Foundation Course in Korean
Learn Korean from zero: the script, words, sentences and your first real conversations.
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Who this course is for
- Complete beginners who are starting Korean from nothing.
- Self-taught learners who want to check that their basics are solid before exam preparation.
- Anyone who wants to learn Korean for its own sake and is not taking TOPIK yet.
About this course
The Foundation Course in Korean is where the TOPIK GUIDE catalogue begins. It assumes nothing. You start with the Korean alphabet, Hangeul, and finish with short conversations you can actually hold. It is included in the TOPIK I Complete Package, and you can also buy it on its own for $19 if you are learning Korean but not taking the exam.
This course is different from the usual beginner lessons online. It does not ask you to memorise a hundred set phrases and call that Korean. Memorising sentences is not the same as learning a language. Learning a language means being able to recall words and grammar from memory and put them together into your own sentences. That is the skill this course builds, one small step at a time.
Module 1 teaches the script: simple consonants, double consonants, aspirated consonants, simple vowels and complex vowels. Module 2 shows how characters combine into syllables and words, with a word list for reading practice and a lesson on correct pronunciation. Module 3 covers final consonants (patchim), including the double patchim that trips up most beginners. By the end of these three modules you can read any Korean word out loud.
Module 4 moves from words to sentences, with the most common everyday expressions and the basic pattern behind Korean sentences. Modules 5 and 7 are conversation modules. You introduce yourself, ask whether a shop has something, ask how someone has been, talk about what you are doing, describe your vacation and suggest watching a film at the weekend. Module 6 fills in the vocabulary you need for all of this: numbers, days and months, and the 25 most common verbs and 25 most common adjectives with their present, past and future forms.
The course was created by a team led by Dr. Satish Satyarthi, who learned Korean from zero as a foreigner and now holds a BA, MA, MPhil and PhD in Korean. If you get stuck at any point, the TOPIK GUIDE team is there to help by email. When you finish, you are ready for the TOPIK I masterclasses in reading, listening and vocabulary.
What you’ll get
- 28 lessons in 7 modules, starting from the Korean alphabet
- Every Hangeul consonant and vowel, then syllables, words and final consonants (patchim)
- Your first Korean sentences and the most common everyday expressions
- Two conversation modules: introductions, shopping, catching up, weekend plans
- Numbers, days and months, and the 50 most common verbs and adjectives with present, past and future forms
- The first five lessons are free to preview before you buy
- Included in the TOPIK I Complete Package, or $19 on its own
- TOPIK I Complete Package ($39)
- TOPIK GUIDE All-Access Package ($99)
Course curriculum
28 lessons in 7 sections
Module 1. Korean Script – Hangeul6
- Course Introduction
- Lesson 1 – Simple Consonants
- Lesson 2 – DoubleConsonants
- Lesson 3 – Aspirated Consonants
- Lesson 4 – Simple Vowels
- Lesson 5 – Complex Vowels
Module 2. Korean Syllable structure – Making Words6
- Lesson 6 – Korean Syllable Structure
- Lesson 7 – Correct Pronunciation
- Lesson 8 – Making Korean Words – 1
- Lesson 9 – Making Korean Words – 2
- Lesson 10 – Making Korean Words – 3
- Korean Word List for Reading Practice
Module 3. Learning to Read and Make more Complex Words3
- Lesson 11 – Patchim – Final Consonants
- Lesson 12 – Words With Patchim
- Lesson 13 – Double Patchim
Module 4. Making Korean Sentences – Let's start reading, writing and talking in Korean2
- Lesson 14 – Common Korean Expressions
- Lesson 15 – Making Korean Sentences
Module 5. Conversation in Korean – 15
- Lesson 16 – Introducing Yourself
- Lesson 17 – Do You Have Milk?
- Lesson 18 – How Have You Been
- Lesson 19 – What Are You Doing?
- Lesson 19 Recap
Module 6. Basic Korean Vocabulary4
- Lesson 20 – Korean Numbers
- Lesson 21 – Days And Months
- Lesson 22 – 25 Most Common Verbs with Present, Past & Future Conjugations
- Lesson 23 – 25 Most Common Adjectives with Present, Past & Future Conjugations
Module 7. Korean Conversation – II2
- Lesson 24 – What did you do during vacation?
- Lesson 25 – Shall we watch a movie this weekend?
Try free lessons
You can open these lessons before you buy anything. You will see the teaching and the lesson design for yourself.
Questions about this course
Do I need this course if I already know hangul?
If you can already read Hangeul confidently, Modules 1 to 3 will be quick revision, and the real value for you starts at Module 4, where you begin making sentences and holding conversations. If reading is still slow, or patchim (final consonants) confuses you, start at the beginning. The first five lessons are free, so you can check where you stand before buying.
Is it included in a package?
Yes. The Foundation Course in Korean is part of the TOPIK I Complete Package at $39, and of the All-Access Package at $99. It is also sold on its own for $19.
Can I study on my phone?
Yes. You can study on a computer, tablet or phone. Every lesson is designed for small screens as well as large ones.
How long do I get access?
Three years with the TOPIK I Complete Package, and five years with the TOPIK GUIDE All-Access Package. If you buy this course on its own for $19, you get it for three years. You get access immediately after payment, and your access details are sent to you by email.
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