Ah like what I think you need/need to do in order to get started in Studying Korean? Sure~
First first first~ Learn how to read hangul. Using romanization will only negatively affect your pronunciation and reading skills, so the quicker you learn hangul the better.I recommend using a video source, so you can hear and watch someone pronounce each letter properly. I don’t have a source I personally used, as I just kind of picked it up slowly living in a Korean neighborhood, but I know more and more good options are on Youtube!
Find a reliable primary study source! I love having the Korean study community here on tumblr, but everyday I scroll through my dash and see incorrect information/thing that are just a little off of natural. We are all learning and supporting each other but we’re all bound to make mistakes time to time, so don’t rely on just tumblr for your study material.I’m not recommending going and spending a lot of money on textbooks right away, if you can, save your money until you’re a bit deeper into the language and the free resources dry up mighty fast (I can rarely find stuff levelled with what I’m studying in class for free).There are quite a few PDFs of beginner textbooks floating around tumblr. Download them and and read through them, and find which teaches in a style best suited for you! A textbook that matches your learning style is far more important than what is the most popular. I personally studied with Korean Grammar in Use, which does have a pdf floating around as well.
For getting used to writing hangul download and print out 원고지 paper. It is simple gridded paper that Korean students use for essay writing. It will also be how you will write essays in TOPIK II (if you plan on studying to that point), so you can get used to it early.
For grammar and sentence building, take your time with lessons and utilize any exercises the book you are using gives you. But don’t stop there! Make a Lang-8 account and put that new grammar to work! Make even basic sentences and post them for native speakers to correct. You’ll pick up on Korean sentence structure and the grammar you’re studying much quicker that way.
For listening, I assume most people are not like me, and actually actively participate in Korean entertainment, dramas kpop whatev. Now you put it to use. Dramas are good for hearing clear pronunciation, but make sure to watch variety shows too, as this is much more similar to how Koreans really talk.
For speaking, just speak. This is the hardest for me as well because I hate making mistakes, but talk to yourself all the time. You’ll get used to hearing yourself speak. If you watch dramas start repeating simple lines you hear until you can say it like the actors do.
And lastly have patience with yourself. Learning a language is not an overnight project and not everyone learns at the same pace. I still catch myself beating myself up for not being farther than I am, but I’m learning at the pace I am meant to learn a language as difficult as Korean at. Make language friends here or in real life and motivate and encourage each other. Know we all have our ups and downs studying but with dedication and patience we’ll reach whatever language goal we have.
Extra Resources I personally use(d) and recommend:
- Naver Dictionary/Daum Dictionary- App and websites (doooon’t use google translate. It really doesn’t work for non Euro languages)
- Dongsa- App/Website Handy dandy app that will show you all common conjugations for any DVerb/AVerb you enter.
- Memrise/Quizlet/Anki- Apps/Websites Make flashcards. Practice Vocab
- HiNative- App Ask native speakers questions/answer questions about your native language. Share and share alike
- Hellotalk/Tandem- Apps Connect with language partners and practice with native speakers
Hope that helps~
