As with any other languages, many would often wonder how long it will take in order to fully master the Korean language. This is a reasonable concern as time is a prominent factor when deciding if learning the language is worth the investment.
For most people, it will take them a year or two for them to be fluent enough to have a conversation. This requires consistent studying and practising of at least two to four hours a day. However, this metric, undoubtedly, is not a one size fits all. Due to the varying degrees of accessibility and resources, the specific duration will vary from person to person.
To provide you with a better gauge, here are 3 factors that can affect the duration you need to learn the Korean language.
1. Your Native Language
Your native language is a significant factor that comes into play when determining if learning Korean will be easy or challenging for you. Many are under the impression that Korean is most similar to Chinese, and whilst this may hold some truth, these two languages are largely unrelated. The first Korean alphabets, otherwise known as Han’ja, are body of Chinese characters that have been incorporated into the Korean language. Unfortunately, Han’ja is no longer used and has been instead replaced with the modern alphabets, Hangeul.
On the other hand, Korean shares the same linguistic rules as languages such as Japanese, Mongolian and Turkish, amongst others. Similar to these languages, the Korean language uses the subject-object-verb (SOV) word order. Since English doesn’t follow the same rule, English speakers will find learning Korean slightly more challenging.
Whilst it’s true that as a native English speaker, you may take a longer time to learn, but it’s not a hurdle you can’t overcome. With constant practice and diligence, you’ll be able to speak Korean fluently in no time!
2. Your Past Learning Experiences
Having been raised in a bilingual household can give you a competitive edge over others when learning a new language. Once you are fluent in more than one language, you’ll gain a better aptitude for language, making the acquisition of other languages slightly easier.
Since learning a new language requires the brain to form new nerve pathways each time, the pathways that you’ve already developed will make it easier for the brain to absorb a new language. Your past learning experiences will help your brain adjust to these learning patterns, and hence, you’ll require less time to learn Korean.
3. Resources At Your Disposal
There is a myriad of ways you can approach learning the Korean language; you can opt to learn it on your own or deliberately moving to Korea where you’re required to learn and practise the language. Amongst these options, the best will ultimately be to enrol yourself in a Korean language course. There will be an experienced native Korean teacher to guide you through the curriculum and correct your mistakes. Besides, surrounding yourself with peers who have the same goals will ensure that your learning journey is not a lonely one, and this will give you the motivation for you to push through.
Evidently, there is no definite answer to how long you’ll need to pick up the Korean language. At the end of the day, it all boils down to the amount of effort and time you’re putting in to learn. You can also improve your experience by signing up for our Korean language courses. With an experienced team of competent and friendly Korean native teachers and quality teaching methodologies, we will ensure that you’re equipped with the necessary skills to pick up the language in the shortest time! Give us a call to find out more!