i can answer basic questions in korean, like what i do for work or what i like, but keeping the conversation going is a whole different thing lol.
once the other person replies and the topic changes, i never know what to say next. i end up giving short answers and the conversation kinda dies there.
i feel like having a topic to talk about would make things easier than just trying to come up with something on the spot. i saw Korean-English conversation rooms on GameTalk while looking for ways to practice, and it got me thinking about this.
do u guys find it easier to talk when there's already a topic, or do u prefer just chatting freely?

So I will tell it as simple as I possibly can I am learning Korean through my Korean text book I bought it has exercises new topics etc. But I didn’t use it for 2 weeks, it just feels like a homework and I don’t won’t it to feel like homework I am learning Korean for 3 months now but with that book I don’t feel committed enough it feels like homework not like something I would enjoy in my free time so I am asking what are the ways to learn Korean in a fun way but in a way that also makes you feel that’s studying and is intensive enough to feel like I am really doing something I couldn’t find the best method on the internet didn’t try all the methods so I am now here asking for help
I am more advanced beginner I can count to 10 read Hangul I know basic sentences basic words if that info is important

I've noticed that understanding a Korean grammar rule and actually using it correctly are two very different things. 😭

Sometimes I understand a grammar explanation and can recognize it in example sentences, but when I try to use the same pattern myself, I get confused about which form to use or how to structure my sentence.

For those who have experienced this, what helped you move from understanding grammar to using it naturally?

Did you practice making your own sentences, write a journal, do exercises, or get corrections from other learners?

I'd love to hear what worked for you, especially if you've struggled with this and eventually improved!

Hi,

I’m learning Korean via the Teuida app and I’m at the lesson where you learn different times of day. I noticed that in the practice part, when pronouncing 저녁에 뭐 해요? The voice sounds as if pronouncing it with an s sound, like what I would have expected from 서 instead of 저. But in other sentences, like 저녁에 일해요, it sound more like the j sound I would expect from 저. Is this a mistake in the app or is there some context I’m missing that changes the pronunciation?

EDIT: Accidentally wrote 저녁어 instead of 저녁에

In Korean, 개 (gae) literally means "dog," but people use it in so many different ways that it can get pretty confusing at first.

Back in the day, putting 개 in front of a word usually made it sound bad or low quality. Like 개살구, which is a wild apricot that tastes bitter and isn't really good to eat. And of course, it was (and still is) used a lot to make negative expressions or insults hit harder. 개소리 means total bullshit, and 개같다 is used when a situation really sucks or pisses you off. You get the idea.

But these days, younger people use it in a completely different way too. They just slap 개 in front of almost anything when they want to emphasize it hard, kind of like saying "super" or "freaking" in English. So now, the meaning totally depends on whatever word comes right after it:

개좋아 - I freaking love this (from 좋아, good/like) 개굿 - super good (literally combining 개 with the English word "good") 개추 - strongly recommend / massive upvote (short for 추천) 개꿀 - super easy, effortless reward, or a great deal 개꿀맛 - super delicious (adding 맛, which means taste) 개쩐다 - freaking awesome / insane 개빡친다 - so pissed off 개웃김 - so damn funny / hilarious 개이득 - huge win / total profit

It is still very much casual slang though, so I definitely wouldn't use it with teachers, bosses, or in formal situations lol. Stick to using it with close friends or online.

Does your language have something similar? Like a word that used to be negative, but now people just throw it around for emphasis?

— TYPOP에서 공유

오늘 레딧에서 선생님을 만났어요 - I met teacher on Reddit today.

