Introduction:

Korean  is an East Asian language spoken by about 77 million people, mainly Korean, as of 2010.  It is the official and national language of both North Korea and South Korea (originally Korea), with different standardized official forms used in each country. It is a recognised minority language in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture and Changbai Korean Autonomous County of Jilin Province, China. It is also spoken in parts of Sakhalin, Russia and Central Asia.

Modern Korean is written in Hangul, a system developed in the 15th century for that purpose. Modern Hangul uses 24 basic letters and 27 complex letters. Originally Korean was written in Hanja, based on the Chinese characters, and Hanja is still used to a very limited extent in South Korea.

Ways to increase Korean Vocabulary

• Make Word Lists 

Word lists and flashcards are the most widely used Vocabulary learning methods. Either make a two column table with Korean words in one column and their meanings in the other (you can also add more columns like example sentence etc.) or make flash cards with Korean words on one side and their meanings on the other. Review these words regularly (at least once a week) and mark the words that you still haven’t learned completely. While reviewing give special attention to these marked (difficult) words. 

• Look up Dictionary

Always keep a dictionary handy and look up for words you don’t know. Try to get rid of the habit of finding an alternative way of expressing yourself when you don’t know (or can’t recall) the appropriate word. Looking up dictionary may be a boring task but it really helps in long term. I prefer online dictionaries of Naver and Daum over paper and electronic dictionaries as these online dictionaries give you much more information.  

• Learn Words in Context

Words are rarely used alone. They are used in a context with other words, phrases and grammar patterns. Just knowing the meaning of a word is not enough; you need to know ‘who’, ‘where’, ‘when’ and ‘how’ of the word. Otherwise there are good chances that you will make a blunder some time. There are words that are used with particular people, at particular time and situations and in a particular way.  

• Make Associations

Make associations and connections between the new words you learn and words/things you already know. For example, some word may sound like something different/funny/interesting in your mother tongue. Or,  some words mind remind you of something. Funny and weird associations are OK. in fact, they are better. You can also use Mnemonic (a memory trick used to remember things) to improve your vocabulary retention. Connect words with images, people or events around you, convert them into rhymes/poems etc.

• Review and Practice

We need frequent exposure to a word, either by listening, speaking, reading or writing, to learn it permanently. Research says words need 20-30 repetitions/reviews to move to our permanent memory. Use the new words you learn as much as you can even if you are doubtful about its correct use. Just play with the words; use them in different combinations. Take risks. Mistakes and blunders are okay; they make us  learn things. And in fact the funny mistakes are the most interesting thing about learning a foreign language. Aren’t they?

• Mix Words with your Mother Tongue

Using the foreign language words in sentences in one’s mother tongue can also be a good technique to learn and practice words; and it’s fun. For example you learned the word ‘예쁘다 (Beautiful)’. You can practice it with sentences like ‘These Flowers are really 예쁘다’. It might sound weird but believe me it can help you memorize some really difficult words.

• Read Extensively 

Reading widely is the BEST way to enhance vocabulary in any language. Reading exposes us to a wide range of vocabulary in various contexts. The important thing here, is to select a reading material that interests you and suits your level otherwise you will give up very soon. No one likes to look up dictionary 10 times to understand a single sentence. There are plenty of reading material – newspapers, comics, stories, blogs- available in Korean language on internet. Read what you like to read the most and note down the new and interesting words and phrases you come across. 

• Develop Your own vocabulary learning method

This is the most important one. According to the research most successful learners develop their own methods to learn vocabulary. Generally this methods is a combination of several methods. By using all the methods for some time, you will be able to figure out which ones are working for you. Then you can take the good points from all the working methods and develop you own custom method that is the best for you.

• Do it Daily

Make it a regular part of your day. The key to learning vocabulary rapidly is studying it regularly. It doesn’t have to be a long time; just a few minutes, each day, can make a huge difference in your retention of the words you learn. Studying vocabulary sporadically isn’t as valuable because you may forget the words if you don’t review them frequently and consistently.

• Conclusion 

Learning vocabulary can be difficult, but it is well worth your time. A richer vocabulary allows you to communicate more fluidly, understand others and express yourself fully. With these ways to memorize Korean vocabulary fast, you should be recalling and using new vocabulary in no time! 

So! get your vocabulary enriched with the Multibhashi’s Korean Learning course.