Lesson 1: The Korean Alphabet is 24 Letters

Posted on July 1, 2010 by John

A Korean letter is Hangul. ㄱ ㄴ ㄷ ㄹ ㅁ ㅂ ㅅ ㅇ ㅈ ㅊ ㅋ ㅌ ㅍ ㅎ are consonants and ㅏ
ㅑ ㅓ ㅕ ㅗ ㅛ ㅜ ㅠ ㅡ ㅣ are vowels.

Consonants:

ㄱ sounds like g.

ㄴ sounds like n.

ㄷ sounds like d.

ㄹ sounds like l.

ㅁ sounds like m.

ㅂ sounds like b.

ㅅ sounds like s.

ㅇ doesn’t have any sound when it comes first and sounds like ~ng when it is at the
bottom.

ㅈ sounds like j.

ㅊ sounds like ch.

ㅋ sounds like k.

ㅌ sounds like t.

ㅍ sounds like p.
ㅎ sounds like h.

Vowels:

ㅏ sounds like a.

ㅑ sounds like ya.

ㅓ sounds like u.

ㅕ sounds like yu.

ㅗ sounds like o.

ㅛ sounds like yo.

ㅜ sounds like oo.

ㅠ sounds like yoo.

ㅡ sounds like eu

ㅣ sounds like i

There are some mixed consonants and vowels.

ㄲ sounds like gg.

ㄸ sounds like dd.

ㅃ sounds like bb

ㅆ sounds like ss.

ㅉ sounds like jj.

ㅐ sounds like ae

ㅒ sounds like yae

ㅔ sounds like ae

ㅖ sounds like yae

ㅚ sounds like oi

ㅙ sounds like oae

ㅟ sounds like we

ㅞ sounds like wae

ㅢ sounds like eui

ㅝ sounds like wu.

Now we are going to make a letter.

ㄱ + ㅏ = 가 (ga)

ㄴ + ㅏ = 나 (na)

ㄷ + ㅏ = 다 (da)

ㄹ + ㅏ = 라 (la)

ㅁ + ㅏ = 마 (ma)
ㅂ + ㅓ = 버 (bu)

ㅅ + ㅓ = 서 (su)

ㅇ + ㅓ = 어 (uh) (If ㅇcomes at the beginning of the letter it has no sound.)

ㅈ + ㅓ = 저 (ju)

ㅊ + ㅓ = 처 (chu)

ㅌ + ㅗ = 토 (to)

ㅍ + ㅗ = 포 (po)

ㅋ + ㅗ = 코 (ko)

ㅎ + ㅗ = 호 (ho)

ㄲ + ㅜ = 꾸 (ggoo)

ㄸ + ㅜ = 뚜 (ddoo)

ㅃ +ㅣ = 삐 (bbi)

ㅆ + ㅣ = 씨 (ssi)

ㅉ + ㅡ = 쯔 (jjeu)
Here is a basic letter chart.

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Lesson 2: Making a Korean Word →

Lesson 2: Making a Korean Word
Posted on July 19, 2010 by John

Now we are going to make a word.

ㅇ+ㅏ+ㅂ+ㅓ+ㅈ+ㅣ= 아버지 (ah-bu-ji) It means father.

ㅇ+ㅓ+ㅁ+ㅓ+ㄴ+ㅣ= 어머니 (uh-mu-ni) It means mother.

Lots of the Korean letters have final consonants.

ㅎ+ㅏ+ㄴ+ㄱ+ㅜ+ㄱ= 한국 (han-gook) It means Korea.

ㅎ+ㅏ+ㄴ+ㄱ+ㅡ+ㄹ= 한글 (han-geul) It means Korean language

ㄱ+ㅏ+ㅇ+ㅇ+ㅏ+ㅈ+ㅣ= 강아지 (gang-ah-ji) It means puppy.

* In this case, the first ㅇsounds ~ng and second one has no sound.

Lesson 3: Making a Korean Sentence

Posted on July 19, 2010 by John

Let’s make a sentence.

