5 comments about Korean, Basic: Learn to Speak and Understand Korean with Pimsleur Language Programs (Simon & Schuster's Pimsleur).

1. I've tried many language learning products over the years, but this is definitely a great method for learning. Just as you thought you might have forgotten what you just learned, the teacher prompts you to remember it again. As you move forward, the words and phrases build upon one another until conversation flows easily. I think this is an excellent system to learn to speak Korean, if you can't afford a teacher. The one downside is you will not learn any reading or writing, but this is a great place to start.



2. this is good for someone (like a businessman) traveling to korea and needs to know a few key phrases. it doesn't really teach you many words and such, but mostly memorizing and repeating phrases. i don't really call this learning a language. it also doesn't have anything written down, so if you're a visual learner, this isn't for you as the entire thing is just on a CD.



3. Own two other Pimsleur languages, and it's likely a statement more about the Korean language than Pimsleur, but this is no where as good as either Japanese or Spanish. Pronunciation is very difficult to understand, and lessons follow "stock" Pimsleur without additional explanation. For example, no explanation of how to pronounce the hybrid "R-L" sound; in Japanese lessons this was much easier to comprehend. Have listened to lesson 1 on three separate occasions and still cannot remember the first phrase, "Do you speak English?" For this specific language, Pimsleur Basic system fails to explain necessary details.



4. Forgive the poor attempt at transliteration, but what I've just asked is, "Do you speak Korean?" The Korean language doesn't really lend itself well to English transliteration because of the several problems - most notably complex Hangul vowel sounds that do not exist in English - however, any Korean speaker should understand my introduction (I didn't bother to look up the literal English phonetic transliteration letter alternatives).
   
   The Pimsleur Basic Korean course is exactly what I hoped it would be. Each CD contains two complex lessons, and subsequent lessons build off of what has been previously learned. Much like a good teacher will do, there is an explanation attached to each section; it's not just memorization. Whether it's breaking down a verb, a polite ending, or the words within sentences that initially sounds like mumbo-jumbo, the lessons are thorough and interesting. And just when you think you've got a lesson wrapped up, the narrator will ask you a question from lessons past - keeps you on your toes.
   
   Mixed a male and a female voice, the intonation is clear and precise. Lessons are repeated piece-by-piece, from end to beginning, eventually culminating in a staged conversation between two people. At first I didn't think this method was most effective, but eventually I realized the benefit. In no time at all I had a few useful phrases nearly perfected. The articulate repetition really serves as a great teacher.
   
   The one major downfall to this CD set is the lack of character reinforcement. Since most people don't know how to sound out the Korean alphabet (I do), it wouldn't be beneficial anyway; but, the sounds are sometimes easily confused if the listener is not already aware of the subtle differences between English and Korean sounds. For example, the English vowel "O" can easily be confused for the Korean O and EO, the latter spoken with less rounded closure of the lips. Not to mention the Korean R/L hybrid letter, the G/K hybrid sound, and the nearly indistinguishable AE/EA dipthongs.
   
   Overall, only so much can be done in a few CDs, and this book does a very good job of putting the building blocks (or, with, from, hello, goodbye, a little, now, later, etc.) in place during that limited time. With that said, the answer to my initial query is: Neh. Han-kook oh ruhr chogum ha suh ee sim nee da. (Yes. I can speak a little Korean.)



5. This is a good way to learn Korean for busy people who want to learn during driving, relaxing, jogging ...etc.

5 comments about Oxford Picture Dictionary: English/Korean.

1. I'm very satisfied with the condition of the book and fast delivery. I would like to recommend this book to others.



2. This is a much simpler version of Oxford's other language picture dictionaries, but it is very useful.



3. This book was meant for Koreans learning English but the Korean words are under the English words so you can use it both ways. You might think a picture dictionary is for kids but this one is for grown-ups and is VERY well laid out by category. There are quite a lot of words illustrated including verbs, prepositions and nouns as well as adjectives.



4. I loved the idea of pictures to help learning languages..
   
   However disappointed with the use of many words and chapters....
   
   I feel it should be more "general" and geared for my "useful" korean words.
   
   However, when learning Korean... the options are limited...



5. I teach English as a second language, and this is the dictionary that I urge my higher beginning students to get. It's a wonderful practical vocabulary builder. I have seen disappointed reviews from people trying to use these bilingual Oxford Picture Dictionaries to learn a foreign language (i.e., not English), and I don't think the OPD the best dictionary in that circumstance. Everything in the dictionary is geared toward American English and American society, and all the incidental material that Oxford University Press creates for the OPD (and there is a lot of it) is in English.
   
