The beginning stages of learning Korean are the most important. If you build a strong foundation, everything else becomes much easier later on.

If you’re a complete beginner, you’ll encounter a new alphabet, unfamiliar grammar, and different levels of politeness. I’ve created this simple, step-by-step roadmap to show you exactly where to start and what to focus on first.

Learn Hangeul (the Korean alphabet) first

If you only take one piece of advice from me, let it be this: learn the Korean alphabet immediately and stop using English letters to read Korean.

The Korean alphabet is called Hangeul (한글). It was invented in the 15th century by King Sejong the Great, specifically to be as easy to learn as possible. You can realistically learn how to read Hangeul in just one afternoon!

Many beginners try to rely on “romanization” (spelling out Korean words using the English alphabet). For example, writing “annyeong” instead of “안녕”.

This is a huge mistake for your language learning. Why? Because the English alphabet can’t accurately capture Korean sounds. If you rely on English letters, you’ll train your brain with the wrong pronunciation. By learning Hangeul from day one, you connect the true sounds of the language directly to the words.

Master basic greetings and essential phrases

Once you can read Hangeul, the next step is to learn a few basic phrases so you can start speaking right away.

In Korean, politeness is very important. The way you speak changes depending on who you’re talking to. For beginners, it’s best to learn the standard polite form (which usually ends in yo 요 or nida 니다). You can use this safely with adults, strangers, and teachers.

Here are a few essential phrases to get you started:

A quick note on regional variations: Standard Korean is based on the dialect spoken in Seoul. However, Korea has several distinct regional dialects called saturi (사투리). For example, if you travel down to the southern city of Busan, the local intonation is very bouncy and dynamic. Instead of a standard greeting, an older person there might warmly ask you, “밥 뭇나?” (Did you eat?) as a way of saying hello!

Understand the basic Korean sentence structure

English sentences generally follow a Subject + Verb + Object rule. For example: I (subject) eat (verb) an apple (object).

Korean grammar is different. It follows a Subject + Object + Verb structure. The verb is almost always at the very end of the sentence.

So in Korean, you’d say: I (subject) an apple (object) eat (verb).

At first, waiting until the end of the sentence to hear the action verb can feel a little confusing. But your brain will naturally adapt to this pattern the more you practice.

Another fun fact about Korean? You can often drop the subject (like “I” or “You”) entirely if the context is obvious! You can just say “Apple eat” (사과를 먹어요) and people will perfectly understand that you’re eating the apple.

Learn the two number systems

This sounds like a lot, but it’s just a matter of memorization! Korean uses two different number systems for different situations: Sino-Korean (based on Chinese numbers) and Native Korean.

Here’s a simple rule for when to use which:

Sino-Korean numbers (일, 이, 삼, 사… / 1, 2, 3, 4…) Use these for math, money, phone numbers, dates, and minutes.

Native Korean numbers (하나, 둘, 셋, 넷… / 1, 2, 3, 4…) Use these for counting physical objects, people, your age, and hours on a clock.

Start by learning 1 through 10 in both systems. Once you know those, combining them to make bigger numbers is very logical and straightforward.

Build a core vocabulary

To understand everyday conversations, you don’t need to learn thousands of words right away. You just need the most high-frequency words.

Focus on common verbs, everyday objects, and basic question words. Here’s a simple table of essential words to start your flashcard deck:

Tip: Notice how the verbs end in “다” (da). This is the dictionary form. Before you use them in a sentence, you’ll learn how to conjugate them to match the polite level!

Immerse yourself and practice speaking

Language scientists know that the best way to acquire a language is through “comprehensible input.” This means listening to and reading things that are just slightly above your current level, so you understand the main idea but still learn new things.

Watch K-dramas, listen to K-pop, or tune into beginner Korean podcasts. Even if you don’t understand everything, you’re training your ear to the rhythm and sounds of Korean.

Find a language exchange partner online or hire a tutor. Try using your new vocabulary out loud. The faster you start speaking-even with broken grammar-the faster you’ll become comfortable and confident in Korean.