Start with Hangul in a Few Days
Hangul, the Korean alphabet, is logical and beginner friendly. Most beginners can learn to read and write basic syllables in two or three days with focused practice. Start with consonants and vowels, then build syllable blocks. Use free online charts, short videos, and printable sheets. Learn it yourself early so you are not stuck with romanization.
Write by hand while listening to audio so you connect sound and shape. Read simple words aloud: coffee, bus, kimchi, names. Keep sessions short but frequent. Avoid cramming; two 15 minute blocks beat one marathon. By the end of the week, you should read slowly but clearly and type basic words in Korean.
- Watch a 30 minute Hangul primer and repeat each sound.
- Use an interactive online consonant and vowel chart.
- Print a one page Hangul cheat sheet or workbook page.
- Test yourself with a quick Hangul typing or matching game.
Essential Phrases and Pronunciation Basics
After Hangul, learn polite phrases you can use every day. Focus on greetings, thanks, asking prices, directions, and simple introductions. Keep it in the polite style so you sound respectful. Build small sentence patterns you can swap: I am…, I like…, Please give me…, Where is…?
Pronunciation matters in Korean. Practice final consonants, linking between words, and the difference between aspirated and plain sounds. Record yourself and compare to native audio. Romanization is okay for the first days, but switch to Hangul fast so your mouth matches the real language.
- Hello: Annyeonghaseyo
- Thank you: Gamsahamnida
- Please give me…: … juseyo
- How much is it?: Eolma eyo?
- Where is…?: … eodi yeyo?
Free Courses and Apps That Work Together
Use one structured course as your spine, then add drills and listening. Great free options include Talk To Me In Korean Level 1 lessons, How to Study Korean Unit 0 to Unit 1, Duolingo for gamified review, and audit only university courses or MOOC videos. YouTube channels offer bite sized grammar, pronunciation, and culture tips.
Keep materials simple. One course for grammar, one app for daily review, and one playlist for listening is enough at beginner level. If you like a physical feel, print a few pages from a free beginner book PDF or workbook, but remember you can learn everything online free.
- Pick one main course and finish the first 15 lessons.
- Use a free app daily for 10 minutes of quick drills.
- Save a deck of core words with audio for spaced review.
- Follow one Korean listening playlist with slow, clear speech.
A Simple 14 Day Beginner Plan
Consistency wins. Aim for 25 to 30 minutes a day. In 14 days you can learn Hangul, 40 to 60 words, and a handful of sentence patterns. Study online free, track progress, and talk to yourself out loud to build confidence. Short wins add up, even on busy days.
Use the plan below as a template. Adapt it to your schedule. If a day feels heavy, split it into two mini sessions. Repeat hard parts rather than rushing. End each session by reading two lines in Korean so your eyes and ears stay tuned.
- Days 1 2: Learn Hangul; practice writing and typing.
- Days 3 4: Greetings, thanks, self introduction; record yourself.
- Days 5 6: Numbers, prices, shopping with … juseyo patterns.
- Days 7 8: Locations and directions; 어디, 여기, 저기 practice.
- Days 9 10: Present tense basics; I like, I have, I am.
- Days 11 12: Daily routine verbs; small sentence building.
- Day 13: Review quiz; read one short dialogue aloud.
- Day 14: Speak for 60 seconds about yourself using prompts.
Practice Listening, Reading, and Speaking Online
Make input fun and simple. Watch kids clips or beginner podcasts with subtitles, then rewatch without them. Read short posts, tweets, or children’s book pages in Hangul. For speaking, shadow a native sentence, then record yourself and compare. Keep it light but daily.
Build a mini routine: quick review, one new item, one output. Use spaced repetition for words, but always tie new vocabulary to a sentence. If you have a beginner book or printable workbook, use one page for guided practice and the rest of the time for free conversation drills.
- Shadow five sentences and mimic rhythm.
- Type twenty Hangul syllables for speed and accuracy.
- Read one short dialogue out loud twice.
- Record yourself for 30 seconds describing your day.
- Exchange five messages with a partner on a language app.
FAQ
- Can I learn Korean by yourself for free?
- Yes. Use one structured course, a daily review app, and short listening practice. Study 25 minutes a day, five to six days a week, and track small wins.
- How many days does it take to learn Hangul?
- Most beginners can learn basic reading in one to three days with focused practice, then refine speed and pronunciation over the next week.
- Do I need a beginner book to start?
- A beginner book helps, but it is not required. You can combine free online lessons, PDFs, and printable worksheets. Libraries often have Korean books too.
- Should beginners use romanization?
- Use romanization briefly to learn sounds, then switch to Hangul as fast as possible. Reading the real script improves pronunciation and memory.