Basic sentence formation is like this:

{Subject/Topic+particle} + {Object+particle} + {Verb/Adjective+conjugation}

Example: 나는 학교에 갑니다.

나 is subject
는 is particle
학교 is object
에 is particle
갑니다 is verb

Sentence Practice
1) A is B – A는 B입니다

You could switch A and B.

A can be I (나) You (당신 or 당신들) He (그남자) She (그여자) They (그들)
We (우리) this (이것) that(저것) these (이것들) those (저것들)

B can be student (학생) teacher (교사) boy (소년) girl (소녀) soldier (군인)
police (경찰) doctor (의사) desk (책상)

I am a student. – 나는 학생입니다. ( na-neun-hak-saeng-im-ni-da)

* If subject has final consonant, 는 has to changed to 은.

They are doctors. – 그들은 의사입니다 (geu-deul-eun-eui-sa-im-ni-da)

* 입니다 sounds like 임니다.

This is a desk. – 이것은 책상입니다. (yi-gu-seun-chaek-sang-im-ni-da)

2) A go to B – A는 B에 갑니다.
You could switch A and B.

A can be I (나) You (당신 or 당신들) He (그남자) She (그여자) They (그들)
We (우리)

B can be school (학교) park (공원) store (가게) restroom (화장실) hospital (병원)
police station (경찰서) church (교회)

I go to school. – 나는 학교에 갑니다.

(na-neun-hak-gyo-ae-gam-ni-da)
* basic meaning of “go” is 가다. In the sentence it changes to 갑니다.

We go to church. – 우리들은 교회에 갑니다.

(oo-li-deul-eun-gyo-hoi-ae-gam-ni-da)

Lesson 4: Past, Present, Future Tense for Korean Verbs

Posted on July 21, 2010 by John

Past Tense Practice

I go to school. – 나는 학교에 갑니다.

(na-neun-hak-gyo-eh-gam-ni-da)
If you want to change to past tense 갑니다 changes to 갔습니다
I went to school yesterday. – 나는 어제 학교에 갔습니다.
(na-neun-uh-je-hak-gyo-eh-gat-seum-ni-da.)

Here are some verbs with a changed form of past tense.

English verb in present tense – Basic Korean verb – present tense – past tense

Go -가다 (ga-da) – 갑니다 (gam-ni-da) – 갔습니다 (gat-seum-ni-da)

Come -오다(oh-da) – 옵니다 (ohm-ni-da) – 왔습니다 (wat-seum-ni-da)
Buy – 사다 (sa-da) – 삽니다 (sam-ni-da) – 샀습니다 (sat-seum-ni-da)
Wear – 입다 (ib-da) – 입습니다 (ib-seum-ni-da) – 입었습니다 (ib-ut-seum-ni-da)
Open – 열다 (yul-da) – 엽니다 (yum-ni-da) – 열었습니다 (yul-ut-seum-ni-da)
Close – 닫다 (dat-da) – 닫습니다 (dat-seum-ni-da) – 닫았습니다 (dat-at-seum-ni-da)
Walk – 걷다 (gut-da) – 걷습니다 (gut-seum-ni-da) – 걸었습니다 (gul-ut-seum-ni-da)
Run – 뛰다 (ddui-da) – 뜁니다 (dduim-ni-da) – 뛰었습니다 (ddui-ut-seum-ni-da)
Talk-말하다(mal-ha-da)-말합니다(mal-ham-ni-da)-말했습니다(mal-haet-seum-ni-da)
Fight-싸우다(ssa-oo-da)-싸웁니다(ssa-oom-ni-da)-싸웠습니다(ssa- wuat-seum-ni-da)

Future Tense Practice

I go to school. – 나는 학교에 갑니다.

(na-neun-hak-gyo-eh-gam-ni-da)
If you want to change to future tense 갑니다 changes to 갈겁니다
I am going to school tomorrow.-나는 내일 학교에 갈겁니다.
(na-neun-nae-il-hak-gyo-eh-gal-gum-ni-da)

Here are some verbs with a changed form of future tense.

