Learn Korean fast by learning common scenarios.
Skip the "the cat drinks milk" phase. Type the moment you're about to walk into, like a Seoul taxi or a Korean BBQ restaurant, and GigaLearner writes the Korean you'll actually hear and say. Hit play, slow it to 0.75×, parrot away.
Why scenarios beat word lists.
Real lines, not random words
You learn the exact Korean for the moment you're in, in the order it actually comes up.
Hear it the way it's said
One natural voice explains in English and speaks the Korean. Too fast? Slow it to 0.75× and say it back.
Hangul, minus the homework
Every line comes in Hangul, a pronunciation guide in English letters, and plain English. Read along with the audio and the letters start to click on their own.
5 more common Korean scenarios to rehearse first.
The situations that come up on day one. Each line below is the one you'll need. GigaLearner writes the whole conversation around it, so you know what the other person will say back.
- CAFÉ, BUSAN
Ordering an iced americano
Rehearse this →아이스 아메리카노 한 잔 주세요.Aiseu amerikano han jan juseyo."One iced americano, please." - SUBWAY, SEOUL
Checking your subway
Rehearse this →이거 홍대입구역에 가요?Igeo Hongdae-ipgu-yeoge gayo?"Does this go to Hongik University station?" - BBQ RESTAURANT, SEOUL
Ordering at Korean BBQ
Rehearse this →삼겹살 2인분 주세요.Samgyeopsal i-inbun juseyo."Two portions of pork belly, please." - MARKET, MYEONGDONG
Asking the price
Rehearse this →이거 얼마예요?Igeo eolmayeyo?"How much is this?" - PHARMACY, INCHEON
A headache at the pharmacy
Rehearse this →두통약 있어요?Dutongyak isseoyo?"Do you have headache medicine?"
Korean in 30 seconds.
- Spoken in
- South Korea and North Korea.
- Written in
- Hangul: 24 letters, designed to be learned in an afternoon.
- The tricky bit
- Speech levels. Ending sentences with -요 (-yo) is polite and safe with almost everyone you'll meet.
- Quick win
- "…주세요" (juseyo, "please give me…") after any noun orders it. Coffee, kimchi, the bill.
Three steps. Zero flashcard guilt.
Type the moment
Anything that's about to happen, like ordering an iced americano. No ideas? Tap a template like At the restaurant.
GL writes the script
Seconds later: the conversation that usually goes down, line by line, in native script, pronunciation and English.
Tweak it, then hear it
Harder, easier, or what happens next. Then add voice, slow it to 0.75× and parrot away. Nobody's listening. Probably.
Korean questions, answered.
How fast can I learn Korean?
Fluency takes years, and no app can honestly promise otherwise. Getting through the moments you're nervous about takes days: rehearse a scenario a few times before it happens and the lines stick. Start with the 6 on this page.
Do I need to read Korean script first?
No. Every line comes in Hangul, a pronunciation guide in English letters, and plain English. Read along with the audio and the letters start to click on their own.
Which Korean does GigaLearner teach?
Standard Seoul Korean in the polite -요 style, the one you'll use with staff, strangers and colleagues.
Is it free?
You start free with 3 minutes of lesson audio and 20 lessons, no card needed. Pro is $9.99 a month or $89.99 a year for 30 minutes of audio and up to 500 lessons every month, in every language.
Is there an app?
GigaLearner works in your browser on phone, tablet and computer today. The iPhone and Android apps are coming soon.