   When used for the purpose for which it was designed -- learning English -- this is a fantastic asset.

3 comments about Elementary Korean Second Edition.

1. Not as tough as expected!
   Previous reviewers of the book (e.g. of the 1st edition) think that the book covers much grammar and too many vocabulary (almost 1000!) items. For total beginners the book does progress fast, and there are many grammar and vocabulary items which are treated or explained much more in detail in other Korean language textbooks. But from my experience, this book does not suffice to prepare you adecuately for the tough standardized Korean language exam, the TOPIK Beginner's Level exam. For that exam, you need at least 2000 vocabulary items, and somewhat more grammar (Korean expressions) than what is taught in 'Elementary Korean, 2nd edition, 2009'. For a revision of this classic, it is surprising to see the many typographical errors (or other type of errors) throughout the book. Although this book teaches indeed merely Elementary Korean, it does help to get a systematic grasp of the grammar and the 1000 vocabulary items. I failed to learn or memorize the 2000 words which can be found in the 3 recently published vocabulary books by Yonsei University Press (1800 words), Darakwon (2000 words), and Nexus (6000 words). If you have problems with memorizing Korean words, this book is a must-have. And 1000 words are indeed a good beginning! No frustration guaranteed.
   The sequel to this book is Ross King's Continuing Korean, which is even more impressive in its coverage of grammar and vocabulary items. So, I actually do recommend buying both volumes (Elementary Korean+Continuing Korean) at the same time from amazon, especially if you want to save on the shipping costs. I was done with learning the whole book of "Elementary Korean" after only 3 months, so I had to place a new order for "Continuing Korean" and pay again for the shipment costs.
   Ross King also translated a colossal Korean Grammar book from original Korean language to English, now called "Korean Grammar for International Learners, New Edition (2001, 13th printing 2009)". Only KRW14,000 from Yonsei University Press.



2. Elementary Korean is simple and has a very easy and honest approach to learning korean.
   
   Although I am using it by myself (without the support system of classes and a teacher)I have found that it is increasingly easy to read and speak the language.
   
   It has a lot of exercises (with the answers included) and also a great audio cd so you can pick up the correct wording.
   
   I recomend it to anyone how wants to learn korean, by yourself (as I do) or as a support book for classes.



3. Firstly, only chapters 1, 2, and 5 have vocabulary. The rest of the audio disc comprises all of the conversations and parts of exercises. Also, the vocabulary words don't have any English. In other words, they don't say "English (pause) Yong-oh" but instead just say the Korean. This might not be a problem for some people, but if I'm trying to learn straight vocabulary and can't look at the book or my notes, it's very convenient to have this.
   
   Secondly, there are a lot of errors in the book. Sometimes they just say the wrong word or have a typo. However, for a second edition, I would have expected that this was cleared up.

5 comments about Integrated Korean: Beginning 2 (Klear Textbooks in Korean Language).

1. What you learn in this book is no-nonsense useful stuff. That's the main point. Right from book 1 there is no romanization, a big bonus. Romanization keeps you from ever learning Hangul.
   
   [Audio files should have been provided in mp3 format. Converters are available, but the resulting audio quality is bearable, not more.]* The vocabulary is too limited to university student life. Try to find 'job', for instance. It's not there, only 'arbeit', something you do while studying. Many words appear once and never again. A few words are not listed in any of the book's dictionaries. The impression is the editors don't have a firm grip on vocabulary matters.
   
   *[Later addition] Now the publisher lets you download mp3 files. It takes forever, but the difference in sound quality is dramatic. This is really great news!



2. This book might work well in a classroom, but it doesn't work at all for someone trying to learn the language on their own. It moves very fast, and the workbook exercises (particularly the listening comprehension exercises) quickly become so difficult as to be impossible for someone who isn't already used to the sound of the language. Some grammatical concepts are used without being explained, and the grammar index includes references to sections in which the relevant grammar is not explained at all, merely used. All of this is very dejecting, and it surely needn't be that way. The problem, of course, is that there are very few other textbooks around -- in particular, there are very few textbooks that avoid romanization, as this one does. But being the best of a bad lot doesn't make it useful.



