이 지 투 리 드

[grajoker]

can you read the korean language yet? i can read it but don't understand most of it!

[SpaceRook]

Yes, I started studying when I arrived last year.  Even though people say you can "learn to read in an afternoon", in reality, it takes months before you can really develop speed.  Also, true reading isn't about looking at every character and sounding it out.  Rather, we "chunk" blocks of words that we recognize.  As a result, in order to be a good reader, you need to practice, practice, practice. I still am not satisfied with my reading.

As your subject line indicates (이 지 투 리 드), many Korean words are just English words written with Korean characters.  (This is especially true with food.) So just learning Hangeul is already a big step. 

[aramella]

Agreed, Korean is quite difficult to learn.  I did not study when I got here a year ago (which I regret).  My new co-teacher teaches me new terms and grammar two times a week which I LOVE HER FOR DOING. 

I was able to read Korean in a week, but understanding words will take some time.  Just stick with it, find Korean classes. BUY A TEXTBOOK!  I used to take a Korean class at the local YMCA but it has since been cancelled.  It will start to make more sense the more you look at it  or not. 

[gilbert.a.h]

I already learned it before coming here, but thats cause my major is Asian Studies with a focus on Korea. Yay, I get to gloat... cause nothing else is going well over here, hehehe... 

[hwana]

Shortly after meeting my girlfriend in England we took a weekend trip together in Venice - I learned hangeul during the flight out, and on the way back learned my first Korean words.

[cragesmure]

can you read the korean language yet? i can read it but don't understand most of it!

Nothing to be ashamed of.  It is easy to read/write, so of course we learn to read it quickly.  I learnt to read/write in a few hours.  5 years on and I'm still not fluent in speaking or listening.  That's the beauty of Korean as a language (at least, in my opinion).  I spent years in China as well, yet I can only read 1000 or so characters.  I can read every Korean character, even if I don't always get the meaning.  Long live phonetic scripts.

[hiphopopotamus]

Regarding the YMCA  classes, if you're talking about Daegu, then the classes are still very much continued. I've been in contact with the YMCA as recently as last week. My first class (the "talk time") begins tomorrow (Wednesday). I'll be taking the intensive course as well which begins next week. I'm curious to see if it will be worth the money, though.

Hangul is most certainly worth learning! We're here for at least a year people! Give yourself a hobby and learn Hangul.

--BMV

[mikau]

It just takes a little elbow grease. The important thing is to actually try. It's easy to live in this country, surrounded by other foreigners, without ever learning any Korean. I know a few people who have lived here over five years and still don't know Korean. I feel like you have to actively avoid Korean in cases like that though.

[murakano121]

learning to read hangul is easy....and for the waygooks who have been here for a year and still haven't mustered the little effort it takes should give their head a shake. 

[DeMayonnaise]

I learned Hanguel and cabanabeer Korean basically before I got here. I understand most of what's going on around me and can make some stupid sentences, but have lost interest in learning the language. It's not that I don't want to, I do, but Koreans are so goddamn condescending about it, I don't really want to try. I tell them I've been in Korea over 2 years, and they're impressed when I know how to read. Makes it hard to try anything more difficult, so I decided to hell with it, I just won't try.

Believe me, I was a part of the school of "You live here, learn the language [mod edit: profanity]", but Koreans make it tough to, when every time I try and speak Korean they either say "Oooohhh, goooood!" or just respond in English.

[nardthefox]

I've had mixed reactions in the past 2+ years. A lot of English responses, compliments in Korean, and unfortunately a decent handful of negative reactions as well. The feeling of '우리말' gets on my friggin' nerves, though I'll admit it's 9/10 the older generations sending that feeling out...but a lot of frustration on the lack of dialect interpretation. I'm sure this has to do with a combination of incorrect pronunciation and the fact that a foreign tongue is speaking Korean (such as the commonly understood differences in dialectical English from different cultures - the Irish don't sound like the Indian, etc. etc.).
I'll admit I'm damned glad to be out of the city. It seems far easier in the rural lands to practice language, with a lot less hostility and English response. It makes it a lot more entertaining to learn, and easier to want to.

[DeMayonnaise]

Yeah that makes sense. I lived in the countryside for 2 years, learned a fair amount of the language, and now live in the city, where I don't need it nearly as much. I thought about taking a course at a uni, but since I'm leaving at the end of the summer decided not to. I think I'm just ready to move on from Korea....

[Koreak]

I enjoy the 'oh' reactions from Koreans when I speak Korean (baby Korean as I like to call it).  But I find unless I am a regular at a place, the people that don't know me are bracing for me to speak English, they are listening very carefully to remember something they learned in high school so when I start speaking Korean and they are equally shocked and don't understand what I am saying.

