer in the comments below!

Now that you know the term for “hurry” in Korean, if you’re in no rush elsewhere, maybe you’d like to learn more Korean adjectives?

The post “Hurry” in Korean – Expressing how to act with haste appeared first on 90 Day Korean.