* breakdown the sentence *

Noun 오늘 : today

Noun 레딧 : reddit

+

N에서 : PLACE of an ACTION OCCUR

레딧에서 : on reddit

Noun 선생님 : teacher

+

N을 : object marker

Verb 만나다 : to meet (past tense 만났어요)

ㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡ

STUDY POINT 1)

N에서 : place particle (X)

N에서 : PLACE of an ACTION OCCUR(O)

"N에서" used with place Noun and indicates that Noun is the place where the action OCCURS.

for example)

action = 공부해요 i study

study where? where is the place you do this action?

it's "방 room" so,

"방에서 공부해요 - I study in the room"

에서 indicates that "방 room" is the place where some action(study) occurs.

for example)

action = 커피를 마셔요 i drink coffee

where?

거실 : living room

거실에서 커피를 마셔요 - I drink coffee in the living room.)

STUDY POINT 2)

grammar pattern you need to remember.

"N을/를 V" - object markers "N을/를" used with Noun and used before Verb.

which means object markers "N을/를" can't be used before Adjective.

i saw a lot of people confused when to use it.

for example)

how to say "i like korean drama"?

한국 드라마를 좋아해요 (O)

한국 드라마를 좋아요 (X)

it's common mistake.

Verb = action = 좋아하다 to like sth

Adjective = condition/state = 좋다 to be good

"좋아요" means "good" which is adjective. so object markers "N을/를" will never be used before "Adjective"

ㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡ

좋은 하루 되세요! - Have a good day!

If you want to make korean Friends...

Hi all.

i'm looking for FRIENDS To study KOREAN IN SEOUL

i'm 20 and South Korean, and university student in Seoul.

i want to make Non-korean friends and need to learn English.

what i want is just talk and share and study Language with ma friend.

I Can teach you korean

i can improve you korean skills

and i can let you know some Korean Culture

especially real-korean culture and things that only koreans know

AND also we can go delicious food.. (BUT NOTTT DATING SSHIB AL)

(YOU learn korean and l learn English..)

i can write English or read well but i'm not fluent at speaking.

so if you

NOT DAITING,

NOT SEXUAL SCAM OR SOMETHING SSHIBAL

I...JUST WANT TO MAKE FRIENDS.........................................yo

I have recently started learning Korean (like a month) I am now pretty confident with my alphabet and mostly on track (with a few mistakes) with forming syllables.

But...

Where do I go from here? I know the odd phrases, I know a few words but, I have absolutely no idea about grammar and phrasing, I also don't have much experience with understanding honorifics or how to use them.

I'm really stuck on how I go about learning now? Are there any tips on what the best ways you expanded your Korean after this point? Any recommendations from tutors/ natives?

I would really appreciate any knowledge! ☺️

Hello world!

I just made a website for Korean learners. Not too hard, just easy enough to do like a drill.

Who am I?

I'm a native Korean speaker. I taught Korean language and literature to middle school students in Korea for several months. I'm not a professional teacher of Korean as a foreign language, but I taught Korean to my foreign friends several times, and some of them wanted to learn in more detail.

But the same particle mistakes came up again and again, like 을 vs 를 for objects, or 에 vs 에서 for places. So I first built this for my friends.

What it is

- A free website, not an app. It works in your phone browser, no sign-up.

- You pick the answer from 3-4 choices. One round is 10 questions, and you can start a new round anytime.

- Particles: Level 1 is the right form (책을, 사과를, 서울로). Level 2 adds the particle a verb needs (사과가 좋아요 vs 사과를 좋아해요). Level 3 adds 에 vs 에서.

- Numbers: native vs Sino-Korean with counters, age, time, dates, prices and phone numbers. Level 1 starts with 1-10.

- Every answer shows the rule in English, and if you pick a wrong option, it explains that mistake. The answers follow the National Institute of Korean Language (국립국어원) rules.

- If you can read Hangul, you can start from Level 1.

Price

It's totally FREE! No ads right now. I may add ads later, but the drills will stay free.

Your answers are saved anonymously to make the drills better (no cookies, no IP). You can turn this off at the bottom of the page.

