The Korean written language known as Hangul has gained popularity due to its relatively simple phonetic nature. Many people say Hangul can be learned in a few hours, and they’re not wrong, for some, picking up this language is incredibly easy. If you have some time on your hands and you’re looking to be able to write Hangul here are some fun ways to learn.
Compare The Letters To Real Life Objects
The Korean letter that creates sound like the English b is and seems similar to a bed and therefore produces the “buh” sound. These sorts of comparisons can be used for a huge array of the Korean alphabet and are one of the reasons why Hangul can be easily taught and learned. By remembering an object associated with each letter you’ll increase your own understanding of the alphabet. The letter that makes the English “t” sound looks similar to teeth, and the same goes for “k” as the letter is shaped like a key. This can be a fun sort of game you play with yourself in order to develop your understanding.
Use A Self-Study Learning Program
As much as you may want to be entirely self-taught, having a program that outlines goals and provides structured learning definitely takes the frustration out of learning Hangul. The experts at 90 Day Korean, show how you can learn the elemental foundations of Hangul, click here for a review of lessons. Having professionals teach you the best methodology of approaching learning is going to reduce your learning curve. The faster you learn Hangul the more able you’ll be able to incorporate it into your understanding of speaking Korean as well.
Look In The Mirror While Pronouncing Words
Most of the consonants pronounced in Korean are going to be similar to the shape your mouth makes when pronouncing the letter. This is a huge asset when you’re attempting to learn the written language as you can mouth your way through it. If you get a visualization for how your mouth looks when you’re making certain sounds this will help solidify the shape of characters for you. This is what makes Hangul so much easier to learn to read and write in when compared to other languages.
Use The Letters As A Frame Of Reference To One Another
The letters “b” and “p” as well as “g” and “k” are extremely similar visually in the Korean alphabet. They just have an additional insertion of a line through them, and this frame of reference helps with understanding the letters. Create a comparison sheet of similar looking letters and then review it. By memorizing at least half of these letters, as long as you remember the counterpart pairing, you’ll have the entire Korean alphabet at your disposal. This is a fun and easy way to create a memory pattern.
Create Flashcards
If you’re attempting to learn how to write Hangul, a good portion of the process is to remember what the characters look like and not just recognizing what they are. In order to do this, create flashcards with the objects associated with the letter. In the case of chimdae, have a flashcard ready with a bed on it.
When you review the flashcard, attempt to create the letter to the best of your ability and then check to see if you’re right. With a little bit of practice you’ll soon be associating the picture with being able to write the letter. The hardest part of writing Hangul is being able to recall what the image looks like and putting pen to paper.
Practicing Writing Syllable Chunks
The Korean alphabet is written in syllable blocks as opposed to being written with one letter after the other like English is. Each syllable chunk is going to represent a different sound for that syllable. The syllables are read clockwise from left to right, to the bottom letter. Practice creating your own syllable blocks with various letters from the Korean alphabet and see how they would function. Writing this out on your own is going to increase your capacity to remember the symbols a lot better.
Learning Hangul can be a super fun experience if you have the right imagination, and it doesn’t take long to pick things up. Don’t worry if you’re having trouble remembering a few characters it will come in time, but using a professional learning service is seriously going to help with your learning curve. Just remember to have fun during the whole experience. In a couple of days, you’ll be a master at both reading and writing in Hangul.
