Korean for Beginners

Korean for Beginners on Breni opens with Hangul, the Korean alphabet, which learners read fluently within the first two courses. The 8 courses cover Hangul and sounds, reading words, greetings, everyday phrases, two grammar courses, conversation and Korean in daily life. Learners finish able to read any Hangul block, introduce themselves politely, use both number systems and talk about past and future plans. Hangul is taught first so every later phrase can be read, not only heard, and courses unlock strictly in order.

• 8 courses
• 14 learning objectives
• Level: beginner
• Language: English
• Price: Subscription, free trial

What you will be able to do

• Read and write any Hangul syllable block
• Tell plain, aspirated and tense consonants apart
• Introduce yourself in polite Korean with -yo endings
• Use native Korean and Sino-Korean numbers for age, prices and time
• Build sentences with topic, subject and object particles
• Talk about past and future plans in polite speech

Full curriculum

Part 1 · Sounds and script

1. Hangul and Korean Sounds: Read and Pronounce Korean

Read and write Hangul and pronounce Korean sounds. Units, in order: How Hangul was designed; Basic consonants and vowels; Building syllable blocks; Plain, aspirated and tense consonants; Final consonants and sound changes.

• — King Sejong's Design
  Learn why King Sejong created Hangul for everyone.
  • The History of Hangul
  • Scientific Letter Shapes
• — Basic Consonants and Vowels
  Master the foundational letters of the Korean alphabet.
  • Basic Consonants
  • Basic Vowels
  • The Silent Consonant
• — Building Syllable Blocks
  Combine letters into square Korean writing blocks.
  • Syllable Block Layout
  • Horizontal and Vertical Vowels
  • Reading Simple Words
• — Consonant Types
  Explore plain, aspirated, and tense consonant sounds.
  • Plain Consonants
  • Aspirated Consonants
  • Tense Consonants
• — Final Consonants and Sound Changes
  Master batchim endings and how sounds shift when connected.
  • Batchim Basics
  • Seven Final Sounds
  • Sound Changes and Linking

2. Reading Korean Words

Read Korean words and loanwords fluently. Units, in order: Reading syllable by syllable; Korean loanwords from English; Combined vowels; Reading signs and menus; Typing Hangul on a phone.

Part 2 · Basics

3. Korean Greetings and Introductions

Greet people and introduce yourself in polite Korean. Units, in order: Annyeonghaseyo and goodbye; Introducing yourself; Polite speech with -yo; Saying where you are from; Bowing and respect in greetings.

4. Everyday Korean Phrases

Handle numbers, shopping, food and directions in Korean. Units, in order: Native Korean and Sino-Korean numbers; Shopping and prices; Ordering food; Asking for directions; Telling the time.

Part 3 · Core grammar

5. Korean Grammar Basics

Build simple sentences with particles and polite verbs. Units, in order: Subject, object, verb word order; Topic and subject particles; Object particles; Present tense polite verbs; Saying no with an and -ji anayo.

6. More Korean Grammar

Talk about the past and future and join ideas together. Units, in order: The past tense; The future with -l geoyeyo; Saying what you want with -go sipeoyo; Location particles; Connecting sentences with -go and -jiman.

Part 4 · Real use

7. Conversations in Korean

Hold simple conversations in everyday situations. Units, in order: Small talk; Making plans; At a café; On the subway; Asking someone to repeat.

8. Korean in Daily Life

Use Korean with the right level of politeness in real settings. Units, in order: Formal and casual speech levels; Honorifics in brief; Writing a short message; Words from K-dramas and K-pop; Korean culture in everyday language.

Sample: Hangul and Korean Sounds: Read and Pronounce Korean

The opening tier, (King Sejong's Design). Learn why King Sejong created Hangul for everyone.

The History of Hangul

Discover why King Sejong invented Hangul in 1443.

Scientific Letter Shapes

Understand how consonant shapes mimic mouth and tongue positions.

Questions about Korean for Beginners

How long does it take to learn Hangul?

Many learners can read Hangul after a few days of practice, because it was designed to be easy to learn. Korean for Beginners on Breni teaches it in the first two courses.

Is Korean hard to learn for English speakers?

The alphabet is quick, but word order and particles are new for most English speakers. Two grammar courses cover them step by step.

Why does Korean have two number systems?

Native Korean numbers are used for age, hours and counting things, while Sino-Korean numbers are used for dates, money and minutes. The everyday phrases course covers both.

Is Breni an alternative to Duolingo for Korean?

Yes. Breni teaches Korean in lessons of about three minutes, with immediate feedback and missed ideas brought back later.

Does the path prepare me for TOPIK?

It covers many beginner skills, but it does not follow the TOPIK syllabus.

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