3. This is a well organized series, and follows pretty much the same layout that the Genki series did for Japanese. It's very controlled, with the first dialog or so taking a few grammar concepts from the previous chapters and introducing new ones as well. You get about 7 or so new grammar points, with maybe 20-30 or so new words per chapter. The task/function sections in the chapters clearly had classroom work in mind, but it's not entirely useless for self learners. I used this as my main study material for the KLPT, and with this book (to beginning 2) plus spaced repetition software managed to score a level 1.



4. This book has been very good when combined with an instructor who actually cares about the students learning the language. Our instructor - a graduate student who is an exchange student from Korea - prepares slide shows and other material from the book for a two hour class every Tuesday & Thursday.
   
   Physically, the book is pretty high quality. The pages should stand up to a lot of page turning.
   
   Sentences in this book are not the useless things that you'll find in some other language books. They generally make sense from a conversational point of view, and will do things like:
   
   (In Korean): "I assume that you were born in The U.S.?"
   (In Korean): "No, I was born in Seoul, but we immigrated to the U.S. when I was two years old."
   
   This allows you to see how "born" and (paraphrased) "assumed born" are said in Korean as well as making use of other vocabulary.
   
   In short, this is a very good book when used in a classroom with an instructor who cares about their students' learning. It's also inexpensive, which is a major boon for any student.
   
   However, I do not recommend this book for self-learning. You will NEED explanations and someone to go to with questions. That's all there is to it: This is a classroom text book.



5. Out of all the self-paced textbooks available, this series isn't perfect but it does get the job done. This particular textbook (Beginning Level 2) is very useful and contains some of the best explanations of Korean grammar I've ever seen. If you are a native English speaker and want to learn Korean grammar and incidental vocabulary, pick up this book.
   
   Remember this textbook is designed to be used in a classroom; namely the University of Hawaii. It outlines the goals, vocabulary and grammar points quite well and actually fits a self-paced and self-determined student quite well outside of the classroom. The chapters are logically laid out and are never too difficult to follow. This book not only takes it slow, but systemically explains and compares previous grammar points to avoid confusion.
   
   Like the other books in the series, the publication date is dated and needs an update. Almost ten years since the last one. However, unlike the previous book in the series (Beginning Level 1) this book stays pretty natural throughout the text. The situations are mostly quite believable and the appropriate level of speech is used most of the time. I found myself pleasantly surprised at the scripts. It rarely felt like a textbook in that it didn't feel dry.
   
   All in all, it's a relatively cheap and easily obtainable self-study resource for explaining Korean grammar in English. I highly recommend it as an additional if not primary resource for studying Korean.

4 comments about Berlitz Korean Dictionary: Korean-English / English-Korean (Berlitz Concise Dictionaries S.) (Korean Edition).

1. 
   Berlitz Korean Dictionary: Korean-English / English-Korean (Berlitz Concise Dictionaries S.)
   
   This is the best dictionary ever. I will be traveling to Korea next month and feel that this will well prepare me to get better aquainted not only with the language but the culture as well.



2. its pretty good,however its hard to see the korean word then write it from a very small diagram



3. The words are arranged according to the romanized pronunciation of a word, for example 'nuni ssain' [snowy field] is listed under 'n'.
   
   After each romanized entry you see the Hangul, or script of the word, followed by the meaning of the word.
   
   If you have decided that you need a dictionary then you probably already know how to read Hangul script. I agree with the previous reviewer that it is awkward using romanization again after having learned Hangul, it's annoying.
   
   Other than that I have no complaints, it is modern and comprehensive.
   Some of the words or expressions you can find include: 'economic boom, denim jeans, population density, baseball glove, mean with money...'.
   The typesetting and color-use is very nice, easy on the eyes.



4. This book is a great find for me. I am trying to learn Korean so I can speak and understand the Korean language with my mother. This dictionary is a great help to me when I am trying to impress my mom by attempting to speak her native language. It is easy to use and look up the translations. Most of the translations given that I use are perfect for everyday usage and context. There is no ambiguity between me and my mother.

5 comments about Integrated Korean: Beginning Level 1 Workbook (KLEAR Textbooks in Korean.

1. Frustrated with the dearth of good Korean language learning workbooks, I sent the following email to the publishers...
   
   .ram files? Really? Why bother making the files availiable if they are essentially useless? If they were mp3 and I could learn via my player on the go, then I would buy your book. I'm sure the irony is that you didn't make mp3s files out of fear of piracy which might affect sales. Gj.
   
   While were at it, why punish your customers by making them download each of 50+ files individually?