I just don't understand the ex-pats that have been here for 5+ years and still can't order a beer in Korean.

[siamagoo]

I tell them I've been in Korea over 2 years, and they're impressed when I know how to read.

While I disagree with how DeMyonnaise phrases his discontent, I do have to soundly endorse this one comment.

I'm far from fluent, but I can do a good - What did you do last weekend? I went hiking and then met some friends for dinner. So, almost a legit conversation. And then they are shocked when I can read (phonetically) a sign we pass.

Drives me crazy.

I used to switch to English when Koreans spoke to me in English, but now I just go on speaking Korean, even if it makes it more difficult for them to understand me. I take an "I've been teaching English all day. Outside of school is Me Time. I will practice Korean" attitude. I had one friend on the first day we met ask me to speak only in English. He's not my friend anymore. If he wants English lessons he has to pay for them, like everyone else.

But yeah, y'all. Learn the Korean alphabet. It's super fun. Especially reading the McDonalds menu: mi-ku-chi-kin and la-chuh-puh-ren-ch-pu-ri-e-su!

[littlebopeep]

I really want to learn Korean, but Koreans don't want me to. It's weird. Plus my co-teacher uses her knowledge of Korean as like a weapon against me during class. She glances over in my direction and waits for my reaction. I'm like, yeah whatever. Why don't they have semi-mandatory Korean classes for NETs? I've studied Hebrew and Greek before. I hate that Koreans can be so uptight about their culture.

[infogoddess]

you can learn to read Korean online
http://www.learnlangs.com/RWP/Korean/
http://www.learn-korean.net/

as always .. free  free  free

[gmhahn]

I'm always impressed by the foreigners here who can actually have a conversation in Korean. I learned to read it before I came here and since then I just read every sign as I walk around or ride the bus and it's fun. Mostly, I enjoy seeing the buchered English words written out in Hangeul, I guess what is called Konglish. But I can only say the most basic phrases and conversations in spoken Korean. I really dont understand how people can be here and not learn to read it or at least order food. It really makes everything easier like reading a menu, but that's just me and I understand how easy it is to live in the city and not need to know Korean.

[saetdal]

I really want to learn Korean, but Koreans don't want me to. It's weird. Plus my co-teacher uses her knowledge of Korean as like a weapon against me during class. She glances over in my direction and waits for my reaction. I'm like, yeah whatever. Why don't they have semi-mandatory Korean classes for NETs? I've studied Hebrew and Greek before. I hate that Koreans can be so uptight about their culture.

Why do you make it seem as if Koreans are monsters when it comes to learning Korean. Koreans aren't "uptight" about their culture because they're prideful or trying to withhold it from you. They've been through alot. Japan almost destroyed Korean "culture" during their occupation (language, clothes, schools, way of life, etc).

As for not having a semi-mandatory Korean Classes for NETs might sound nice, but Koreans are more concerned about learning English than you learning their language. After all they shipped us all the way here, pay for our housing, and pay our salary so they can teach their children English.

And... Koreans speak to you in English because they want to practice English. They're completely fine with you speaking to them in Korean, but they'll still respond to you in English. It's their way of practicing English. They correct my incorrect Korean, and I fix their incorrect English.

I've had mixed reactions in the past 2+ years. A lot of English responses, compliments in Korean, and unfortunately a decent handful of negative reactions as well. The feeling of '우리말' gets on my friggin' nerves, though I'll admit it's 9/10 the older generations sending that feeling out...

Again, they're not trying to make it "our language" kind of thing. That's just how they speak grammatically. 우리 말. It use to drive me crazy as a kid that they say, 우리 집 or 우리 식구 instead of  내집 or 내식구. It's like that. It's just their very proud of being able to have held onto their language that Japan almost demolished.

Just because it's different from what we're use to, doesn't mean that we're right and they're wrong. It's just different.

I'm Korean American, and I had a TOUGH time adjusting to Korea... I grew up with OLD FASHION Korean parents. Korea is not what it use to be, it's just different. They're still slow to in growing socially because they were forced to grow so fast economically. They have a very sad history, try to be a bit more understanding.... 

[grajoker]

i enjoy the reactions i get when i say a newly learned phrase in korean..

[lvhtink]

I'm still struggling with reading. It's not necessarily 'easy' for everyone to learn. I just can't get my head around the letters for some reason, but I'm signing up for Korean lessons, my coteacher is also trained to teach Korean to foreigners (she's brought in some letters to help me practice) & I do pretty well at remembering phrases to get by in, which is what I need more than anything - to be able to communicate with people!