How to learn korean in 30 days

Stefania Simonato

• Publisher: HOW2 Edizioni
• Year: 2021
• eBook ISBN: 9788893055161
• Topic: Languages & Linguistics
• Subtopic: Languages
• Index: Languages & Linguistics

This book will make you learn KOREAN in just 30 days, starting from scratch. And this is more than a simple promise. Let me explain… The process is very simple: the book is divided into 30 chapters, one for each day, to allow you to learn the basis of this language in only one month. To get the most out of this course, you just have to follow one rule: read a chapter a day, nothing more, nothing less. If you abide by this rule and follow the instructions included in the book, the result is guaranteed.
Forget the usual boring grammar lessons, anonymous and depersonalized.
“ HOW TO LEARN KOREAN IN 30 DAYS ” was made with all the self-help chrisms, like a practical handbook, characterised by a personal, fun and stimulating style. It is filled with many curious anecdotes and advices useful not only to speak in KOREAN, but also to get by during a trip. If you are still not sure, keep on reading… From the preface of the Author… (…) When I started to learn Korean in Italy I could not find any textbook able to help me to fully understand the contemporary society and when I first set foot in Korea I felt really lost. I wish someone had taken my hand and shown me all the things that I came to know after years of direct experience. I also tried to be very objective in the exposition of the material: it happens often that the passion for Korea causes people (especially young girls) to have an idyllic image of this nation, without knowing and recognizing the problematic aspects too.
“ HOW TO LEARN KOREAN IN 30 DAYS ” aims at being the fastest and most enjoyable method to learn Korean. The purpose is to study one chapter a day, for a total of 30 days. Every chapter starts from a cultural anecdote, slowly approaching a grammar rule, some words and many exercises to test yourself. Every chapter therefore will help you to understand Korea thoroughly.
It is suitable both for those working and for those travelling… as well as for those who are only curious to learn something about this culture full of surprises! The difficult thing for a foreigner lies not only in verbal communication but also in understanding the culture of those giving hospitality. With this “little book” you can dive into the real South Korean culture, becoming, with some patience, little experts.

1. THE KOREAN ALPHABET – AN ALIEN CODE

A language so different from ours is scary, especially for the writing system completely unfamiliar to us. However there is a good news: it is phonetic! Every symbol, then, is equivalent to a sound. It is exactly like our alphabet, it just utilizes alternative symbols.

Visually, Korean writing can look like an alien alphabet: circles and small straight lines follow each another. Let’s now take a look at this sentence:

한글을배우기는힘들지않다.

Its meaning is “Learning Korean alphabet is not hard” and the pronunciation is “han-gŭ-rŭl pē-u-ghi-nŭn him-dŭl-ji an-tha”.

For the moment, they will all look like identical symbols that become tongue twisters when pronounced. But in a while you will be able to read and understand everything without any problem!

Let’s now look at the visual aspect.

Let’s divide the different parts: 한글을 / 배우기는 / 힘들지 / 않다.

Let’s consider the first word: 한글을 (han-gŭ-rŭl, the Korean alphabet).

This word is made up of three syllables: 한, 글, 을.

Let’s analyse the first syllable 한.

We can further break it down into three different symbols: ㅎ, ㅏ, ㄴ.

They are all “basic” symbols; each one represents a different sound:

ㅎ is the symbol for -H

ㅏ is -A

ㄴ stands for –N

These symbols cannot be used alone, they have to be gathered in groups to form a syllable, as we have just seen with 한.

The syllable is written within an imaginary triangle: this means that the position of the sounds ㅎ, ㅏand ㄴ in 한 is not random.

A syllable must always start with a consonant followed by a vowel.

The consonant is placed on the top left, like ㅎ (“H”) in 한.

The vowel aligns horizontally or vertically with the consonant already written.

ㅏ (-A) is one of those vowels that have to be written beside the consonant: ㅎ + ㅏ = 하.

On the contrary, the symbol ㅜ, which represents our -U, has to be placed under the consonant already written: ㅎ + ㅜ = 후.

In a while, we will take a look at the whole vowels’ table, with all the possibilities.

Finally, one or two consonants can be placed under the consonant and the vowel: like ㄴ (“N”) in 한.

The last word of the sentence is 않다....

