A Touch of Korean

❝TO HAVE ANOTHER LANGUAGE IS TO POSSESS A SECOND SOUL.❞ ‒CHARLEMAGNE

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Double Consonants in #Korean

Double Consonants in #Korean

How to PRONOUNCE! Double Consonants in Korean happen when a syllable ends in TWO consonants instead of one.  For example: 젊.  Lucky for us, they seem to be pretty rare. 😛  The possible endings include: ㄱㅅ, ㅂㅅ, ㄴㅈ, ㄴㅎ, ㄹㅎ, ㄹㅂ, ㄹㄱ, ㄹㅁ, ㄹㅅ, ㄹㅍ, ㄹㅌ Rule 1: The BASICS:  If the first consonant is ㄹ (eg ㄹㅂ, ㄹㄱ) –> The ㄹ is silent.  For the others (ㄱㅅ, ㅂㅅ, ㄴㅈ, ㄴㅎ) –> The second consonant is silent.  …

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Korean: Doctor Doctor = 의사 = Uisa Médico = 의사 = Uisa *Sounds similar to chair (의자).  I randomly remember the difference because 자 also means "thing" (like a chair) and 사 could come from 사람 (person).  Long method, but learning vocabulary is slow 😭

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Korean: Chair Chair = 의자= Uija Silla = 의자 = Uija

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Korean: School

School = 학교= Hakkyo Escuela = 학교 = Hakkyo

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Korean: Fever

Fever = Yeol =열 La Fiebre = Yeol =열

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Hangul Alphabet (Memorization Tip)

Hangul Alphabet (Memorization Tip)

Although most “Learning Korean” books and sites will teach you the characters in a different order based on usage rate ~ there is an actual official “order” or alphabet for Hangul.   Now, in English and Spanish each letter has a special “name.”  For example “G” is called ‘GEE’ in the English Alphabet and “S” is called ‘ESS’.  Similarly, “L” is called “ele” in Español.   Well the Consonants in…

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#Korean ~ Subject Particles (는 / 은)

#Korean ~ Subject Particles (는 / 은)

*Purple = Spanish :) In every sentence, there are two main parts: SUBJECT and the PREDICATE.   The subject (el sujeto) tells us either 1) who is doing the action in the sentence (I went home / Yo fui a casa) or 2) what the topic of the sentence is (The Books are on the table / Los libros están en la mesa).   The predicate (el predicado) tells us 1) what the subject did (I went home / Yo fui a…

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Make Your Mark in #Korean! Just to give you a little encouragement to learn Korean and hopefully visit Korea!  This is the railing at N Seoul Tower :) <3  I love walking up there and reading the notes from all the different visitors.  

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Writing Hangul ~ㅇ

“Silent (beginning) / ng (end)” (ㅇ) 1 STROKE First – Start on the top and make a counter-clockwise circle.  FINAL EXAMPLES (FROM TOP 6000 TOPIK WORDS) 마음 (Maeum) = Heart 아버지 (Abeoji) = Father 경제 (Gyeongje) =Economy

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Writing #Hangul ~ ㅎ

Writing #Hangul ~ ㅎ

There are two different ways to write the character “ㅎ.”  My K-friends said it doesn’t really matter which one you use, just be familiar with both styles in case you need it for reading. :) “H” (ㅎ) Version 1 – 3 STROKES  First – Start by making the very short vertical line DOWN at the top of your box.  Second – Right below Stroke 1, make a horizontal line (moving LEFT to right) that connects.…

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Writing Hangul -ㅋ

Kh 2 Strokes  First – Starting on the top left make a horizontal line towards the right.  Then WITHOUT PICKING UP YOUR PEN! make a curved diagonal line down towards the left. Rather like the second version of the “G/K” (거) Second about halfway in the middle of the lower part of Stroke 1, start left and  draw a small horizontal line that connects to stroke one.   FINAL Looks a little like a…

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New Product! Personalized Items!

New Product! Personalized Items!

Want a shirt with your name in Korean? Or a keychain? Mug? Sticker for your laptop?  I did! :) I actually was just making some for myself, but a couple friends asked me to make them one too. If you’re interested, send me a message with your name (and special spelling if you have one) and what kind of shirt you want (t-shirt or sweatshirt) and I’ll make one up!  I’m selling them through Zazzle for…

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Writing Hangul: Double Consonants (ㄸㅉㅃㅆㄲ)

Writing Hangul: Double Consonants (ㄸㅉㅃㅆㄲ)

“Double Consonants” ~ the 5 consonants that are written twice (ㄸㅉㅃㅆㄲ)  These consonants aren’t really “different” from the normal consonants they represent. However, they are said quite a bit more sharply (more aspirated almost) than their alternatives.  For example, the ㅃ is pronounced like the sharp “p” in stop.  Double Consonants are pretty much written the same as the singles – same stroke…

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“J”

“CH”

There are actually two very similar, related characters – 

ㅈ which says a form of “j” sound and 

ㅊ which says a “ch” sound.  

