- 01
Who Is Korean for Beginners for, and Who Should Skip It?
- 02
What Do You Need before You Start?
- 03
What Does the Course Cover Module by Module?
- 04
Module 1: Read Hangul
- 05
Module 2: Sound Like Korean
- 06
Module 3: Greet and Introduce Yourself
This page is the map. Each module below names what it teaches, gives target sentences you can test yourself against, and links to the full lessons. First, check that the course fits you.
Who Is Korean for Beginners for, and Who Should Skip It?
Korean for Beginners suits adults and older teenagers who cannot yet read Hangul and want a clear order to follow. It works for self-study at 5 to 8 hours a week, and it also fits alongside a class or a tutor. The course assumes English as the language of instruction and no earlier Korean.
Two groups should skip it:
- Heritage speakers who already hold conversations. If you understand family Korean but cannot read or write it, start with the Hangul course and then jump to the module that matches your gaps.
- Travellers with under two weeks. A full path is too long for a short trip. Learn the Hangul alphabet in a week and a set of greetings instead.
The course also does not suit someone who needs a certified level on a fixed date. It prepares you for A1 topics, but it does not issue a certificate. The next question is what you should have in place before Module 1.
What Do You Need before You Start?
You need 30 to 60 minutes a day, headphones or speakers, and a way to review words. Nothing else. No Korean, no textbook and no account is required.
Checklist before Module 1:
- A notebook or notes app for writing out target sentences by hand.
- A review habit: five minutes a day with Korean flashcards is enough to start.
- A place to say sentences aloud. Speaking aloud is part of every checkpoint.
The first module is the only hard prerequisite. Every later module assumes you can read Hangul without romanization. With that settled, here is the whole path in one table.
What Does the Course Cover Module by Module?
The course covers eight modules in a fixed order. The table lists each module's focus, a target sentence, and a typical time range. Hours are editorial estimates for lessons, exercises and first review, not measured results.
| Module | Focus | Target sentence | Typical hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Read Hangul | Letters, blocks, final consonants | 사랑해요 read aloud | 5 to 8 |
| 2. Sound like Korean | Final sounds, linking, tense vs plain | 한국어 [한구거] | 6 to 10 |
| 3. Greet and introduce | Greetings, name, origin | 안녕하세요. 저는 지민이에요. | 5 to 8 |
| 4. Count | Native and Sino-Korean numbers | 사과 두 개 주세요. | 8 to 12 |
| 5. First sentences | Particles, 이다, word order | 저는 학생이에요. | 10 to 15 |
| 6. Now and past | Polite present, past tense | 어제 커피를 마셨어요. | 10 to 15 |
| 7. Ask and say no | Questions, 안, 아니에요 | 저는 커피를 안 마셔요. | 8 to 12 |
| 8. Core words and listening | Top 100 words, sound practice | Dictate five short sentences | 8 to 10 |
The sections below use the same order for every module: what it covers, target sentences, a checkpoint, and what it leaves out.
Module 1: Read Hangul
Module 1 teaches the 24 basic Hangul letters, how they stack into syllable blocks, and how final consonants (batchim) sit under a block. It is the full Learn Hangul in a Week course: seven days of 30 to 60 minutes each, plus review, which is why the table allows 5 to 8 hours.
- Target words: 가방 (bag), 학교 (school), 사랑해요 (I love you; polite).
- Checkpoint: you can read these three words aloud from the page without romanization.
- Not covered: every sound-change rule. Those start in Module 2.
Reading Hangul without a crutch matters because later modules show Korean only in Hangul. Once the letters are automatic, the sounds come next.
Module 2: Sound Like Korean
Module 2 covers the sound habits that make written Korean come out right: seven final sounds, linking a final consonant to the next vowel, and the plain, tense and aspirated consonant contrast. Start with the pronunciation basics, then add the seven final sounds and liaison, the linking rule.
- Target words: 한국어 [한구거] (Korean language), 꽃이 [꼬치] (the flower, as subject).
- Checkpoint: you can say why 한국어 is not read letter by letter.
- Not covered: the full set of assimilation rules, such as nasalization in 국물 [궁물] and tensification inside compounds. They are introduced as the vocabulary needs them. Pronunciation follows the 국립국어원 standard pronunciation rules.
Sounds alone do not let you talk, so Module 3 gives you the first sentences to say.
Module 3: Greet and Introduce Yourself
Module 3 teaches Korean greetings and a short self-introduction in polite Korean. The pattern is name plus 이에요 or 예요: use 이에요 after a final consonant and 예요 after a vowel.
- Target sentences: 안녕하세요. 저는 지민이에요. 만나서 반갑습니다.
- Checkpoint: you can introduce yourself aloud with your own name, without reading it.
- Not covered: job titles and long small talk. The introductions pages go further.
Names are easy to say once you know the pattern, and numbers are the next small, closed set to learn.
Module 4: Count with Two Number Systems
Module 4 teaches both Korean number systems and the situations that call for each. Korean uses native numbers (하나, 둘, 셋) to count things and say hours, and Sino-Korean numbers (일, 이, 삼) for minutes, dates, money and phone numbers. Learn them in that pairing, not as two unrelated lists.
- Target sentences: 사과 두 개 주세요. (Two apples, please.) 세 시 이십 분이에요. (It is 3:20.) 오천 원이에요. (It is 5,000 won.)
- Checkpoint: you can say the time, a price and a quantity out loud.
- Not covered: counters other than 개 and 명, ordinal numbers and long phone numbers.
