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Why learn Korean?
Korean is spoken by around 80 million people and is written in Hangul, a featural alphabet designed to be easy to learn - many people read it within a day. Interest in Korean has surged worldwide thanks to K-pop, film, and television.
In the US Foreign Service Institute ranking, Korean is a Category IV language - about 2200 class hours to professional working proficiency for English speakers. Korean forms its own branch - learners commonly study it alongside Japanese or Chinese.
The 50 most common Korean words
Start with the words you will actually meet: learn these and you will recognize something in almost every Korean sentence.
| # | Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 하다 | hah-dah | do |
| 2 | 있다 | eet-dah | be |
| 3 | 되다 | dweh-dah | to become |
| 4 | 그 | guh | that |
| 5 | 나 | nah | I |
| 6 | 없다 | uhp-dah | to not exist |
| 7 | 사람 | sah-rahm | person |
| 8 | 우리 | oo-ree | we |
| 9 | 것 | guht | thing |
| 10 | 아니다 | ah-nee-dah | no |
| 11 | 같다 | gaht-dah | same |
| 12 | 보다 | boh-dah | see |
| 13 | 때 | tteh | time |
| 14 | 말 | mahl | word |
| 15 | 알다 | ahl-dah | know |
| 16 | 그렇다 | guh-ruh-tah | so |
| 17 | 가다 | gah-dah | go |
| 18 | 오다 | oh-dah | come |
| 19 | 주다 | joo-dah | give |
| 20 | 받다 | baht-dah | get |
| 21 | 좋다 | joh-tah | good |
| 22 | 크다 | kuh-dah | big |
| 23 | 살다 | sahl-dah | live |
| 24 | 생각하다 | sehng-gahk-hah-dah | think |
| 25 | 만들다 | mahn-dul-dah | make |
| 26 | 년 | nyuhn | year |
| 27 | 일 | eel | day |
| 28 | 나오다 | nah-oh-dah | out |
| 29 | 많다 | mahn-tah | many |
| 30 | 모르다 | moh-ruh-dah | to not know |
| 31 | 시간 | shee-gahn | hour |
| 32 | 어떻다 | uh-ttuh-tah | how |
| 33 | 지금 | jee-gum | now |
| 34 | 너 | nuh | you |
| 35 | 저 | juh | I |
| 36 | 다시 | dah-shee | again |
| 37 | 집 | jeep | home |
| 38 | 먹다 | muhk-dah | eat |
| 39 | 좋아하다 | joh-ah-hah-dah | to like |
| 40 | 친구 | cheen-goo | friend |
| 41 | 물 | mool | water |
| 42 | 눈 | noon | eye |
| 43 | 손 | sohn | hand |
| 44 | 오늘 | oh-nul | today |
| 45 | 날 | nahl | day |
| 46 | 다른 | dah-run | other |
| 47 | 어디 | uh-dee | where |
| 48 | 누구 | noo-goo | who |
| 49 | 왜 | weh | why |
| 50 | 어떻게 | uh-ttuh-keh | how |
Useful phrases in Korean
- 안녕하세요 · an-nyong-hah-SEH-yo · Hello / Good day
- 어떻게 지내세요? · oh-ttoh-keh jee-neh-SEH-yo · How are you?
- 감사합니다 · gam-sah-HAM-nee-dah · Thank you
- 부탁합니다 · boo-tak-HAM-nee-dah · Please
- 제 이름은... · jeh ee-REU-meun · My name is...
- ...어디예요? · ...oh-dee-YEH-yo · Where is...?
- 안녕히 가세요 · ahn-NYONG-hee gah-seh-yo · Goodbye
- 죄송합니다 · chweh-song-hahm-NEE-dah · Excuse me
- 이해가 안 돼요 · ee-HEH-gah ahn dweh-yo · I don't understand
- 저를 도와주실 수 있나요? · juh-reul doh-wah-joo-SHEEL soo in-NAH-yo · Can you help me?
- 얼마예요? · ul-mah-YEH-yo · How much is it?
- 내일 봐요! · neh-EEL bwah-yo · See you tomorrow!
Learn Korean with comprehensive language resources
- Pronunciation
- Numbers
- Verbs and adjectives
- Frequency dictionaries
- Basic sentences
- Thematic dictionaries
- Politeness
- Idioms
Learn Korean, wherever you are
- AI-powered spaced repetition learning system on the go
- Audio processing for pronunciation
- Creation of visual language flash cards with images
- Search for speaking practice partners
- Frequency and thematic dictionaries for any language
- Alert system with exercise reminders
- Live video and messaging to facilitate learning
Join our global Korean learning community
Collaborate with native Korean speakers and fellow learners: exchange messages, correct each other's cards, and practice real conversation.
Send friend requests to the speakers you click with and build your own friends list - many practice partners become real friends.
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Frequently asked questions about learning Korean
How difficult is it to learn Korean?
Korean grammar differs a lot from English, but its alphabet is famously easy and its sounds are consistent, so beginners make quick early progress. The Foreign Service Institute rates it among the most challenging overall, at roughly 2,200 hours of study.
What should I learn first to reach a basic level in Korean?
Start with the 100-500 most frequent words (free in our apps) and the thematic dictionaries most relevant to your daily life. Set clear goals and practise a few minutes every day - consistency is what produces results. Then connect with other learners to build confidence at your new basic level.
How long does it take to learn Korean?
Most learners reach a comfortable conversational level within 18-24 months of consistent daily study. Practising vocabulary with spaced repetition and speaking regularly speeds this up considerably. About 80 million people across 2 countries speak Korean, so you will never run short of practice partners.
How do I improve my Korean vocabulary?
Use the spaced-repetition and flashcard systems in the app. You can set daily, weekly, or yearly goals in our mobile apps and steadily reach the vocabulary size you’re aiming for.
Is Korean pronunciation hard?
Korean pronunciation is consistent once you know Hangul, though a few sounds have no English equivalent and take practice. Regular listening makes them feel natural quickly.
How do I get Free Korean speaking practice?
Open the Practice or Friends page in the app, send practice requests, and start real conversations with other learners - don’t be shy! You can also mention that you want speaking practice when you create your account, and the platform will help match you with suitable partners.
Do I need to learn the Korean alphabet first?
Korean is written in Hangul, an alphabet designed to be easy - many learners read it within a day, so learn it first. On Lingocard you'll find every alphabet, with example words, free.