안녕하세요! 저는 한국어를 배우고 있지만 한국어를 아주 잘 못해요. 한국어를 아주 잘 말하는 거 싶을래요.
Translation: Hello! I am learning to speak Korean but I don’t speak very well. I want to speak Korean very well.
In preparation for my upcoming move to Korea, I figured one important way to prepare is to start learning some of the language. I am very big on attempting to learn the language of the place I am visiting (and in this case, living). If I don’t speak the language at all, I like to at least learn a few phrases to make an effort at speaking and not assume that the locals can speak English. I don’t like perpetuating the stereotype that Americans are arrogant, but as usual, I digress.
Below are some of the ways I’ve been diving into the Korean language:
1. iTalki
iTalki is a language learning platform. You can scroll through and choose who you want tutoring you. The instructors list their credentials, rates, and availability. My tutor, Teacher J is amazing! Not only is she super reasonably priced, she’s also one of the sweetest and most patient people ever. Before we started our tutoring sessions, she asked me what my language level was so she would know how to proceed. If I don’t have anything specific I want to learn, she’ll have something prepared for me. Or, as is usually the case, I’ll message her questions I have about different grammar or vocabulary points and she’ll tailor our tutoring session around those questions.
2. King Sejong Institute
Before signing up for classes at the King Sejong Institute, I had a little experience with Korean from a private tutor I had hired for a few months. That tutor was great, but just a little on the expensive side. Then I heard about the King Sejong Institute. It was a great fit for me–find I do better in classroom settings, I liked their standardized curriculum, the instructor was really nice, and it was relatively inexpensive. Their 16 week course (3 hour class, once a week) cost the same amount as I paid for four hours of private tutoring.
3. Los Angeles Korean-English Language Meetup Group
Quarantine Language Exchange group! And we were all very color coordinated
I heart this group so much. We would all meet up once a week (before the pandemic) and would share not only languages, but our cultures, our lives, would sometimes share a meal, and then there was that one time we went to a 노래방 (noraebang) and that was really cool too. Once the pandemic hit, a few of us from the meetup group decided to continue meeting (virtually) and center our conversations around whichever topic was in the headlines (and with 2020, there was ALWAYS a new topic to talk about every week–for instance: the pandemic itself, politics, California fires, murder hornets, the protests, racial tensions and inequalities, TV shows).
4. Howtostudykorean.com
I really don’t know what to say other than this is one of the most thorough websites covering Korean grammar that I have ever seen. Yes, I know Talk To Me In Korean is really popular and it’s a really great resource, but I just felt that Howtostudykorean.com‘s level of detail really resonated with me. I mean they got me to fully understand how and when to use 은/는 rather than 이/가 or vice versa.
5. HelloTalk
HelloTalk is such a cool app. It’s a language social media app. You mark what your target language is and then native speakers of that language will appear in your timeline. You can interact with native speakers’ posts, correct grammar if they request it, and practice reading in your target language. There’s also plenty of opportunities to tutor English learners on there, which comes in very handy if you’re needing to earn hours for your practicum.
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