Learn Korean together

The vowels, the basic consonants, and how a syllable block is built.

1. The ten vowels and the silent circle
2. Five consonants that draw the mouth
3. Four more consonants, and the shape of a block
4. Checkpoint: the letters so far
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The bottom consonant, the last letters, and your first Korean words.

1. The letter that stands on the floor
2. Vowels made of two vowels
3. Whole words, and the gaps between them
4. Checkpoint: reading hangul
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The fourteen consonants and ten vowels of Hangul, how they stack into syllable blocks, and the first Korean words a learner can read out loud.

1. Hangul: the vowels and the silent ㅇ
2. Hangul: the plain consonants
3. Hangul: aspirated, tense and compound
4. Checkpoint: Hangul
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The final consonant that closes a syllable, the seven sounds it can make, and the rules that move sounds across syllable boundaries when Koreans speak fast.

1. Batchim: the seven final sounds
2. Linking: 연음
3. Assimilation and aspiration
4. Checkpoint: Batchim and the Sound Rules
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The fixed phrases that open, close and soften every Korean conversation, and the bow that comes with them.

1. Hello and goodbye
2. Thank you, sorry, and it is fine
3. Meeting someone for the first time
4. Checkpoint: Greetings and Set Phrases
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The sentence that names a thing, the question that asks about it and the negation that denies it, with the topic particle 은/는 that opens every introduction.

1. Who you are: 저는 N이에요/예요
2. Asking: 뭐예요, 누구예요, 어느 나라
3. Negation: 이/가 아니에요
4. Checkpoint: Who You Are
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The three-way pointing system 이/그/저 that Korean uses instead of two, the things it names and the places it points to, and the shop conversation it makes possible.

1. This, that and that over there: 이것, 그것, 저것
2. 이/그/저 + noun and whose it is
3. Here, there and over there: 여기, 거기, 저기, 어디
4. Checkpoint: This, That and That Over There
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The verb that says a thing exists or is somewhere, the location particle 에 and the position nouns that put it above, below, in front of or beside something else.

1. There is and I have: N이/가 있어요/없어요
2. Where it is: 에 있어요 and the position nouns
3. Places and the particle 에
4. Checkpoint: Existence and Place
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The two number systems of Korean, which one each counter takes, and telling the time, the date and a price.

1. Sino-Korean numbers: 일, 이, 삼
2. Native numbers and counters
3. Time, days and dates
4. Checkpoint: Numbers, Time and Dates
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The polite present tense every verb and adjective takes, the object particle 을/를 and the two particles 에서 and 에 that separate where you do something from where you go.

1. Verbs in -아요/어요 and the object 을/를
2. 하다 verbs and the two places: 에서 and 에
3. Adjectives in -아요/어요
4. Checkpoint: the -아요/어요 Style
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The daily routine told in order, the particle 에 on times, 부터 and 까지 for spans, the two negations 안 and 못 and the particles that say with whom.

1. Times and spans: 에, 부터, 까지
2. Not and cannot: 안 and 못
3. With whom: 하고, (이)랑, 와/과, 같이
4. Checkpoint: A Day in Korean
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The past tense -았/었어요, the future -(으)ㄹ 거예요, wanting with -고 싶어요 and the polite request -(으)세요 that turns a verb into a favour or an instruction.

1. The past: -았/었어요
2. The future: -(으)ㄹ 거예요
3. Wanting and asking: -고 싶어요, -(으)세요, -지 마세요
4. Checkpoint: Past, Future and Requests
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The four connective endings that turn two short sentences into one, and the difference between a reason that can order someone around and one that cannot.

1. And and but: -고 and -지만
2. Because and then: -아서/어서
3. The reason that commands: -(으)니까
4. Checkpoint: Joining Sentences
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The six families of stems that change shape before a vowel ending, learnt as families with their look-alikes that do not change.

1. ㅂ and ㄷ irregulars
2. 르 and ㅅ irregulars
3. ㅎ and ㄹ irregulars
4. Checkpoint: The Irregular Verbs
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

Ability with -(으)ㄹ 수 있다, obligation with -아/어야 하다, permission with -아/어도 되다 and prohibition with -(으)면 안 되다.

1. Ability: -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요/없어요
2. Obligation: -아/어야 해요/돼요
3. Permission and prohibition: -아/어도 돼요, -(으)면 안 돼요
4. Checkpoint: Can, Must and May
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The endings that say what you mean to do, what you promise to do and what you decided, with the ordering words 전에 and 후에.