I'd love your help to make this website better, so people can practice Korean easily.

https://koreanreps.com

-> So this is the website! Feel free to try and leave me comments! I'll answer questions here in the comments. Thank you :)

*If a sentence sounds unnatural or you think an answer is wrong, please tell me. I'd also love to hear what you'd want to drill next.

Hey everyone! I'm sharing my TOPIK 1 Reading practice test in case anyone missed it the first time around and needs some extra prep material.

​Here are the details about the material and my background to keep things transparent:

​Lesson Format and Structure: This is a self-study TOPIK 1 Reading practice test(TOPIK 1 READING MOCK UP TEST) designed to help learners check their reading skills and prepare for the exam. It includes structured practice questions.

​Pricing and Fees: FREE Available on my Buy Me a Coffee page (buymeacoffee.com/02100korean/e/522658).

​Qualifications and Credentials: I am an experienced Korean language instructor who has served as an instructor at the Metaverse King Sejong Institute for two years, receiving two outstanding teacher recognitions, and now I'm teaching in a university in Korea for 11 years.

​Grab it here if you want it: buymeacoffee.com/02100korean/e/522658

Hello 안녕하세요! 🇰🇷

I'm a native Korean speaker with 3 years of experience in Korean education, English academy consulting, and international student mentoring. I also majored in Business and Chinese in Canada and Korea, so I understand what it's like to learn a foreign language and feel nervous about speaking it.

👩‍🏫 A little about my students

I currently teach a variety of learners, from a 9-year-old student to a K-pop trainee and students preparing for exchange programs in Korea. I adapt my lessons to each student's age, level, interests, and goals.

Although I've been teaching for 3 years, I'm relatively new to Preply, so I'm currently welcoming new students to my classes!

💰 Lesson details

• Format: One-on-one online lessons on Preply website
• Duration: 50 minutes
• Price: $25 per lesson
• Language of instruction: Korean and English
• Level: All around!
• Materials: Personalized to your level and learning goals

My goal is simple: to help you use Korean with more confidence, one conversation at a time. ❤️

If you'd like to give it a try, you're welcome to book a trial lesson through my Preply profile!

👉 Preply profile: https://preply.in/SUN4KO39063387102?ts=17920920

I'd love to meet you and help you on your Korean-learning journey. 😊

How to tell a Korean’s age in 1 second: Ask them to read "#" 👀

🪣 40s & older: "Umul-jeong" (우물 정 / 井) Because the # symbol looks almost identical to the Hanja character 井 (meaning "water well").

📟 30s: "Sharp" (샵) Wait, the musical note? Yep! People mistook # for the musical sharp sign (♯), and 2000s automated phone voices made it official ("Press the sharp key after the beep"). 🎵

📱 20s & under: "Hashtag" (해시태그) Social media natives. To Gen Z, this symbol only exists for trending on IG and TikTok.

What do you call it—Pound, Hash, Sharp, or Hashtag? 👇

— shared from TYPOP

Hi! I'm Yuni, a native Korean speaker from Seoul with over 20 years of teaching experience. 😊

Have you studied Korean through apps, textbooks, videos, or classes, but still find it hard to express your thoughts in Korean?

In my lessons, I've met learners who knew Korean words and expressions but hadn't had many chances to use them in real conversations.

💬 In my 1:1 lessons, we start with what you want to say.

You try speaking in Korean. When you get stuck, I help you find the words and build simple sentences. Then we use those expressions again as the conversation continues.

It's not about speaking perfectly. It's about using the Korean you've already learned, with support when you need it.

🌱 Lesson details

• 1:1 online lessons for adult Korean beginners
• 50 minutes | $7 per regular lesson on Preply
• English support when needed
• Personalized speaking activities based on your interests
• Lesson notes and a personalized 8-lesson roadmap
• No textbook purchase required

Want to see how this works?

In a trial lesson, we can try a short conversation about something you enjoy and work through the moments when you get stuck.

🔗 My Preply profile: https://preply.com/en/tutor/8364078

Trial lesson pricing and available times are shown on my profile.

