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Learn Hangul in 21 days: the free Korean Starter level
The Starter level is for complete beginners. In 21 short daily lessons you learn how Hangul works, read the consonants and vowels, handle final consonants (batchim) and read your first greetings.
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Start learning Korean freeWho this level is for
- You cannot read any Hangul yet.
- You can recognize some letters but cannot read a whole word with confidence.
- You want a gentle start before grammar and conversation.
The 21 lessons
Each lesson takes about 15 to 25 minutes.
| Day | Lesson | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | How Hangul works Learn how a consonant and a vowel combine to make one block. Treat the romanization as a rough guide, and learn each letter by its shape and sound. | 20 min |
| 2 | Learn ㅂ ㅅ ㅇ ㅇ is a silent consonant that acts as a “frame” when you read only a vowel. Combine it with the letters from Day 1 and read them. | 20 min |
| 3 | ㅈ ㅎ ㄹ complete the basic consonants With the letters so far, you can read words like 저도. Watch out for ㄹ, a light tap of the tongue tip. | 20 min |
| 4 | Learn ㅣ ㅡ ㅐ ㅔ Notice the mouth shapes: ㅡ spreads the lips sideways, while ㅜ rounds them. Don’t try to tell ㅐ and ㅔ apart by ear; learn their spelling word by word. | 25 min |
| 5 | Y vowels (ㅑ ㅕ ㅛ ㅠ) When a vowel gets two short strokes, a y sound is added. Learn to tell ㅕ from ㅛ, and ㅠ from ㅜ, by ear. | 25 min |
| 6 | Intro to final consonants (batchim) and first greetings Learn batchim, the consonant written under a letter. Tell the three nasal endings ㄴ ㅁ ㅇ apart, and learn to read the words for greetings. | 25 min |
| 7 | Week 1 review: greetings and 10 basic expressions Get to the point where you can read and understand the 10 basic expressions (greetings, replies, and ways to get attention) by sight and by ear. Practice them with typing too. | 20 min |
| 8 | Aspirated consonants ㅋ ㅌ ㅍ ㅊ Learn the difference in the strength of the breath. Compare ㄱ/ㅋ, ㄷ/ㅌ, ㅂ/ㅍ, and ㅈ/ㅊ by ear. | 20 min |
| 9 | Tense consonants ㄲ ㄸ ㅃ ㅆ ㅉ Learn to hear the three-way contrast of 가 (plain), 카 (aspirated), and 까 (tense). This is a tricky area for many learners, so listen repeatedly. | 20 min |
| 10 | Review: aspirated, tense, and batchim Review how to tell plain, aspirated, and tense consonants apart, and the 7 batchim sounds. Go back to Lessons 8, 9, and 12 and retake the quizzes. | 20 min |
| 11 | Compound vowels 1 (ㅘ ㅝ ㅟ ㅢ) Read each one by combining its two vowels. Don’t worry about the different ways ㅢ is read; for now, remember it as “ui.” | 20 min |
| 12 | Compound vowels 2 (ㅚ ㅙ ㅞ ㅒ ㅖ) ㅚ ㅙ ㅞ all sound close to “we.” Don’t try to tell them apart by ear; learn them word by word. | 20 min |
| 13 | Review: compound vowels and typing Review the compound vowels from Lessons 10 and 11 with a quiz, then type the words on the keyboard to lock in their shapes. | 20 min |
| 14 | Batchim 2 (ㅅ ㅈ ㅊ ㅌ ㅎ and more) The batchim ㅅ ㅈ ㅊ ㅌ ㅎ all stop on the sound of ㄷ. When two batchim sit side by side, usually only one is pronounced. | 25 min |
| 15 | Sound changes (linking, nasalization, aspiration) Learn where words aren’t read the way they’re written. 입니다 is read as [임니다] (imnida). | 25 min |
| 16 | Review: linking quiz (no romanization) Using only the audio, choose the actual pronunciation. Read the self-introduction sentence out loud. | 20 min |
| 17 | Review: typing day Type the greetings and self-introduction expressions accurately, batchim included. | 20 min |
| 18 | Review: greetings and meal expressions Listen for the expressions you’ve learned so far. Read them with linking and nasalization in mind. | 20 min |
| 19 | Weak-spot review Go back to the lessons you got wrong and review them. Focus on ㅓ/ㅗ, ㅡ/ㅜ, and plain/aspirated/tense consonants. | 20 min |
| 20 | Final test (Lesson 15) A 15-question overall check. If you get every question right on the first try, you earn ★3. | 20 min |
| 21 | Wrap-up and next steps Recheck your weak spots, then move on to Beginner (TOPIK Level 1) study. | 15 min |
After Starter
When you finish the 21 lessons, move on to TOPIK Level 1 content. It starts with introducing yourself and greetings.
- TOPIK Level 1Korean for beginners: TOPIK Level 1 units and lessons
FAQ
How long does it take?
One lesson a day finishes Starter in 21 days.
Do I need to memorize everything before moving on?
No. The later lessons keep using the letters, so you review them naturally as you go.
Is romanization used?
It appears only as a rough guide. The lessons teach you to read by the shape and sound of each letter.
Ready to try? It runs in your browser and is free.
Start learning Korean freeI know how long I can study
- 1-week courseBy day 7 you can read basic Hangul and understand ten greeting expressions.
- 1-month courseBy day 30 you can read and write Hangul and introduce yourself.
- 3-month courseBy day 90 you can read and write Hangul and handle simple everyday topics.
- 6-month courseBy the end you have covered Hangul, TOPIK Level 1 and the core units of Level 2.
Keep learning
- Korean phrasesEveryday expressions with pronunciation
- Korean grammarShort explanations with examples
- TOPIK vocabularyWord lists by level
- Hangul typingKeyboard layout and practice
All example sentences are original and were written for this site. Lyrics and drama lines are not used.
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