1. Intention: -(으)려고 해요
2. Promise and guess: -(으)ㄹ게요, -겠어요, -(으)ㄹ 거예요
3. Decided and in what order: -기로 하다, -기 전에, -(으)ㄴ 후에
4. Checkpoint: Plans, Promises and Intentions
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The auxiliary verbs that attach to -아/어: 보다 for trying and for experience, 주다 for a favour done, and the vocabulary of ordering, asking and helping.

1. Try it: -아/어 보다 and -아/어 보세요
2. Experience: -아/어 봤어요 and -(으)ㄴ 적이 있어요
3. A favour done: -아/어 주다
4. Checkpoint: Trying, Experience and Favours
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The modifier endings that let a verb or adjective sit in front of a noun, which is how Korean says the book I read, the person who is coming and the film I will watch.

1. The present modifier -는
2. Adjectives and the past: -(으)ㄴ
3. The future modifier -(으)ㄹ and the noun 것
4. Checkpoint: Describing Nouns
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

Comparison with 보다 and 제일, sameness with 만큼 and 처럼, and the pattern -(으)ㄴ/는 것 같다 that turns a description into a guess.

1. More and most: 보다 더, 제일/가장
2. As much as, like: 만큼, 처럼, 같이
3. It seems: -(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ 것 같다
4. Checkpoint: Comparing and Guessing
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The conditional -(으)면, the simultaneous -(으)면서, the time clause -(으)ㄹ 때 and the pair 전에/후에 that puts events in order.

1. If and when: -(으)면
2. While: -(으)면서 and -는 동안
3. When: -(으)ㄹ 때 and 전에/후에
4. Checkpoint: If, When and While
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The three registers a learner needs by the end of A2: casual speech with friends, the formal style of announcements and interviews, and the subject honorific that raises the person spoken about.

1. Casual speech: 반말
2. Formal speech: -ㅂ/습니다
3. Raising the subject: -(으)시-
4. Checkpoint: Speech Levels
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The sentence endings that carry the speaker's attitude: surprise, realisation, confirmation, proposal and mild insistence.

1. Noticing: -네요 and -군요/-구나
2. Proposing: -(으)ㄹ까요, -(으)ㅂ시다, -(으)ㄹ래요
3. Confirming: -지요/죠 and -잖아요
4. Checkpoint: Reactions and Suggestions
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The indirect speech system that folds a statement, a question, a suggestion or a command into one clause, and the contracted forms that everyday conversation runs on.

1. Reporting statements: -ㄴ/는다고, -다고, -(이)라고 하다
2. Reporting questions, suggestions and commands
3. The contractions -대요, -냬요, -재요, -래요
4. Checkpoint: Reporting Speech
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The suffixes that turn a verb inward (it gets done) or outward (someone makes it happen), and the phrasal patterns that do the same job for the verbs the suffixes skip.

1. The Passive Suffixes -이/히/리/기
2. The Causative Suffixes -이/히/리/기/우/구/추
3. The Long Forms: -아/어지다, -게 되다, -게 하다
4. Checkpoint: Passive and Causative
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

Six ways to give a reason that differ in tone: the neutral, the excuse, the unwelcome cause, the assurance, the aside and the reminder.

1. The Neutral Reason: -기 때문에 and N 때문에
2. Excuses and Mishaps: -느라고 and -는 바람에
3. Assurance and Aside: -(으)ㄹ 테니까, -거든요, -잖아요
4. Checkpoint: Reasons with a Nuance
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The scale of certainty from a strong guess to a faint possibility: -겠-, -나 보다, -(으)ㄴ/는 모양이다, -(으)ㄹ지도 모르다 and -(으)ㄹ 텐데.

1. The Guess from What You See: -겠- and -(으)ㄹ 것 같다
2. The Guess from Evidence: -나 보다, -(으)ㄴ가 보다, 모양이다
3. Might and Should Have: -(으)ㄹ지도 모르다, -(으)ㄹ 텐데
4. Checkpoint: Guessing and Being Sure
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The marker that reports what the speaker personally witnessed: -더라고요, -던데요, the modifiers -던 and -았/었던, and the two faces of -더니.

1. I Saw It Myself: -더라고요 and -던데요
2. The Past That Was Going On: -던 and -았/었던
3. Then and So: -더니 and -았/었더니
4. Checkpoint: Looking Back
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The time connectors of narrative: interruption with -다가, immediacy with -자마자, state with -(으)ㄴ 채, proportion with -(으)ㄹ수록 and the sequence markers -고 나서 and -고서.

1. Breaking Off: -다가 and -았/었다가
2. As Soon As and Still: -자마자, -는 길에, -(으)ㄴ 채로
3. The More, Every Time, and After: -(으)ㄹ수록, -(으)ㄹ 때마다, -고 나서
4. Checkpoint: Sequence and Change of Course
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The concessive endings that let a clause push against the one that follows: -아/어도, -더라도, -(으)ㄴ/는데도, -기는 하지만, -든지 and the contrast frame -(으)ㄴ/는 반면에.

1. Even If: -아/어도 and -더라도
2. Although It Is So: -(으)ㄴ/는데도 and -기는 하지만
3. Whichever and Whereas: -든지, -(으)ㄴ/는 반면에
4. Checkpoint: Even If and Although
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The set phrases built on the modifiers: nearly did, worth doing, need to, tend to, easy to, pretend to and thought that.

1. Nearly, Worth, Need: -(으)ㄹ 뻔하다, -(으)ㄹ 만하다, -(으)ㄹ 필요가 있다
2. Tendencies: -는 편이다, -기 쉽다/어렵다
3. Pretending and Thinking: -(으)ㄴ/는 척하다, -(으)ㄹ 줄 알았다, -는 대신에
4. Checkpoint: Useful Patterns of Judgement
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The style of diaries, essays, news and textbooks: the plain endings -ㄴ/는다 and -다, the written connectors, and the Sino-Korean building blocks that written vocabulary is made of.

1. The Plain Endings: -ㄴ/는다, -다, -(이)다
2. Written Connectors: -(으)며, -(으)나, -(으)므로, -고자
3. Sino-Korean Building Blocks
4. Checkpoint: Written Korean
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The quotative system put to argumentative use: as you said, as you know, just because they say so, and the surprise of -다니.

1. As: -는 대로 and -다시피
2. Just Because: -다고 해서, -다고 보다, -(이)라고 할 수 있다
3. Telling and Marvelling: -답니다, -다면서, -다니
4. Checkpoint: Quoting with a Point
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

Connectives that make an argument hold: the observed reason -기에/-길래, proportion -(으)ㄴ/는 만큼, condition-as-premise -(으)ㄴ/는 이상, -는 한 and the source phrases 에 따르면 and 을/를 통해.

1. Because I Saw: -기에, -길래 and -(으)ㄴ/는 만큼
2. Given That and As Long As: -(으)ㄴ/는 이상, -는 한, -(으)ㄹ 바에는
3. According To and Through: 에 따르면, 에 의하면, 을/를 통해
4. Checkpoint: Logical Relations for Argument
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The endings that place a claim on the scale between cannot be and is bound to be: -(으)ㄹ 리가 없다, -(으)ㄹ 게 틀림없다, -는 듯하다, -(으)ㄹ 법하다, -는 셈이다, -기 마련이다 and -(으)ㄹ 수밖에 없다.

1. Cannot Be and Must Be: -(으)ㄹ 리가 없다, -(으)ㄹ 게 틀림없다
2. It Seems and It Would Be Natural: -는 듯하다, -(으)ㄹ 법하다, -(으)ㄴ/는 셈이다
3. Bound To and No Choice: -기 마련이다, -(으)ㄹ 만도 하다, -(으)ㄹ 수밖에 없다
4. Checkpoint: Conviction and Hedging
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The particles and endings that push a statement to its edge: 조차, 마저, 까지, (이)라도, (이)나마, 밖에, then -(으)ㄹ 뿐만 아니라, (이)야말로, 에 불과하다, -(으)ㄹ 따름이다 and -기는커녕.

1. Even and At Least: 조차, 마저, 까지, (이)라도, (이)나마
2. Not Only and Precisely: -(으)ㄹ 뿐만 아니라, (이)야말로, 에 불과하다
3. Merely and Far From: -(으)ㄹ 따름이다, -(으)ㄹ 뿐이다, -기는커녕
4. Checkpoint: Emphasis, Extremes and Limits
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The Korean of headlines, articles and editorials: the nominal headline, the reporting verbs of journalism, the language of statistics and the moves of an opinion piece.

1. Reading a News Article
2. Numbers and Trends
3. The Editorial and the Opinion
4. Checkpoint: News and Society
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The three layers of figurative Korean: body-part idioms, proverbs, and the Sino-Korean four-character phrases that educated speech leans on.

1. Body Idioms
2. Proverbs
3. Four-Character Sayings
4. Checkpoint: Idioms, Proverbs and Four-Character Sayings
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The honorific and formal Korean of an office: the humble verbs, the email, the meeting and the presentation, and the interview that gets one the job.