Questions about the lessons? Feel free to ask in the comments! 😊

Hi everyone! I'm a Korean dad and a solo developer in Seoul.

I know Korean isn't an easy language to learn. I've always felt that one of the best ways to learn a language is to actually enjoy it. So I started wondering: what if people who want to learn Korean could become the main character of a K-drama and live in Korea for a while? Maybe that would be the most fun way to learn.

So I made an app called Jeong. 정 (jeong) means a warm feeling that grows between people over time. In the app, you move to Korea and slowly build a bond with the characters. I hoped that learning the language would feel more natural, and more fun, when there's someone you actually want to talk to.

I've been building it on my own for the past two months, mostly at night after my one-year-old falls asleep. Now I'd really love to hear how it feels to people who are actually learning Korean. Honest feedback, good or bad, would mean a lot to me.

The video above is a short clip I made to show the idea. If it looks fun to you, please leave a comment and I'll send you a link to try the app.

A few things to know:

- It's iOS only for now (iPhone).

- There are three characters you can get to know.

- The characters' replies and voices are made with AI. The story and the Korean content, I wrote and checked myself.

- It's still a very small project, so I can't take many testers at once. I'd like to start with the first 20 people.

If you'd like to know more about the app: https://jeongapp.web.app

Thank you so much for reading.

감사합니다!

This one is quite popular i think. At least i also learned this song when i was in kindergarten. i can still follow the melody of the first line 가나다라마바사 아자차카타파하-

I'm quite sure most of native Koreans would know this deep in their unconciousness.

Hi everyone!

I’m a native Korean living in Korea. I’m posting this because I really want to understand the struggles and difficulties foreign learners face when studying Korean.

If you have any questions, things you find confusing, or topics about Korea/Korean that you’d like to learn more about, please leave a comment below!

Based on your comments, I’ll be sharing a lot of helpful posts and tips regularly.

Looking forward to reading your comments. Thank you!

"What's one Korean phrase you're struggling with right now?"

Have you ever felt a gap between stiff "textbook Korean" and how people actually speak in everyday life?

While teaching Korean, I often find that standard textbooks miss the expressions learners actually want to say. That’s slightly frustrating. So lately, I’ve been developing study materials using real spoken utterances from actual lessons—focusing on discourse patterns and how sentences naturally flow together.

I’m sharing three presentation decks here so you can use them for your own study:

• Deck 1: Sharing Experiences & Preferences (경험과 취향 나누기)
• Deck 2: Daily Life & Time (일상생활과 시간)
• Deck 3: Sharing Thoughts & Reasons (생각과 까닭 나누기)

Instead of isolated grammar drills, each deck flows from warm-up questions to real spoken patterns, natural word pairings (collocations) and tricky conjugations, and finally a realistic dialogue with a short writing prompt.

(Note: I’m sharing these freely for your personal study. Please just keep in mind that unauthorized copying, redistribution, modification, or commercial use is not permitted.)

As I continue developing this series, I’d like to hear your honest thoughts:

1. For those of you in the upper-beginner stage or transitioning into intermediate, would a real-discourse format like this help you move beyond basic sentences?
2. What could be added or improved to make these materials work better?

If you have any questions about the lesson content or expressions in the slides, feel free to ask in the comments.

Constructive criticism is very welcome—I just kindly ask that we keep the comments polite and respectful. I look forward to continuing the discussion with you all.

(Note: I’ve attached a image gallery of some slides from Deck 2 above as a preview, and you can find the complete PPTX files for all three decks at the link below!)

➔ 1. Experience & Preferences

➔ 2. Daily Life & Time

➔ 3. Thoughts & Reasons

https://forms.gle/TKPvdh1NuRdE5qD88

Hi everyone! 💗

I'm conducting a survey as part of my master's thesis research at Yonsei University in South Korea, and I'd really appreciate your help!