Start with Sino-Korean numbers and native Korean numbers, and use the numbers hub to find counters. With numbers in hand, you can build full sentences.
Module 5: Build Your First Sentences
Module 5 teaches verb-last word order, the object marker 을/를, the copula 이다 ("to be") and the two particle pairs 은/는 and 이/가. Start from sentence structure and then the topic and subject particles.
- Target sentences: 저는 학생이에요. (I am a student.) 커피를 마셔요. (I drink coffee.)
- Beginner-safe rule for 은/는 and 이/가: use 은/는 to set a topic or contrast ("as for me"), and 이/가 to introduce new information or answer "who?". 비가 와요 ("It's raining") is a typical 이/가 sentence.
- Checkpoint: you can make three new sentences from the same pattern by swapping nouns.
- Not covered: the full difference between 은/는 and 이/가 in long sentences, and all other particles. Those come after the beginner path.
Sentences need verbs that change form, so Module 6 handles the polite present and the past.
Module 6: Talk about Now and the Past
Module 6 teaches the polite present (-아요/어요) and the past (-았어요/었어요). Use the full polite present recipe for the steps, and past tense for -았어요.
- Target sentences: 지금 공부해요. (I study now.) 어제 커피를 마셨어요. (I drank coffee yesterday.)
- Checkpoint: you can change five verbs between present and past without looking at a chart.
- Not covered: irregular verbs beyond 하다, and formal 합니다체 conjugation.
Speaking in two tenses leads straight to questions and denial.
Module 7: Ask Questions and Say No
Module 7 teaches yes/no questions, question words and two ways to say no: 안 before a verb, and 아니에요 for "is not". See Korean questions and negation.
- Target sentences: 이름이 뭐예요? (What is your name?) 저는 커피를 안 마셔요. (I do not drink coffee.)
- Checkpoint: you can ask three questions and answer each with yes and with no.
- Not covered: long negative forms such as -지 않다 beyond recognition.
Words are the last supply you need, so Module 8 builds vocabulary and ears together.
Module 8: Core Words and Listening
Module 8 teaches the top 100 Korean words and trains your ear with sound discrimination. Keep a daily flashcard deck running while you do it.
- Target task: write down five short sentences from audio, then check them against the script.
- Checkpoint: you can follow a slow, scripted dialogue of four lines without the script.
- Not covered: native-speed speech and long conversations. Those take months beyond this path.
How Long Does the Beginner Course Take?
The Korean for Beginners course typically takes 60 to 90 study hours: about 8 to 18 weeks at 5 to 8 hours a week (60 hours at 8 a week is under 8 weeks; 90 hours at 5 a week is 18). Those hours cover lessons, exercises and first review. They do not include the extra listening and speaking that most learners need to use A1 material comfortably, so the A1 range on how long Korean takes is larger. Treat all ranges as typical, not as promises.
What Can the Course Teach You to Do?
The course is built around these A1 targets, taken from the CEFR descriptors for A1 and written as can-do statements:
- Introduce yourself and ask basic personal questions in polite Korean.
- Say numbers, time, dates and prices.
- Make simple present and past statements.
- Ask and answer yes/no questions and use one question word.
- Read any Hangul text aloud, even when you do not know the words.
These are targets for the lessons, not predictions about any learner. Your own listening hours and speaking practice decide how close you get to each one.
Is This Course Enough to Pass TOPIK I?
No, not on its own. TOPIK I tests listening and reading at levels 1 and 2, and it needs timed practice with exam-style questions, which this course does not provide. The course covers part of the grammar and vocabulary that TOPIK I draws on. If you plan to sit the exam, finish Module 8, then add the TOPIK I pages and timed sections.
What Does the Course Leave Out?
The course leaves out Hanja, formal 합니다체 conjugation, irregular verbs, honorific verbs, reading longer texts and any speaking test. It teaches only the polite style in depth because that style suits most daily conversation. The honest limit is simple: a path of 8 modules makes you a beginner with a map, not an independent speaker.
Where to Go after Korean for Beginners
After Korean for Beginners, choose by goal. For TOPIK, move to the TOPIK I pages. For structured pacing, pick a plan in study plans. To compare this course with others, see all Korean course paths. Test yourself first with the beginner grammar test.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a textbook alongside this course?
No. Each module links to full lessons with audio and exercises, so the course works without a textbook. A paper textbook can still help if you like printed pages or want extra exercises. If you add one, match its level to the module you are on, and keep the sequence of this course.
Can I take the course out of order?
Modules 1 and 2 should come first, because every later module assumes you can read Hangul. After that, Modules 3 and 4 can swap places. Modules 5 to 7 build on each other and work best in order. Module 8 can run alongside any module from Module 3 onward.
Is formal 합니다체 taught?
Only as recognition. You will meet 감사합니다 and 안녕하십니까 early, because they are everywhere. The course teaches the polite 해요체 style in depth, since it suits most daily conversation. Full formal 합니다체 conjugation sits on the speech-levels pages, after the beginner path.
How do I practise speaking alone?
Say each target sentence aloud after the audio, then record yourself and compare. Change one word at a time, for example 커피를 마셔요 to 물을 마셔요. Shadowing short dialogues also works. A language exchange or tutor adds what solo practice cannot: another person's reaction and corrections.
When should I start TOPIK practice?
Start after Module 8 if you plan to sit TOPIK I. Before that, exam practice mostly shows you which words and patterns are missing. Use the TOPIK pages to learn the question formats, then keep the course's flashcards running for vocabulary while you do timed listening and reading sections.