Since writing them is so similar, we’ll look at both together.  There are however, two different possible versions of ㅈ and three possible versions of ㅊ. You need to know all of the versions, because in my time in Korea I saw all of them used interchangeably.  0_0 Sorry!

“J” (ㅈ) 3 STROKES (Version 1)

First – Start with a short horizontal line going left to right at the top of your paper.

The second and third steps form an “s” (ㅅ) connected to the line made in step one. Second – Start on the top middle and make a slightly sloping / slanted line down to the left. 

Third – Starting slightly below the top of the first line make a second lightly slanted / sloped line to the right.

FINAL

“J” (ㅈ) 2 STROKES (Version 2)*

*You’ll notice this version has one less stroke than version 1.  Version one is more official, but version two is faster. So you’ll see either one with varied frequency.

First – Start by making a “G/K” (ㄱ). The only different is that it is somewhat more “sharply” sloped (Leave enough room for the other leg).  Make a horizontal line towards the right and then bringing your pen down in a curved line WITHOUT raising the pen (One Stroke)

Second – Starting at about the middle of the downward slope, make a very small line slanted right.

FINAL (Two versions side-by-side)

EXAMPLES (FROM TOP 6000 TOPIK WORDS)

주장하다 (Jujanghada) = To assert, To maintain

주민 (Jumin) = Inhabitants

회장 (Hoijang) =Chairman, President

“Ch” (ㅊ) 4 STROKES (Version 1)

First – Start with a short horizontal line going left to right at the top of your paper.

Second – Make a slightly larger horizontal line going left to right slightly below the first. 

The third and fourth steps form an “s” (ㅅ) connected to the line made in step one. Third – Start on the top middle and make a slightly sloping / slanted line down to the left. 

Fourth – Starting slightly below the top of the first line make a second lightly slanted / sloped line to the right.

FINAL

“Ch” (ㅊ) 3 STROKES (Version 2)*

*This is probably the one I noticed with the most frequency when in Korea.  However, version 1 was also very popular.  This version is only different from the first version of the “J” because the second stroke starts above the horizontal line (stroke one)

First – Start with a short horizontal line going left to right at the top of your paper.

  The second and third steps form an “s” (ㅅ) starting slightly above the line made in step one. 

Third – Start on the top middle (above the horizontal line), make a slightly sloping / slanted line down to the left. 

Third – Starting slightly below the top of the first line make a second lightly slanted / sloped line to the right.

FINAL

“Ch” (ㅊ)

3 STROKES (Version 3)

First – Start with a short horizontal line going left to right at the top of your paper.

Second – Start by making a “G/K” (ㄱ) slightly below the horizontal line. The only difference is that it is somewhat more “sharply” sloped (Leave enough room for the other leg).  Make a horizontal line towards the right and then bringing your pen down in a curved line WITHOUT raising the pen (One Stroke)

Third – Starting at about the middle of the downward slope, make a very small line slanted right.

FINAL 

ALL TOGETHER (ALL THREE VERSIONS)

  EXAMPLES (FROM TOP 6000 TOPIK WORDS)

최고 (Choiko) = The Best

첫 (Cheot) = First

가르치다 (Galeuchida) = To Teach

  Writing #Hangul -ㅈ/ㅊ There are actually two very similar, related characters -  ㅈ which says a form of "j" sound and 

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Korean: This

In English, we use two words to categorize things — “this” and “that.” But Korean has three different ways of saying “this” or “that”  (very similar to Spanish). Como español, Coreano tiene tres palabras que significan “este, ese, y aquel” ENGLISH “This ___”  = 이 ___ = i____ “That ___” = 그 ____ = geu ________ “That ___ far away / way over there” = 저 _____ = Jeo _____ SPANISH Este = 이 = i Ese = 그…

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Korean Alphabet Most books and learning materials teach you Korean in the simplest method for memorization (i.e. ㅏ, ㅑ then ㅐ, ㅒ.) However, that is often not the actual order used in the Korean Alphabet (where it is ㅏ, ㅐ, ㅑ, ㅒ).  Below, I have included the official Korean alphabet. This can be helpful when using a dictionary or alphabetical vocabulary lists. 

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Writing Hangul - ㅅ

Writing Hangul – ㅅ

“S(h)” (ㅅ) 2 STROKES First – Start on the top middle and make a slightly sloping / slanted line down to the left. Second – Starting slightly below the top of the first line make a second lightly slanted / sloped line to the right.      FINAL EXAMPLES (FROM TOP 6000 TOPIK WORDS) 속 (Sok) = The Inside 생각 (Saenggak) = Thought 소리 (Soli) = Noise / Sound

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