My research explores how K-pop fans learn and recognize Korean vocabulary through K-pop idol content.

🎤 All K-pop fans are welcome to participate!
🌱 Beginner Korean learners are especially encouraged to join! Even if you only know a little Korean, I'd love to hear from you!

💡 Curious about how much Korean you've picked up from watching your favorite idols? Take this survey and test your Korean vocabulary knowledge!

📋 Survey Details:

• Takes approximately 10–15 minutes
• Open to K-pop fans, especially beginner Korean learners
• 🎁 10 randomly selected participants will each receive a $10 gift card!

Your participation would be a huge help to my master's research! Thank you so much for your time and support! 🥹💗

\\

안녕하세요! I'm Hanwool, a native Korean speaker and a recent graduate from McMaster University in Canada. I was also a research intern at Seoul National University, so I’ve spent plenty of time working in Korean. I am looking for 3 students to teach Korean.

How I teach:
Lessons are one-on-one via Google Meet, and the fee is $22 CAD per hour. No materials are needed, as I’ll prepare everything.

The lesson structure is very flexible. I can teach you directly how to read, write, and pronounce Korean, or we can take a more fun approach, like reading webtoons together, playing games, or just having a conversation in Korean the way you would with a friend. We can also mix both depending on what works best for you.

I want you to feel comfortable asking questions and making mistakes, since that’s how you improve.

Fill in this form if you’d like to schedule a trial lesson :
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdC7aJhQ94Xv02Dr4WFpLqJiA9l63YQdvL4gPJAg7eAb_dfAQ/viewform?usp=publish-editor

If you're learning Korean, these three expressions are super useful!

👋 1. 진짜요? (jinjjayo?)
“Really?”
Use it when you're surprised or want to confirm something.

😊 2. 괜찮아요 (gwaenchanayo)
“It's okay” or “I'm fine.”
The meaning depends on the situation.

🙏 3. 잠시만요 (jamsimanyo)
“Just a moment, please.”
Useful when you need someone to wait briefly.

✨ Beginner tip:
Try learning each phrase as a complete expression instead of memorizing individual words.

Your turn!
Which phrase would you like to learn to use naturally in a conversation?

1. 진짜요?
2. 괜찮아요
3. 잠시만요

Tell me in the comments! 😊

A little disclaimer upfront: yes, this post is partly about self-promoting and introducing myself as a Korean tutor. However, I felt that if my life journey, which has shaped who I am and my teaching style, could be helpful to some of you, or if my approach resonates with what you've been looking for in your Korean-learning journey, I'd love to find a way to help.

Hi everyone,

I'm a native Korean who moved to Europe at 12 years old, barely speaking a word of English. I ended up spending 20 years here, finishing secondary school, earning my degree in the UK, and spending over a decade working in global marketing and consulting for major US multinationals, followed by a couple of years at the South Korean headquarters of a major Korean corporation.

Watching Korea's global cultural explosion over the last decade has been surreal.

When I first arrived in Europe, people would literally hold up their Samsung phones and ask if "my country" had anything like that, or if I even knew what a mobile phone was :)

To see people all over the world now passionately learning our language is something I could never have imagined back then.

A couple of months ago, I resigned and started something completely different: teaching Korean 1:1 on Preply, despite everyone's concerns and disappointment

One of the reasons is that, along with your usual corporate nightmare rhetoric, I saw so many Korean learners hitting the exact same emotional wall I hit when I had to teach myself English 20 years ago.

I know exactly how frustrating it is to learn a language in the target language when you don't have enough knowledge of it.

I had to learn English in English.

My teachers and friends genuinely wanted to help. But sometimes, the more they explained something, the more confused and discouraged I became.

Every explanation introduced another five words I didn't know, another nuance I hadn't mastered yet, or another grammatical concept I didn't have the foundation to understand.

Years later, I started noticing Korean learners going through exactly the same thing.

