A Bridge to the World: Korean Language for Beginners Ⅰ

Sungkyunkwan University via Coursera

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Details

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Provider

Coursera
Pricing

Paid Course
Languages

English
Certificate

Certificate Available
Effort

17 hours 1 minute
Sessions

Self-Paced
Level

Beginner
Subtitles

English, Kazakh, German, Hindi, Russian, Swedish, Korean, Portuguese, Greek, Italian, French, Chinese, Spanish, Arabic, Thai, Ukrainian, Japanese, Indonesian, Polish, Dutch, Turkish, Hungarian, Bengali, Pashto, Urdu, Azerbaijani, Farsi

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Overview

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This introductory course is designed to cultivate basic communication skills for anyone interested in learning the Korean language. You will begin by exploring essential expressions used in daily life, building a strong foundation for practical conversation. Throughout the lessons, you will learn basic grammar using dialogues that reflect the colloquial characteristics of Korean. You will explore how to introduce yourself, state your occupation, and ask foundational questions. Additionally, the course provides dialogues for both formal and informal situations, helping you speak appropriately depending on the context while gaining a deeper understanding of unique cultural nuances. Who this is for: Complete beginners and language enthusiasts who want to build a practical foundation in Korean communication. No prior language experience required. Chief Contents Developer: Won-Sook Hyun Contents Developers: Eun-Sil Hong, Ha-ra Yu Production Assistant: Sa-ra Yoo Part of this course was developed with K-MOOC(Korean MOOC) funds.

Syllabus

Week 1: Hello, It's Nice to Meet You! (안녕하세요, 반갑습니다!)

Welcome to your first week of learning Korean! This foundational module is all about first impressions. We will begin with the absolute essentials, starting with how to greet people in various situations. You will learn the core sentence structures needed to introduce yourself, your occupation, and your nationality. We'll also cover how to introduce your family members, ask basic questions, and provide simple yes-or-no answers. By the end of this module, you'll be able to handle a basic self-introduction and gain insight into some of the unique characteristics of the Korean language.

Week 2: Where Is It? Where Are You Going? (어디에 있어요? 어디에 가요?)

Now that you can introduce yourself, let's start talking about the world around you. This module focuses on existence, location, and movement. You will learn how to ask if an object exists ("Is there a dictionary?") and where it is located. We will then expand on this to discuss people's locations and destinations, mastering essential questions like "Where are you going?" and "Who is coming?" By the end of this week, you'll be equipped to ask for and understand the location of people and things, a crucial skill for navigating everyday situations in Korean.

Week 3: What Are You Doing? Let's Make Plans (뭐 해요? 약속해요)

In this module, we move from static descriptions to dynamic actions and daily life. You will learn how to describe what you and others are currently doing, such as "I am having lunch at a restaurant." We will cover key grammar for discussing the location where an action takes place. The second half of the week is dedicated to making plans and appointments. You'll practice using time-related expressions to ask "What time shall we meet?" and schedule activities. This module empowers you to discuss your daily routine and confidently make plans with others.

Week 4: How Much Is It? Let's Go Shopping (얼마예요? 쇼핑해요)

Get ready for a practical and fun module focused on shopping and describing things! You will learn the essential phrases for asking for prices and handling basic transactions. A key part of this week is mastering Korean numbers and counting units, which are fundamental for everyday life. We will also introduce adjectives, so you can describe the characteristics of objects you want to buy. Finally, you'll learn how to make suggestions, expanding your conversational skills. By the end of this module, you'll have the confidence to navigate a shopping experience in Korea.

Week 5: What Kind of Food Do You Like? Let's Eat! (무슨 음식을 좋아해요? 맛있게 드세요!)

Ready to order food in Korean? This delicious module is all about one of Korea's most important cultural topics: food! You will learn how to ask "What kind of food do you like?" and express your own tastes and preferences. We will cover two essential ways to form negative sentences ('안' and '-지 않다') so you can say things like, "It is not too spicy." You'll also learn the crucial grammar point '-겠-', which allows you to express your will and choice when ordering. By the end of this module, you'll have the confidence to read a menu, discuss food, and place an order in a Korean restaurant.

Week 6: What Did You Do Yesterday? (어제 뭐 했어요?)

In our final module, we will expand your storytelling abilities by learning to talk about the past. You will learn how to explain past events and connect them with a reason, mastering sentences like "I went to bed late, so I am a little tired." We will also introduce the grammar for expressing experiences, enabling you to talk about places you've visited ("I have been to Gyeongju") and things you've done. Finally, you'll learn how to express your hopes and expectations. This capstone module brings together everything you've learned, giving you the tools to share richer, more detailed stories about your life and truly build a "bridge to the world."