English verb in present tense – Basic Korean verb – present tense-future tense

Play – 놀다 (nol-da) – 놉니다 (nom-ni-da) – 놀겁니다 (nol-gum-ni-da)

Eat – 먹다 (muk-da) -먹습니다 (muk-seum-ni-da) – 먹을겁니다 (muk-eul-gum-ni-da)
Drink – 마시다 (ma-shi-da) – 마십니다 (ma-shim-ni-da) – 마실겁니다 (ma-shil-gum-
ni-da)
Dance – 춤추다 (choom-choo-da) – 춤춥니다 (choom-choomni-da) – 춤출겁니다
(choom-chool-gum-ni-da)
Write – 쓰다 (sseu-da) – 씁니다 (sseum-ni-da) – 쓸겁니다 (sseul-gum-ni-da)
Sleep – 자다 (ja-da) – 잡니다 (jam-ni-da) – 잘겁니다 (jal-gum-ni-da)
Drive – 운전하다 (oon-jun-ha-da) – 운전합니다 (oon-un-ham-ni-da) – 운전할겁니다
(oon-jun hal-gum-ni-da)
Meet – 만나다 (man-na-da) – 만납니다 (man-nam-ni-da) – 만날겁니다 (man-nal-gum-
ni-da)
Listen – 듣다 (deut-da) – 듣습니다 (deut-seum-ni-da) – 들을겁니다 (deul-eul-gum-ni-
da)
Sing – 노래하다 (no-lae-ha-da) – 노래합니다 (no-lae-ham-ni-da) – 노래할겁니다 (no-
lae-hal-gum-ni-da)
Lesson 5: Questioning Sentences in Korean
Posted on July 27, 2010 by John

Interrogative Sentences in Korean

Basic Sentence: A is B——–A 는 B입니다.

Questioning Sentence: Is A B? —— A는 B 입니까?
다 changes into 까

Practice 1

I am a student. – 나는 학생입니다. ( na-neun-hak-saeng-im-ni-da)

Am I a student? – 나는 학생입니까? (na-neun-hak-saeng-im-ni-gga?)

This is a desk. – 이것은 책상입니다. (yi-gu-seun-chaek-sang-im-ni-da)

Is this a desk? – 이것은 책상입니까? (yi-gu-seun-chaek-sang-im-ni-gga?)

Basic Sentence : A go to B – A는 B에 갑니다.

Questioning Sentence : Does A go to B – A는 B에 갑니까?
다 changes into 까

Practice 2

We go to church. – 우리들은 교회에 갑니다.

(woo-li-deul-eun-gyo-hoi-e-gam-ni-da)
Do we go to church? – 우리들은 교회에 갑니까?
(woo-li-deul-eun-gyo-hoi-e-gam-ni-gga?)

They went to the park.-그들은 공원에 갔습니다.

(geu-deul-eun-gong-won-e-gat-seum-ni-da)
Do they go to the park? –그들은 공원에 갔습니까?
(geu-deul-eun-gong-won-e-gat-seum-ni-gga?)
Basic Sentence
What is this? – 이것은 무엇입니까? (yi-gu-seun moo-ut-im-ni-gga?)
Who are you? – 당신은 누구입니까? (dang-shin-eun-noo-goo-im-ni-gga?)
How much is this?- 이것은 얼마입니까? (yi-gu-seun-ul-ma-im-ni-gga?)

What are you doing?-당신은 무엇을 하고 있습니까?

(dang-shin-eun-moo-ut-seul-ha-go-it-seum-ni-gga?)
Where are you going? – 당신은 어디에 가고 있습니까?
(dang-shin-eun-u-di-e-ga-go-it-seum-ni-gga?)

Lesson 6: Negative Sentences in Korean

Posted on August 6, 2010 by John

Negative Sentences

Basic negative word is 아니다 (not).

Basic Sentence: A is B——–A 는 B입니다

Negative Sentence : A is not B. —- A는 B가(이) 아닙니다.
If Word B has a bottom consonant, we use 이.
If Word B has no bottom consonant, we use 가.
Practice

1) I am a student. – 나는 학생입니다.
( na-neun-hak-saeng-im-ni-da)
I am not a student. – 나는 학생이 아닙니다
(na-neun-hak-saeng-ee-ah-nim-ni-da)

2) That is a school- 저것은 학교입니다.