And I kept thinking: I know that feeling. It was always followed by an almost instinctive urge to step in and help.

Throughout my career, I often found myself acting as a bridge between cultures, whether it was helping international teams communicate, training junior colleagues, or explaining cultural nuances to clients.

At my last corporate job, I even ended up informally helping expat colleagues improve their Korean, helping them read the cues and navigate the unspoken rules of hierarchy in Korean meeting rooms, which I secretly enjoyed more than anything.

Two months in, I've achieved Super Tutor status and received 5-star reviews on Preply, but the real reward is knowing that the time and effort I put in directly translate into a student's confidence.

So far, I am very happy with my decision, and I don't regret walking away from the "glamour and prestige" that everyone warned me about.

I'm not saying this is a magical antidote to all your life's problems and that everything is just wonderful. There are still many challenges, as many tutors here would relate to.

For example, figuring out how to make my working hours sustainable while still being able to offer the level of customisation I want. And I certainly haven't mastered everything in two months.

But here is what makes me very happy. For the first time in a long time, my daily work aligns with my values :)

In corporate consulting, you are constantly caught between hitting your KPI targets and genuinely helping people. These two can be at odds with each other. Tutoring has stripped away much of that noise.

I feel I have found my peace in being able to control my own time, and in the fact that helping others is now a core part of my job and my responsibility.

Also, seeing direct results right after investing my time and effort just makes each day filled with job satisfaction, as opposed to my late nights and weekends of work getting lost somewhere in a chain of approval processes and meaningless meetings for the sake of meetings.

I don't know where I will be or how I will feel three months down the road, and I'm not saying the Preply platform is perfect either. I also have the same frustrations as you all do.

But... at least I'm quite grateful that, with the platform and the shift in working culture and dynamics, I could find the courage to walk away and find a path that closely aligns with who I am as a person.

Thank you so much for reading this far, and I hope my story has been somewhat helpful to you on your own language learning or teaching journey.

---

If you believe who I am as a person and my background could help your learning journey, then you can find my profiles on Preply and iTalki below.

Just a little note: I am more active on Preply than iTalki. So if you'd like to get a better sense of student feedback, my Preply profile would be a good place to start. 😊

Preply : https://preply.in/KIM6EN37655746102?ts=17919855

iTalki : https://www.italki.com/en/teacher/32882979

My current rate is $30 for a 50-minute lesson.

My approach is quite simple.

I teach Korean beyond the textbook, focusing on how people actually speak, what expressions mean in real-life situations, and the cultural nuances.

And because I've been on both sides of the language-learning experience, I try to explain things in a way that makes sense from the learner's perspective.

My students are wonderfully diverse. Some are complete beginners, some want to communicate better with Korean family members, and others need Korean for work, travel, or everyday life.

I tailor lessons to their interests, goals, pace, and learning styles. Because not everyone learns the same way, and I don't think they should have to.

And whether or not we end up having lessons together, I hope this encourages anyone who's struggling with Korean, or anyone out there who's also navigating life as an expat.

P.S. I'm a woman in my late 30s and happily married — just to be clear! 😊 I teach both male and female students, all of whom have been very respectful and genuinely interested in learning Korean.

Two Ways to Say “Thank You” in Korean 🇰🇷

Learning Korean? Here are two useful expressions you’ll hear every day!
🙏 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida)

A polite and formal way to say “thank you.” It’s a great choice when speaking to strangers, customers, teachers, or people you don’t know well.

😊 고마워요 (gomawoyo)
A polite but slightly more casual way to express thanks. You can use it in many everyday situations.

✨ Beginner tip:
Both expressions are polite. The best choice depends on the situation and your relationship with the other person.

Your turn!
Imagine someone helps you carry a heavy bag. Which expression would you use?
A) 감사합니다
B) 고마워요

And if you’ve learned Korean for a while, which expression do you use most often? 😊