Have you ever watched a Korean drama and wished you could understand everything instead of relying on subtitles every time? Or perhaps listen to your favourite Korean songs without having to search for the English translation? The fact is: you actually can!
Oftentimes, people think it is complicated to learn Korean – but with the right mindset and practice, one can learn Korean quickly and enjoyably.
The most challenging factor when learning a new language is memorising an entirely new set of words. But fret not – there are fun and practical things you can do to expand your vocabulary. Read on to learn five effective ways to improve your Korean vocabulary!
1. Evaluate your learning style
It’s essential to understand and follow your personal way of learning to maximise your effort and time spent studying. Every learner has a different way of learning a language; some do better when they listen to Korean conversations, while others improve when they read Hangul and visualise the words spoken at the same time. There are also those who prefer using repetition to remember the Korean words, pronunciation, and spelling.
Just keep in mind that there’s no right or wrong way of learning. It’s only a matter of what suits you the most and what you find comfortable. Before diving into the sea of Korean vocabulary, assess your strengths and learning style first, as this can help you progress far more quickly in your learning journey.
2. Set short and long-term goals
An excellent way to stay motivated and keep track of your progress is by setting goals! Having goals allow you to gain a healthy sense of urgency in your learning process while also enabling you to determine whether you’re learning methods are effective or not. Additionally, it helps you review your weaknesses and discover specific areas that you need to spend more time on. Below are some of the simple tips for setting goals:
- Define clear and specific goals – Get a piece of paper and list down clear-cut goals for the short-term and long-term. These goals can be straightforward, such as learning a certain number of new vocabulary per day, or a bit broader, like the reason why you want to learn the language in the first place. In any case, just ensure that whatever your goals may be, they are realistic and achievable within the period you’ve established.
- Tackle objectives methodically – When working to attain more significant milestones, remember that you can avoid being overwhelmed by compartmentalising them into smaller objectives and focusing on achieving them step by step.
- Design the right course – Review your objectives and design the right course that fits your goals. You can start by making a list of criteria for your ideal Korean course – including target skills, delivery method, and duration.
3. Follow a strict study routine
When learning any language, consistency will always be the key to success, and this statement rings especially true when it comes to Korean. The secret to improving your Korean is to make studying part of your everyday routine and stick to it. Because of its unique sentence structure and etymology, it’s recommended to commit at least 20 to 30 minutes every day to your study plan rather than making it two hours once a week.
4. Stick to effective learning strategies
Learning or improving your Korean vocabulary is not just a matter of time and effort but a matter of strategy. It depends on how you incorporate it into your study routine: diversify the learning methods you use to keep things interesting and exciting, depending on your preferences. Below are some tips for creating effective vocabulary sessions:
- Fifty words per day – You don’t have to search for a list of words and wait until you encounter the words you want to learn. Instead, search for the top 50 words you are most likely to use in your Korean dictionary and write them on your list. Practice until you master it and look up another set of 50 words.
- Words from activities – One smart way to develop an effective list is to learn the words from the type of content you’ve encountered. It can be a Korean movie, K-Drama or day-to-day conversations. Study the list and work towards mastering it before coming up with a new one.
5. Enroll in a Korean language program
The most crucial factor of learning a new language quickly and efficiently is following tried-and-tested study methods. A good Korean course offers structured lessons that are engaging with easy-to-understand explanations and examples – essentially everything you need to improve your Korean vocabulary and then some!
Conclusion
Learning Korean and its plethora of vocabulary words can seem like a challenging task at first. Even though you’ll manage to pick up a substantial number of words over time, there are times when you can get frustrated and see little progress.
If you need the guidance of a native Korean instructor to help you master and improve your Korean, sign up for a Korean class in Singapore today and expand your knowledge of vocabulary, grammar, and everything else in no time!
