Korean language courses

The Korean Peninsula is divided into the communist North Korea and the capitalist South Korea. The language spoken in both countries is Korean, a language that is spoken by some 78 million people around the world. The Korean language and culture are strongly influenced by China and Japan, countries which have occupied Korea throughout the centuries. Initially written Korean used an adapted version of Chinese characters, but in the 15th century a unique writing system for Korean, Hangul, was developed. The Korean economy, that was in decline in the late 1990s, was given an important boost by the emergence of Kpop (Korean pop music). This musical genre now enjoys international popularity and this has led to many young people all over the world learning Korean. This fascinating language is quite easy to learn at a basic level.

Hangul

Hangul is much easier to master than Chinese or Japanese, with their many characters, as the Korean alphabet has just 24 basic letters.

Pronunciation and grammar

To speak Korean really well, it is essential that you learn about Korean culture. This is because pronunciation is dependent on the situation and the person that you are speaking to. During the Korean courses at UvA Talen, you will be introduced to Korean society and culture, so that you can begin to understand the detailed rules for the different levels of the language.

Compared to European languages, Korean grammar is relatively uncomplicated.

Korean courses at four levels

UvA Talen offers Korean courses at four levels, from Korean Beginners for people with no prior knowledge of the Korean language, to Korean level 4 for those who can already read simple dialogues and short texts in Hangul.

The end level of Korean level 4 is equal to Level N5 of the Korean Language Ability Test (KLAT).