Learn Korean with Langma’s Korean Language Course

Langma​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ International’s Korean Language Program is designed to assist learners in not only mastering the Korean language but also understanding Korea and its culture more deeply. Our well-structured program is compliant with the six levels of the Korean proficiency scale for the Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK), i.e. Beginner (Levels 1-2), Intermediate (Levels 3-4), and Advanced (Levels 5-6).

The students are provided with numerous opportunities in South Korea after being empowered by us which include scholarships, internships, and job placements. We also offer conversational fluency courses along with proficiency exam preparations like TOPIK to cater to the individual needs of the students. These preparations focus mainly on grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and practical communication skills. Besides Korean, our language courses are enriched with Korean history, culture, literature, and arts. You can either be trained in a face-to-face session or online. Furthermore, Langma International offers individual or group classes.

Langma International has been certified as an official KLAT centre of India by the Korea Educational Testing Service. So, start your Korean journey and get access to the wide range of opportunities that Korea and other Korean-speaking nations have in store for ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌you.

The Korean Language (한국어)

There are more than 75 million Korean speakers in Korea, with 48 million in South Korea and 24 million in North Korea. Additionally, there are more than 2 million speakers in China, approximately 1 million in the United States, and around 500,000 in Japan. Korean is the official language of both South Korea (the Republic of Korea) and North Korea (the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea). The language in both nations differs in minor matters of spelling, alphabetisation, and vocabulary choice (including the names of the letters).

Korean is a member of the Ural-Altaic family of languages (which includes Turkish, Mongolian and Manchu). There are strong similarities between Korean and Japanese grammar, and over time, the Korean vocabulary has also been influenced considerably by Chinese and English.

Written Korean (한국어로 작성됨)

Initially, Korean was written using Chinese characters composed of complex pictographs, written from top to bottom in columns that ran from right to left. This meant that only the educated elite were literate. King Sejong the Great led the creation of a simple script called Hangul (한글) in 1443, which the masses could easily learn and use. Both North and South Koreans take enormous pride in their unique alphabet.

Hangul has since been simplified to include 24 letters- 10 vowels and 14 consonants. Due to Western influence, Korean is now generally written left-to-right, with rows from top to bottom. 

Spoken Korean (구어체 한국어)

Korean speech ranges from a formal/polite form, used primarily with older people or those of higher rank than oneself, to a casual/polite form, mainly used with people of the same age or of similar status, down to a form of speech used only for children. The degree of formal or casual speech is indicated mainly by verb endings. For Korean language beginners, the casual/polite form of speech strikes a balance between being overly formal and showing disrespect. 

Korean Letters (한글 문자)

Each of the 24 letters of the Korean alphabet, Hangul, represents a distinct sound. Ten of the letters are vowels, and 14 are consonants. There are 11 combination vowels formed from the original ten vowels, and there are five double consonants formed from five of the basic consonants. The result is an alphabet of 40 characters, designed to be easy to learn. There are a further 11 consonant combinations, but they follow the simple rules of the basic 14 consonants.

Vowels (모음)

There are 21 vowels in the Korean language; 10 are basic and 11 are double vowels. Below are the 10 basic vowels.

Combined Vowels (결합 모음)

There are 11 combined or double vowels in Korean, formed by combining the basic vowels, as listed below.

Consonants (자음)

The Korean language has 14 basic consonants and 5 double (tense) consonants, making a total of 19 consonant letters. They are generally pronounced as they are in English. However, the pronunciation of most Korean consonants varies depending on their position within a word or the letters surrounding them. In Korean, these sound shifts are an essential part of the language.

Double Consonants (이중 자음)

In addition to the 14 basic consonants, Korean has 5 double or tense consonants as listed below.

TOPIK Levels and Language Skills (TOPIK 레벨 및 언어 능력)

Below is the overview of the skills needed for each TOPIK level (Test of Proficiency in Korean). 

Beginner Levels

Level 1: Basic knowledge of Korean for survival communication like greeting, purchasing, and ordering while using around 800 basic words. Able to say and get simple everyday things done with simple sentences in dialogues. 

Level 2: Can talk about everyday topics by using 1,500 to 2,000 words and can differentiate between formal and informal situations. 

Intermediate Levels

Level 3: Can perform transactions in public places, keep social relations, and use Korean words and phrases correctly. 

Level 4: Can understand news articles, societal problems, and even abstract subjects along with cultural aspects and idioms. 

Advanced Levels 

Level 5: Very fluent for professional research or work, can grasp the most difficult ideas in social, political, economic, and cultural contexts. In addition, the person can write and talk in both formal and informal ways with the appropriate use of the Korean language. 

Level 6: Complete fluency for professional research or work, the person can not only understand the ideas but clearly express those as well.

Korean Numbers (한국 숫자)

Below is the list of Korean numbers in native Korean and Sino-Korean.

Korean Survival Phrases (한국어 생존 문구)

In case you are an absolute beginner of the Korean language, then take your first step of learning with these necessary phrases, which are a perfect way to handle your daily interactions.

Structure of the TOPIK Exam (TOPIK 시험의 구조)

The test at a beginner level (TOPIK-I) is generally conducted in the morning, whereas the Intermediate-Advanced test (TOPIK-II) is held in the afternoon. TOPIK-I is a 100-minute test with 40 minutes for Listening and 60 minutes for Reading, and the entire test is done in one go. 

TOPIK-II is a 3-hour examination that is further divided into two parts or sessions: the first session (110 minutes) consists of Listening and Writing, and the second session (70 minutes) is dedicated to ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌Reading.