An'nyeonghaseyo! (Hello!) Learning a new language is always exciting, and can open doors to a whole new world. Nowadays, teaching yourself Korean can be much easier than you think. With more self-learning books available than ever, you can go at your own pace and choose the materials that suit you best, be that a Hangul alphabet guide or a good book on grammar.
It may be tempting to buy every Korean book and give them all a go, but that's probably not realistic! So, we've ranked the 10 best titles to buy on Amazon and eBay, including Korea Made Simple and Talk To Me In Korean. Whether you're an eager beginner or in need of some inspiration, we can motivate you! Junbihalgeyo? Gachi ga ja! (Are you ready? Let's go!)
Hangul (pronunciation: 'Han' as in hand, and 'gul' as in seagull) is the Korean alphabetic system, which was created by King Sejong in 1443.
He pitied the lower class Koreans for being illiterate (Chinese characters were the official written language, which only the upper classes had learning access to) and hence invented an alphabet that all Koreans could learn and write with.
Hangul is considered one of the most scientific languages in the world, as the basic consonant letters (g/n/m/s/ng) were designed to imitate the shape of the vocal organ when pronouncing the sound. However, with 14 consonants and 10 vowels, it can take as little as 2 hours for one to master it!
Today, around 75 million people speak Korean around the world, and with K-pop and K-dramas continuing to dominate the entertainment world, the interest of learning Korean is ever-growing.
Unless you're an experienced language learner, choosing a book that suits your personal learning approach can be confusing, especially when there are tons of books available to you. To discover what to look for in your ideal language book, keep reading!
Reading, writing, listening and speaking skills are essential when it comes to language learning, but there may be some aspects that you want to master more than others. Therefore, if your goal is to only improve on a certain skill, then you might want to buy books that include, or focus on, this content. Here are the main categories.
While most books will have an introductory chapter about Hangul, it doesn't necessarily guide and teach you to write Hangul step by step. Indeed, you could always self-learn Hangul using online resources, but finding one that suits you can take a lot of time, and you'll need the self-discipline to learn it.
Alternatively, you could go for a Hangul exercise book, where all the essential materials are prepared for you. They'll include various methods to help you remember and write Hangul properly, in a way which will motivate you even more to master the language.
Some learners like to focus on understanding and the correct usage of grammar as with time, ideally, you'll then be able to produce flawless sentences, whether verbally or written. Plus, you'll have a better understanding when reading texts or fiction in Korean, too.
So if this is your priority, we recommend looking for language books that teach you new grammar in each chapter. Luckily, you can find this material in most books!
Some learners like to focus on vocabulary or verb expansion, as you'll then be able to name different things like a local and express yourself with more suitable verbs that fit the situation. A dictionary at the back of the book can also help with this.
If this sounds like something you'd like to include, choose language books that have a significant amount of content on vocabulary or verbs, particularly if it's accompanied with example sentences which you can effectively apply into your speaking or writing.
Many people enjoy the sense of achievement of being able to translate a foreign language flawlessly, as this not only indicates you've learnt the language well, but that you can now help those who can't speak it yet, be that when travelling or as a career.
To achieve this, you can start by using books that provide both English and Korean text, which enable you to gradually work on your translation skills.
Whilst you can find dozens of materials to translate online, it's often a bit too challenging when there isn't a model answer for reference. Only some books include the answers within the translation section, so be sure to check for this.
Everyone's dream is to speak a foreign language like a local instead of sounding like you're reading straight from a textbook. But while you can achieve this by bingeing K-dramas or practising with a native speaker, it's easier to learn through reading materials. This applies to visual learners especially.
There are books out there which focus on teaching useful and practical sentences with dialogue, so you can apply what you've learnt in real-life situations. Now all you need is to have the confidence in your listening skills and perfect your ability to speak it!
Everyone has different preferences when inputting new information into their brain – you might be a visual learner who relies on visual stimulation to absorb and retain new information, or perhaps you're an audio learner who relies heavily on spoken or audio input.
As a visual learner, books with plenty of photographs and pictures or those that are colour-printed will be best for you, as you are capable of quickly associating vocabulary with certain imagery. You may even prefer an eBook over a traditional tome, so check to see whether your chosen title is available digitally.
As an audio learner, opt for books with access to audio materials such as additional CDs or downloadable digital files. These resources are actually a smart inclusion for all learners, as they can hone your pronunciation and listening skills.
There isn't a right or wrong way of inputting information, it's simply about which methods will enable you to succeed when learning.
Now that you know the different priorities and preferences you should consider when selecting a Korean language book, you can browse our compilation of the top 10 titles in the UK. Gyesok ilgeojuseyo! (Please continue reading!)