2. The workbook is meant to be compatible with a cd. The first exercise you are supposed to listen to is a conversation about everyday expressions and circle the expression you hear. Problem is... there is no cd to listen to the conversations!!!!!!! The textbook is well written but not including the cd is really stupid. Why not include the cd or make one available?? Extremely dissapointed with the workbook.



3. very useful if combine usage with the textbook.. alot of practices in terms of grammer, writing, reading and listening (files can be found online, troublesome though but it's better than nothing)..
   
   BUT.. the workbook doesnt come with answers.. you have to check it aganist your textbook... which can be kind of troublesome...
   
   This series of textbooks/workbooks are more inclined for classroom teaching.. nevertheless it's more than enough for DIY learning as well....



4. I brought this book soley on the fact that my local school used this workbook in their Korean Classes.



5. great companion to the text book, so you can practice writing as well as learning to read and speak your new language

5 comments about Integrated Korean: Beginning Level 1 Textbook (KLEAR Textbooks in Korean.

1. This is such a good introductory Korean textboook~
   For those who can't find the listening exercise audio files, It can be easily found on the U of Hawaii KLEAR textbook site, in the form of Real audio files and MP3 files:
   
   http://uhpress.wordpress.com/books-in-series/klear-textbooks-in-korean-language/
   
   http://hawaii.edu/uhpress/realaudio/klear/beg1/



2. ...and I've used them all. Or, at least, I've bought them all.
   
   I lived in Korea from 1995-2001. At first there were very, very few texts available and they although they were for adults, they always felt as if they were aimed for children. Then I found a couple of college level textbooks that were good, but I felt too technical. Then in 2006 I finally had the chance to study Korean at a university in the US and we used Integrated Korean. It is the first textbook I used that I wanted to re-use. All the others ended up on my bookshelf or trashcan.
   
   Integrated Korean--along with its workbook--is good because it had scenarios and vocabulary that were realistic for someone studying at a university. I appreciated the clear explanation of grammar, particularly post-positions and verb construction. Most astonishingly, I finally came to understand things I had been saying for years but could never get a Korean to explain to me exactly WHY I was supposed to say it that way. The text invites using more than one sense. You need to read, write, speak, hear a language in order to be able to know it and use it in the real world. Integrated invites the user to engage all of your senses (except smell and taste...that comes from eating kimchi) and it does the job well.
   
   I highly recommend this as a college course book and for adults who are motivated and want to self-study or have a private tutor. I have just moved back to Korea after an 8 year absence. I have just placed an order for Integreated Korean, and I can't wait for my tutor and I to get started with it.
   
   BTW, there's also a website with sound files courtesy of the University of Hawaii.



3. I chose this book due to the reviews that I saw on Amazon. It seemed that it was the most promising of a few bad books out there. I noticed that it was used as the course textbook for the University of Indiana and the University of Hawaii, and thought "how bad could it be?"
   
   I feel as though I have wasted many hours of study on completely pointless exercises.
   
   Flaws of the book:
   
   1. Since this is used as a textbook for college students, it focuses on college-related vocabulary. While this may be great for role-play conversations in a college class, it is terrible for practical applications. I learned words like: freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, biology, economics, etc. Words that you generally don't use in everyday conversation.
   
   2. More useful vocabulary words that are presented as part of the chapter's vocabulary but are not presented in the chapter or used in context.
   
   3. Mindless drills. One drill that specifically comes to mind: the book teaches you that you can combine two sentences to make one sentence using the word ±×¸®°í (the word that means "and").
   
   4. Useless vocabulary loanwords: when is the last time you heard "Charlie Chaplain" before right now? I think that sums it up.
   
   5. Absence of verb-conjugation exercises. They present the conjugated verb for you but don't explain how to do it.
   
   6. Presentation of different verb tenses simultaneously. Past tense was touched upon in one chapter. The following chapter brought in future tense. That doesn't sound too bad as I write this review, but "touched upon" is the key here. Not much in the way of conjugation or exercises. Most good language books would spend 1 or 2 chapters focusing almost exclusively on the tense being presented before moving on to another tense.
   
   Don't waste your money or your time on this book. Google Click Korean (Seoul National University's interactive website for Korean beginners). It has a good introduction to Hangul (the Korean alphabet), and it also has useful vocabulary. YouTube has the Old Series Learn to Speak Korean (with Anh Chakhee), which also has very useful material in 15-minute lessons. Both are free and a much wiser way to spend your time studying Korean.



