Learn Korean
with Ling

Most people prefer learning a new language with a class or group because they will be taught the standard language through structured lessons. But, these classes can be expensive and interfere with people’s daily lives.

Nowdays, self-learning has become much more popular, with new language learning apps popping up everyday. As long as you’re motivated to learn, apps are certainly a great option, especially the Ling app.

Here are some ways you can learn Korean by yourself:

• Find and practice with a language partner
• Make yourself a study planner to track your progress
• Watch Korean TV shows and movies with subtitles (initially) and then without subtitles (after more practice)
• Listen to Korean songs while following along to the lyrics
• Focus on your progress, not your mistakes
• Use the Ling app to improve your reading, speaking, listening, writing, and grammar skills

According to the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), Korean is one of the most difficult languages to learn. It’s ranked as a category IV language alongside Chinese, Arabic, and Japanese.

Of course, learning a new language, no matter what it is, is not impossible. All it takes is time and effort, and a good learning resource.

Here are some tips for learning Korean as a beginner, intermediate, and advanced learner:

As A Beginner Learner

Do some background research on the language first to see if the language really interests you. If you’re not interested or motivated enough to learn, you’ll end up having a hard time learning Korean and understanding more complex structures, such as Korean grammar.

As An Intermediate Learner

Take note of which words you’re having trouble remembering and topics you need to focus on more.

Knowing both your strong and weak points are what will help you improve your language skills. Simply ignoring what you don’t know or need to practice more will only hurt you in the long run.

As An Advanced Learner

Levels C1 and C2, or the advanced levels, are quite tricky. You’ll have to encourage yourself to read poems, watch movies with philosophical topics, and engage in deeper conversations with Korean people.

The easiest and most cost-effective way to learn Korean is through online Korean lessons, like language learning apps. All you have to do is spend 10-15 minutes daily on taking lessons and learning new vocabulary.

The most effective and easiest app to learn Korean free is Ling. Featuring comprehensive Korean lesson plans, interactive games and activities, and even an AI chatbot to converse with, you can improve all your Korean language skills in no time!

Here are other Korean language skill tips to remember when studying:

• Grammar: The Korean language has nine parts of speech with no gender cases. Take note of jondaenmal (존댓말) which is of the highest politeness and banmal (반말) which is used for close friends. They usually follow the subject-object-verb (SOV) word order but are flexible according to your relationship with that person.
• Vocabulary: Koreans use many honorifics to address the elderly or a person of higher status than them. The language also includes many loan words and Sino-Korean words due to their history with Japan and China.  
• Speaking/Listening: Some of the meanings of Korean words can change depending on their pronunciation. You should also try to recognize different colloquial expressions and regional dialects.
• Reading/Writing: Korean uses the Hangul alphabet (한글, Hangul) with a total of twenty-four letters (fourteen consonants and ten vowels).

Since Korean is classified as a category IV language, according to the FSI, it will take the average learner 2200 hours to reach proficiency. This doesn’t mean that you can’t learn Korean online lessons, but you’ll have to maintain a strict study schedule in order to learn efficiently and effectively.

Remember that if you study 1 hour per day, it will take you approximately 6 years before you reach proficiency! So, you should try to dedicate at least 3 hours to studying everyday, if possible.

First, set your goals. Second, find a learning resource. The reason for using this order is because every app provides different language levels and focuses on different language skills. Once you narrow down your goals, then you can find an app that meets your needs. Next, it’s time to start learning!