£11.50
Book Focus/Content | Hangul, basic grammar |
---|---|
Visual Aids | No |
Audio Materials | No |
Format | Paperback |
Level | Complete beginner |
£4.99
Book Focus/Content | Vocabulary expansion, conversation |
---|---|
Visual Aids | No |
Audio Materials | No |
Format | Paperback, Kindle |
Level | Beginner, best with some experience in watching K-drama |
£8.99
Book Focus/Content | Hangul, basic grammar |
---|---|
Visual Aids | Yes, image- and picture-based |
Audio Materials | No |
Format | Paperback, Kindle |
Level | Complete beginner |
£13.99
Book Focus/Content | Vocabulary expansion |
---|---|
Visual Aids | Yes, but with limited pictures |
Audio Materials | Yes, download from website |
Format | Paperback, Kindle |
Level | Complete beginner to beginners with some experience in K-drama |
£18.85
Book Focus/Content | Vocabulary and verb expansion, grammar, translation |
---|---|
Visual Aids | Yes, but with limited pictures |
Audio Materials | Yes, download from website |
Format | Paperback, Kindle |
Level | Complete beginner to beginners with some experience in K-drama |
£16.99
Book Focus/Content | Vocabulary and verb expansion, grammar, translation |
---|---|
Visual Aids | Yes, but with limited pictures |
Audio Materials | Yes, CD included |
Format | Paperback, Kindle |
Level | Beginner, best with some experience |
£11.16
Book Focus/Content | Vocabulary and verb expansion, grammar |
---|---|
Visual Aids | Yes, but with limited pictures |
Audio Materials | Yes, CD included |
Format | Paperback, Kindle |
Level | Beginner, best with some experience |
£11.16
Book Focus/Content | Vocabulary and verb expansion |
---|---|
Visual Aids | Yes, but with limited pictures |
Audio Materials | Yes, CD included |
Format | Paperback, Kindle |
Level | Beginner to intermediate |
£9.99
Book Focus/Content | Vocabulary expansion, conversation |
---|---|
Visual Aids | Yes, with colour-printed photographs |
Audio Materials | Yes, available online |
Format | Paperback, Kindle |
Level | Complete beginner |
£27.99
Book Focus/Content | Grammar, conversation |
---|---|
Visual Aids | Yes, with pictures |
Audio Materials | Yes, download from website |
Format | Paperback |
Level | Complete beginner |
Image | 1 ![]() Talk To Me In Korean | 2 ![]() Tina Cho | 3 ![]() Julie Damron, You EunSun | 4 ![]() Henry J Amen, Park KyuByo | 5 ![]() Ross King, Yeon JaeHoon | 6 ![]() George Trombley, Reed Bullen, Bong SunHee | 7 ![]() Billy Go | 8 ![]() Bridge Education | 9 ![]() Boye Lafayette De Mente, Kim Woojoo | 10 ![]() Park HyungJin, Lee SungEun |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Talk To Me In Korean - Level 1 | Korean Picture Dictionary | Korean Stories For Language Learners: Traditional Folktales in Korean and English | Korean for Beginners: Mastering Conversational Korean | Elementary Korean | Korean From Zero! Book 1 | Korean Made Simple | Let's Study Korean | Instant Korean | Learn Korean: Level 1 - Alphabet & Basic Sentences |
Features | The Best Way to Effortlessly Learn a New Language | A Visually-Stimulating Coloured Picture Book | Story Time With Traditional Korean Folktales | Build a Solid Foundation of Korean Language and Culture | Challenge Your Skills by Practicing Translation | An All In One Title With Textbook, Workbook and Audio Materials | Take Easy Steps to Pronounce Like a Korean | A Visually Exciting Book to Entertain as You Learn | Learning Phrases by Memorisation Through 100 Themes! | Learn Hangul From Scratch |
Price | £27.99 | £9.99 | £11.16 | £11.16 | £16.99 | £18.85 | £13.99 | £8.99 | £4.99 | £11.50 |
Book Focus/Content | Grammar, conversation | Vocabulary expansion, conversation | Vocabulary and verb expansion | Vocabulary and verb expansion, grammar | Vocabulary and verb expansion, grammar, translation | Vocabulary and verb expansion, grammar, translation | Vocabulary expansion | Hangul, basic grammar | Vocabulary expansion, conversation | Hangul, basic grammar |
Visual Aids | Yes, with pictures | Yes, with colour-printed photographs | Yes, but with limited pictures | Yes, but with limited pictures | Yes, but with limited pictures | Yes, but with limited pictures | Yes, but with limited pictures | Yes, image- and picture-based | No | No |
Audio Materials | Yes, download from website | Yes, available online | Yes, CD included | Yes, CD included | Yes, CD included | Yes, download from website | Yes, download from website | No | No | No |
Format | Paperback | Paperback, Kindle | Paperback, Kindle | Paperback, Kindle | Paperback, Kindle | Paperback, Kindle | Paperback, Kindle | Paperback, Kindle | Paperback, Kindle | Paperback |
Level | Complete beginner | Complete beginner | Beginner to intermediate | Beginner, best with some experience | Beginner, best with some experience | Complete beginner to beginners with some experience in K-drama | Complete beginner to beginners with some experience in K-drama | Complete beginner | Beginner, best with some experience in watching K-drama | Complete beginner |
Link |
Repetition in writing is the best way to learn the Korean alphabet, so we thought our stationary-related products might be useful on your journey to becoming a Hangul pro.
Being able to speak a foreign language, even just a few sentences, is very exciting and significantly closes up the distance between people with different cultural backgrounds. And next time you visit Korea, you'll be surprised at just how many locals respond to you with a big smile when you test out your new vocabulary!
So why not start learning now? You won't regret it! An'nyeong! (Bye!)
Author: Angina Chow
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