4. A very simple and easy to follow book with step by step teaching.
   The examples are placed at just the right places and are easy to follow. Though translations in a few places at least at the start of the book would be really helpful.
   All in all an excellent purchase for someone who is planning on learning the language.



5. works great for when I am not near my computer, books are easier to read than staring at a computer screen

2 comments about Basic Korean: A Grammar and Workbook (Grammar Workbooks).

1. Korean grammar is very tricky in the beginning, so you need good material to help you with it.
   To me this was a great supplement to my textbook studies.
   
   This book is ideal for beginners of Korean, for the following reasons:
   
   1. many varied exercises
   
   2. shorter chapters for smoother progress
   
   3. builds up a basic vocabulary of ~400 words
   
   4. clearly explained in non-technical manner
   
   The first chapter covers pronunciation and has many exercises to make sure you can read the script before continuing.
   In the remaining chapters there is no romanization.
   Each chapter usually has a set of vocabulary to learn, which are needed for the exercises at the end of the chapter.
   The grammar is explained very clearly and with examples, the language is not very technical.
   
   To some extent you can skip to whatever chapter you want to use, save for the first chapter that covers pronunciation.
   However, this is first and foremost a workbook and not a reference book for grammar, and some chapters do assume that you have done previous ones. So treat this as any other workbook.
   
   In a previous review, before editing, I stated that the book has romanized versions of all words, I was mistaken about this and have corrected the mistake. It just happens that I am using 3 books in the same series and publisher - Chinese, Cantonese and Korean - and I got the them a bit mixed-up, that's all.
   



2. 
   Of course no textbook is perfect in all respects, but I am very happy with this book. I have about 175 Korean grammar books in my collection so far and I must say that this book is destined to be one of my favorites. The author explains certain aspects of Korean grammar in a different way which enables me to understand the material being taught. It is lke a different perspective which gives me an "aha" moment when the lightbulb above my head suddenly lights up. I believe that "Basic Korean: A Grammar Workbook" should be in every student's Korean grammar book library.

3 comments about Korean: Lonely Planet Phrasebook.

1. This is the 4th Edition (purple/violet cover 2008) I borrowed the 3rd Edition (red/maroon color 2002) from the library. The earlier edition has 300 pages and appears to have more info in it than this newer version.
   
   I have two other books. I'm using Korean for Dummies and Beginner's Korean. And this has a section on grammar that seems to compliment them. I initially bought a 2008 edition but returned it.
   
   Though it is not as color coded as the new version, I'll be purchasing the 2002 (3rd edition) instead!



2. I've been living in Korea for about 6 months now and use this book frequently. It's small enough to carry around in a purse or pocket but holds TONS of information. Everything you need on a daily basis to get around with the locals. The layout is great, you can see it, sound it out or if all else fails... just point! Would definately recommend!



3. My teenager uses this book to communicate with her international friends at school, over emails, and text messages. It works! Information is accurate and they are better able to communicate.

5 comments about Read & Speak Korean for Beginners (Book w/Audio CD): The Easiest Way to Communicate Right Away! (Read & Speak for Beginners).

1. Yup, this is the best one out there. There are some stuff that I had understood from other books but when I got my hands on this..I became more clear and more understand more grammars. I have gone through halfway, and shamelessly, I may say that I am proud of my Hangungmal..he he he.
   If you are thinking to buy it..then stop thinking, buy this book, although the enclosed CD helps me little (man, those Korean speaker speaking too fast like nobody's business)



2. I found that this guide is not for absolute beginners. You still need SOME basics before you use this book. I was disappointed that there weren't any pronunciations or grammar. I would definitely try something else first



3. I bought this book before I studied abroad in Korea. I was there for 6 weeks, which I thought was long enough to learn a little bit of the language before I went. And I was over satisfied, I was able to say a few phrases and read and write (albeit I studied hanguel from another source). This is my favorite of two books I bought. I like the pictures and large size of print. However, there are games with cards but I never play those. I think this book is meant for a younger audience, or someone who wants to have a little fun.



4. i've only partially completed the book, but so far its excellent. but you do really need to know the korean alphabet before you begin. the book doesn't really teach it at all, it just expects you to kind of pick it up as you go. still, things are beginning to make sense very quickly and easily.



5. The book is good for basic beginner but nothing fancy. I went to study abroad in South Korea so I bought this to get a heads up. I didn't really use it at all when i got to Korea. The Book was too basic but you can still learn something for it. I let my cousin borrow it after I came back.