1. Humble Verbs and the Office Hierarchy
2. The Business Email
3. Meetings and Presentations
4. Checkpoint: Korean at Work
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The Korean of narrative and verse: sound and shape words, the tenses of storytelling, a first poem read in the original, and the spoken shortcuts of drama and webtoon.

1. Sound and Shape Words: 의성어와 의태어
2. The Tenses of a Story
3. A Poem in the Original: 윤동주, 서시
4. Checkpoint: Reading Stories and Poems
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The connectives of essays, speeches and older prose that an advanced reader meets weekly and a writer needs for weight: -(으)되, -거니와, -(으)ㄹ뿐더러, -느니, -(으)ㄹ세라, -건대, -노라면, -(으)ㄹ지언정.

1. Conceding in Writing: -(으)되, -거니와, -(으)ㄹ뿐더러
2. Rather and Lest: -느니, -(으)ㄹ세라, -(으)ㄹ지언정
3. I Ask You: -건대, -노라면, -(으)ㄹ진대
4. Checkpoint: Literary Connectives and Endings
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The complete system of speech levels and lexical register, including the two levels a learner hears in drama but is never taught, and the art of switching level inside one conversation.

1. The Six Levels on One Table
2. Two Vanishing Levels: 하오체 and 하게체
3. Lexical Register and Switching
4. Checkpoint: Register and the Six Speech Levels
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The Korean of the thesis, the report and the seminar: how a study introduces itself, states its findings, defines and classifies, and defends itself in questions.

1. Introducing a Study
2. Stating Findings
3. Defining, Classifying, Comparing
4. Checkpoint: Academic Korean
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The Chinese characters behind sixty percent of the lexicon: recognising the fifty most common, reading the prefixes and suffixes that build abstract words, and telling homophones apart.

1. The Fifty Hanja Everyone Meets
2. Prefixes and Suffixes of the Abstract Word
3. Homophones and Layers of the Lexicon
4. Checkpoint: Hanja for Advanced Vocabulary
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The Korean spoken outside the Seoul standard: the south-east, the south-west, the centre and Jeju, the language of the North, and the speech of generations.

1. Gyeongsang: The Dialect of Busan and Daegu
2. Jeolla, Chungcheong and Jeju
3. North and South
4. Checkpoint: Dialects and Varieties
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The unspoken rules of Korean talk: how to refuse without saying no, how to ask, complain and apologise, how to take a compliment, and how age and rank shape every sentence.

1. Refusing and Softening
2. Requests, Complaints and Apologies
3. Compliments, Modesty and Face
4. Checkpoint: Pragmatics
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

How Korean is used to move people: the figures of speech, the language of advertising and slogans, the structure of a speech, and the tricks of a misleading headline.

1. Figures of Speech
2. The Language of Advertising
3. Building a Speech
4. Checkpoint: Rhetoric, Media and Persuasion
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

Where Hangul came from and what it lost, and the orthographic norm an educated Korean is judged by: the hard spellings, 사이시옷 and the spacing rules.

1. 훈민정음: How the Alphabet Was Designed
2. The Letters That Disappeared
3. The Hard Spellings and the Spacing Rules
4. Checkpoint: The Script, Its History and the Norm
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The Korean canon in the original: the sijo, the sung narrative of pansori and folk song, the early modern poets, and the myths and folk tales every Korean carries.

1. The Sijo: 하여가 and 단심가
2. Pansori and Folk Song
3. The Early Modern Poets: 김소월 and 한용운
4. Checkpoint: Classical and Early Modern Literature
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The Korean of the contract, the clinic, the codebase and the bank: how each field bends the grammar, and the public notice that combines them all.

1. Legal and Administrative Korean
2. Medical and Scientific Korean
3. IT and Finance: Konglish and the Standard Term
4. Checkpoint: Specialist Registers
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

Korean seen from outside: the translationese that betrays a text, the words that will not cross, and how tone, humour and honorifics survive a change of language.

1. Diagnosing Translationese
2. The Words That Do Not Cross
3. Carrying Tone Across
4. Checkpoint: Translation and Contrast
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

The level above the sentence: the definitive treatment of 은/는 against 이/가, the markers that steer a conversation, the cohesion of a written text and the mechanics of turn-taking.

1. 은/는 and 이/가 in Discourse
2. Discourse Markers of Talk
3. Cohesion and Summary
4. Checkpoint: Discourse
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions

Where Korean is going: how new words are made, how the internet writes, what the language is arguing about with itself, and the play that a master can afford.

1. How New Words Are Made
2. The Written Internet
3. The Language Arguing With Itself
4. Checkpoint: The Summit
5. Reading, listening and 10 questions