A free, step-by-step path from zero to advanced Korean: four stages, each with ordered steps, examples you can play aloud, and printable PDFs in five languages. Start at stage 1 and do the steps in order — every step ends with a short practice task and a “move on when” check, so you always know when you are ready for the next one.
The four stages
| Stage | Level | Time | You will be able to |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Hangul intro | Absolute beginner · before TOPIK I · King Sejong "Korean Fundamentals" | Read Hangul in about a week at 30 minutes a day; add about 2 weeks for sound rules and typing | You can read any Hangul word aloud, letter by letter and syllable by syllable. |
| 2. Beginner | TOPIK I (levels 1–2) · CEFR A1–A2 · King Sejong standard curriculum levels 1–2 | About 3–4 months at 30–45 minutes a day | You can greet people and introduce yourself: name, country, job, where you live. |
| 3. Intermediate | TOPIK II (levels 3–4) · CEFR B1–B2 · King Sejong standard curriculum levels 3–4 | About 6–9 months at 45–60 minutes a day | You can give reasons, contrasts and conditions in one sentence, and choose the right connective for the situation. |
| 4. Advanced | TOPIK II (levels 5–6) · CEFR C1–C2 · King Sejong standard curriculum levels 5–6 | A year or more at 1–2 hours a day, most of it reading and listening to real Korean | You can read news articles and editorials on social, economic and cultural topics, looking up only a few words. |
1. Hangul intro
Learn to read, write, pronounce and type Hangul, the Korean alphabet. After this stage you can sound out any Korean word, read signs and menus, and use Korean dictionaries and apps.
- You can read any Hangul word aloud, letter by letter and syllable by syllable.
- You can write all 40 letters (19 consonants and 21 vowels) and build them into syllable blocks.
- You can hear and say the difference between plain, aspirated and tense consonants (ㄱ/ㅋ/ㄲ).
Open stage 1 → · 10 steps · 3 printable PDFs
2. Beginner
Build real sentences: introduce yourself, order food, buy things, tell the time, talk about your day and your plans, all in polite Korean you can use with anyone.
- You can greet people and introduce yourself: name, country, job, where you live.
- You can order food and drinks, ask the price and pay in a shop or restaurant.
- You can say times, dates, ages, prices and phone numbers with the right number system.
Open stage 2 → · 12 steps · 3 printable PDFs
3. Intermediate
Link your sentences with reasons, contrasts and conditions, speak politely to anyone, and start reading real Korean texts. This is the stage where Korean stops being a list of phrases and becomes a language you can think in.
- You can give reasons, contrasts and conditions in one sentence, and choose the right connective for the situation.
- You can describe people, places and things with relative clauses in the past, present and future.
- You can conjugate the common irregular verbs without stopping to think.
Open stage 3 → · 12 steps · 3 printable PDFs
4. Advanced
This stage takes you from getting by in Korean to working, studying and arguing in it: reading news and editorials, writing structured essays, and hearing the nuance behind what people say.
- You can read news articles and editorials on social, economic and cultural topics, looking up only a few words.
- You can write a structured argumentative essay of 600–700 characters in the written plain style.
- You can describe a chart or survey result accurately and concisely in written Korean.
Open stage 4 → · 12 steps · 3 printable PDFs
How to study with this course
- Little and often beats long and rare. 30 minutes every day works better than three hours once a week.
- Say everything out loud. Tap ▶ on each example, repeat it, and record yourself once in a while.
- Review on a schedule. Put new words and example sentences into a flashcard app with spaced repetition and review daily.
- Print the PDF for your stage. Write the answers by hand, then check the answer key on the last page.
- Use Korean for something real. Read signs, menus, song lyrics or drama subtitles with what you learned that week.
Free official tools
- Basic Korean Dictionary — the National Institute of Korean Language’s learner dictionary, with meanings in 11 languages
- TOPIK — the official Korean proficiency test: dates and past papers
- King Sejong Institute Foundation — Korean classes around the world and online
Also on this site: where to take Korean classes in your country.
FAQ
What is the best order to learn Korean?
Hangul first (about a week), then beginner grammar and vocabulary for daily life, then intermediate connectives, irregular verbs and honorifics, then advanced written style and vocabulary. Each stage page lists its steps in order.
How long does it take to learn Korean?
It depends on time per day. As a rough guide from this course: Hangul in about a week, beginner level (TOPIK 1–2) in a few months, intermediate (TOPIK 3–4) over another six to nine months, and advanced (TOPIK 5–6) over a year or more of steady study.
Is this course free?
Yes. Every page and every PDF is free to use for personal study.
How do I know my level?
TOPIK, the official Test of Proficiency in Korean, has six levels (1–2 beginner, 3–4 intermediate, 5–6 advanced). The official site topik.go.kr publishes test dates and past papers.
Which languages are the PDFs in?
English, Japanese, Spanish, Traditional Chinese and Vietnamese. The Korean examples are identical in every version; only the explanations are translated.