Table of contents

• PHONETIC TABLES
• PREFACE
• Editorial Director’s Note
• 1. THE KOREAN ALPHABET – AN ALIEN CODE
• Exercises
• Secrets revealed in this chapter
• Solutions
• 2. THE VOWELS OF THE KOREAN ALPHABET
• Exercises
• Secrets revealed in this chapter
• Solutions
• 3. THE CONSONANTS OF THE KOREAN ALPHABET
• Exercises
• Secrets revealed in this chapter
• Solutions
• 4. TODAY KOREAN WE WILL LEARN! – WHAT ARE THE POSTPOSITIONS
• Exercises
• Secrets revealed in this chapter
• Solutions
• 5. HELLO. YES, HELLO – GREETINGS IN KOREAN
• Exercises
• Secrets revealed in this chapter
• Solutions
• 6. MY NAME – HOW TO WRITE IT IN KOREAN
• Exercises
• Secrets revealed in this chapter
• Solutions
• 7. WHAT’S YOU NAME? – HOW TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF
• Exercises
• Secrets revealed in this chapter
• Solutions
• 8. BIG BROTHER! WOULD YOU BE MY BOYFRIEND? – A TITLE FOR EVERYONE
• Exercises
• Secrets revealed in this chapter
• Solutions
• 9. IN KOREA I AM OLDER! – HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR AGE ACCORDING TO KOREANS
• Exercises
• Secrets revealed in this chapter
• Solutions
• 10. NUMBERS ONCE AGAIN? – THE YEAR I WAS BORN
• Exercises
• Secrets revealed in the chapter
• Solutions
• 11. A CHAPTER ABOUT DAYS IN A DAY – HOW TO SAY THE DATE…
• Exercises
• Secrets revealed in this chapter
• Solutions
• 12. BUY ME DINNER AT 8! – HOW TO EXPRESS PERIODS OF TIME AND ASK FOR FAVORS
• Exercises
• Secrets revealed in this chapter
• Solutions
• 13. HELP! I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT BUT I HAVE NOT UNDERSTOOD WHERE AND WHEN
• Exercises
• Secrets revealed in this chapter
• Solutions
• 14. I AM ITALIAN – MY NATIONALITY
• Exercises
• Secrets revealed in this chapter
• Solutions
• 15. TODAY I FEEL LIKE A MOVIE STAR!
• Exercises
• Secrets revealed in this chapter
• Solutions
• 16. THE REASON I CAME TO KOREA
• Exercises
• Secrets revealed in this chapter
• Solutions
• 17. SCHOOL AND WORK – MY BUSINESS CARD
• Exercises
• Secrets revealed in this chapter
• Solutions
• 18. HOBBIES AND FREE TIME
• Exercises
• Secrets revealed in this chapter
• Solutions
• 19. EVERYTHING IN A HURRY - WARM-BLOODED PEOPLE
• Exercises
• Secrets revealed in this chapter
• Solutions
• 20. IT LOOKS LIKE A DIVE… GNAM! – HOW TO ORDER FOOD AT THE RESTAURANT
• Exercises
• Secrets revealed in this chapter
• Solutions
• 21. DO YOU NEED THE RECEIPT? – HOW TO ORDER A DRINK AT THE BAR
• Exercises
• Secrets revealed in this chapter
• Solutions
• 22. THE SPARKLING LIGHTS OF KANG-NAM – NIGHT LIFE IN KOREA BETWEEN ALCOHOL AND MUSIC
• Exercises
• Secrets revealed in this chapter
• Solutions
• 23. BIG SISTER, I’LL GIVE YOU A DISCOUNT – HOW TO GO SHOPPING ON A BUDGET
• Secrets revealed in this chapter
• Solutions
• 24. THERE IS NO FLOUR… I’LL BUY IT ONLINE! – HOW TO MAKE A RESERVATION AND BUY ONLINE
• Exercises
• Secrets revealed in this chapter
• Solutions
• 25. WHICH WAY? – PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN SEOUL
• Exercises
• Secrets revealed in this chapter
• Solutions
• 26. THIS TIME I WON’T TAKE A TAXI – HOW TO ASK FOR DIRECTIONS
• Secrets revealed in this chapter
• Solutions
• 27. WHY DO ATMs HATE MY CREDIT CARD? – CREDIT CARDS, PAYMENTS AND WITHDRAWALS
• Exercises
• Secrets revealed in this chapter
• Solutions
• 28. I’LL MOVE INTO A THREE SQUARE METER PLACE – HOW TO FIND A HOUSE
• Secrets revealed in this chapter
• Solutions
• 29. AN ANTIBIOTIC A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY – WHAT TO DO IF YOU GET SICK IN KOREA
• Exercises
• Secrets revealed in this chapter
• Solutions
• 30. I’M AN ALIEN AT LAST – THE ALIEN CARD
• Exercises
• Secrets revealed in this chapter
• Solutions
• CONCLUSIONS