(ju-gu-seun-hak-gyo-im-ni-da)
That is not a school – 저것은 학교가 아닙니다
(ju-gu-seun-hak-gyokga-ah-nim-ni-da)
Basic Sentence: A go to B – A는 B에 갑니다.
Negative Sentence A don’t (doesn’t) go to B —– A는 B에 가지않습니다.
——A는 B에 안갑니다.

Note that word 않습니다 has mixed bottom consonant ㄶ

(ㅎdoesn’t make any sound.)

Practice

1) I go to school.- 나는 학교에 갑니다

(na-neun-hak-gyo-eh-gam-ni-da)
I don’t go to school- 나는 학교에 가지않습니다.
(na-neun-hak-gyo-eh-ga-ji-an-seum-ni-da)
– 나는 학교에 안갑니다
(na-neun-hak-gyo-eh-an-gam-ni-da)

2) They went to the park.-그들은 공원에 갔습니다.

(geu-deul-eun-gong-won-eh-gat-seum-ni-da)
They didn’t go to the park – 그들은 공원에 가지않았습니다.
(geu deul-eun-gong-won-eh-ga-ji-an-gat-seum-ni-da)
– 그들은 공원에 안갔습니다.
(geu-deul-eun-gong-won-eh-an-gat-seum-ni-da)

3) Are you a student? – 당신은 학생입니까?

(dang-shin-eun-hak-saeng-im-ni gga?)
Aren’t you a student? – 당신은 학생이 아닙니까?
(dang-shin-eun-hak-saeng-ee-ah-nim-ni-gga?)

Lesson 7: Using Honorific in Korean

Posted on August 16, 2010 by John

Korean is probably the only language that has an honorific grammatically.

1. In honorific sentence 시 (shi) added to the verb.
Go – 가다 (ga-da) – 가시다 (ga-shi-da)
Come -오다 (oh-da) – 오시다 (oh-shi-da)
Wear – 입다 (ib-da) – 입으시다 (ib-eu-shi-da)
Shoot – 쏘다 (sso-da) – 쏘시다 (sso-shi-da)
Do – 하다 (ha-da) – 하시다 (ha-shi-da)

Example:
I go to school. – 나는 학교에 갑니다
(na-neun-hak-gyo-eh-gam-ni-da)
My Mother goes to the market. – 나의 어머니는 시장에 가십니다.
(na-eui-uh-mu-ni-neun shi-jang-eh-ga-shim-ni-da)

In this sentence, note that present tense verb 갑니다(gam-ni-da) changes to

가십니다 (ga-shim-ni-da)

2. My friend came. – 내 친구가 왔습니다.

(nae-chin-goo-ga-wat-seum-ni-da)
My Father came. – 내 아버지께서 오셨습니다.
(nae-ah-bu-ji-gge-su-oh-shut-sem-ni-da)

In this sentence, note that subject-particle 가(ga) changes to

께서 (gge-su) and past tense verb 왔습니다 (wat seum-ni-da) changes to
오셨습니다.(oh-shut-sem-ni-da)

3. Some of the pronouns change to an honorific too.

When you speak to older people,
I –나는 (na-neun) has to change to 저는(ju-neun)
We-우리들은(woo-li-deul-eun) has to change to 저희들은(ju-hee-deul-eun)

4. Some verbs changes irregular way.

Eat-먹다 (muk-da) -드시다 (deu-shi-da)
Talk-말하다(mal-ha-da)-말씀하시다(mal-sseum-ha-shi-da)
Example:
I talked to my father. – 나는 나의 아버지께 말했습니다.
(na-neun-na-eui-ah-bu-ji-gge-mal-haet-seum-ni-da)
My father talked to me. – 나의 아버지께서 내게 말씀하셨습니다.
(na-eui-ah-bu-ji-gge-su-nae-ge-mal-sseum-ha-shut-sem-ni-da)