Learning a language

Woordenschat

• 언어language
• 배우다to learn
• 연습하다to practise
• 말하다to speak
• 듣다to listen
• 읽다to read
• 쓰다to write
• 실력level / ability
• 발음pronunciation
• 문법grammar
• 단어word / vocabulary
• 유창하다to be fluent

Uitdrukkingen

• 한국어를 배운 지 1년이 됐어요Saying you have been learning Korean for one year
• 매일 30분씩 연습해요Saying you practise 30 minutes every day
• 발음이 어려워요Saying pronunciation is difficult
• 문법을 공부하고 있어요Saying you are currently studying grammar
• 실력이 많이 늘었어요Saying your ability has improved a lot
• 원어민이랑 이야기하고 싶어요Saying you want to speak with a native speaker

Veelgemaakte fouten

• ✗한국어를 배운 지 1년 됐어요
  ✓한국어를 배운 지 1년이 됐어요

  The subject marker 이 is required before 됐어요. The full pattern is: [duration]이/가 됐어요.

• ✗연습한 지 얼마예요?
  ✓연습한 지 얼마나 됐어요?

  To ask how long it has been, use 얼마나 됐어요?, not 얼마예요? (how much is it?).

• ✗먹은 지 배워요
  ✓배운 지 됐어요

  The -ㄴ/은 지 pattern describes elapsed time since an action — it must be followed by 됐어요 or a time expression, not a separate verb.

• ✗매일 30분 연습해요
  ✓매일 30분씩 연습해요

  씩 means each / at a time — 30분씩 means 30 minutes each time. Without 씩 the sentence lacks the nuance of regular repetition.

• ✗실력이 늘어요
  ✓실력이 늘었어요

  When talking about a completed change or progress, use the past tense 늘었어요, not the present 늘어요.

Korte quiz