If you were to ask why aspiring students taking Korean classes in Singapore want to be fluent in the first place, their motivations would probably range from seeking a more profound understanding of Korean culture to something as simple as wanting to enjoy K-pop and K-drama more than they would if they didn’t understand the language.

Acquiring a language on top of your native tongue is not an endeavour for those without strong motivation since it’s easy to lose focus and interest within months. But if that’s not the case, then chances are you will become proficient in Korean well before you know it. Thankfully, mastering the language is not an impossible feat, especially if you apply these helpful tips that us folks from Korean Explorer have gathered – tips that we think most aspiring Korean speakers like yourself might not know about.

Konglish is beneficial for English speakers

Like other Asian languages, Korean has been around long enough to witness modernism and exposure to western culture. With that said, there are modern Korean terminologies that might sound familiar to those who speak English, such as 택시 or taek-si, which translates to “taxi”, 카메라 or ka-me-ra which means “camera”, and so much more. These words are called Konglish, and it takes up a significant amount of everyday Korean vocabulary. Familiarizing yourself with different Korean words can be challenging since there is a lot to be remembered. But with the help of Konglish, you can take your cues from how these words are pronounced to help you figure out what they mean.

The learning environment is very important

Since you aspire to become fluent in Korean, it’s important that you learn the language in the best way possible. People have varying opinions on their preferred learning methods; some people prefer to be independent by choosing a self-study method, while others would prefer to learn from someone who is a native speaker of a language whilst being surrounded by other learners with the same objective. In the case of Korean, the latter route is far more efficient because it will help you learn how to speak naturally, and it will also provide you with constructive feedback that you otherwise couldn’t get if you were learning by yourself.

As such, it’s highly recommended that you sign up for Korean classes so you can surround yourself with people who can practise the language with you. This will help you stay on track in your proficiency journey and give you access to people with whom you can converse in person.

Mimicking helps tremendously

Apart from learning from a native Korean speaker and reading Korean texts, it would also help if you slowly immerse and surround yourself with the language, starting with consuming more Korean media such as TV shows, movies, podcasts, and even music. No matter which one you choose, try repeating what they’re saying as you listen to the dialogue – focus not just on their pronunciation but also their tone. If you must, stand in front of a mirror and observe the movement that your mouth makes and see if it coincides with that of a native speaker.

Doing this repetitively is one of the most effective ways to help you nail down both the intonation and accent of natural Korean. So if you are feeling guilty for watching too much K-drama or listening to K-pop excessively, try not to because the more familiar you are with how they speak, the more natural your spoken Korean will eventually sound.

Conclusion

When it comes to learning a language, there will always be a few tips and tricks that can help you become more proficient quickly, and Korean is no exception. While they can be handy to get a boost in your progress, you can’t simply rely on them all the time because putting in work and effort is still necessary to attain your desired level of mastery in the Korean language.

If you’re raring to learn Korean in Singapore as soon as today, our teachers at Korean Explorer are here to help! With various classes for different competency levels, you are guaranteed to be taught only by the best native Korean teachers on the island and attain the level of fluency you desire. Yes, personal efforts in learning are important, but augmenting it with our tried and tested courses can definitely help you achieve maximum proficiency in the language!