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Specifically, what are some things you do to help you learn and remember new words and what they mean? Read on. Please note that this guide assumes prior knowledge of Hangeul, the Korean alphabet.
1. Learn related words
To improve your vocabulary, it's useful to learn related words to the one you're studying. For instance, looking up '훨씬' in the dictionary will give you the definition 'very much, far, a lot'. Still, you should know that '훨씬' can't be used as a substitute for every 'far', 'much', or 'a lot'. By examining example sentences, you'll notice that it's commonly used with '보다', '더', and adjectives to convey comparisons.
It's important to learn different forms of the word too, for example, 예쁘다 (to be pretty) can also be expressed as 예쁩니다, 예뻐요, 예쁘죠, etc. By understanding these nuances, you'll be able to use words more confidently and appropriately.
2. Korean word families
Some words in Korean follow patterns as they are a part of the same word family. If you can find their common root, you can easily understand what they mean. An example is the 교 (gyo) family, whose words are related to education, such as 교수 (professor), 학교 (school), 교육 (education), and 교재 (teaching material). Another instance includes the Korean colors ending in the word 색 (saek).
One thing to note is that not all words fall into families, but it makes it easier to learn Korean quickly when they do. (1)
3. Read a lot
Reading is the best way to memorize vocabulary and is crucial as the English language continues to evolve. New words are added every day. It's important to keep reading to expand your vocabulary and expose yourself to new words. By reading, you can absorb the meanings and deeper essence of words on a subconscious level. So, keep reading, and don't stop!
4. Use Hanja
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By learning hanja, you can better understand the Korean language, expand your vocabulary, and even get a head start on learning Chinese or Japanese. Hanja is found in Korean dictionaries mainly to explain a word's origin. But if you're interested in learning hanja, starting with a Korean dictionary is a great way to memorize them!
5. Diglot Weave
Have you heard of the Diglot Weave technique? It's a clever way to memorize vocabulary by inserting them into an English sentence. Instead of just substituting the English word with the foreign one, try using it in a few different sentences (4 or 5) to help cement it in your mind.
6. Break down the words
This is a handy hack to learn faster! Breaking down Korean words into simpler forms can be useful.
Take the word "지우개" which means eraser. You can break it down to "지우" meaning "to erase" and "개" meaning "tool". Combining these, you can understand that "지우개" means "erase tool." By using this strategy, you can learn multiple words at once, like the word "이쑤시개" which means "toothpick."
Remember, it may not be easy to break down words at first. But over time, with practice, it can become easier and help increase your vocabulary and improve your grammar.
7. The Scriptorium technique
Alexander Arguelles, a language expert and polyglot, came up with a great method to improve both speaking and writing skills in Korean. It's called the Arguelles’ Scriptorium Technique, which focuses on paying attention to every detail of the language.
The technique includes three simple steps:
1. Read a sentence aloud.
2. Speak each word aloud as you write it down.
3. Read the sentence once again, but this time as you have written it.
The aim of this exercise is to slow down and be meticulous, which helps in learning new vocabulary, grammar, and other intricacies of the language. It is important to choose quality written content to copy carefully. Take the time to thoroughly check anything you are not sure about.
This technique is especially effective for intermediate and advanced-level learners. If you want to master the Scriptorium technique, practice regularly. Remember, practice makes perfect!
8. How to remember words with mental "movie clips"
What is it?
The CLIPS™ Process, created by 90 Day Korean (2), involves creating mental "movie clips" to deepen your associations with information. This is like reading a book, where your brain has to create visuals, versus watching a movie where visuals are provided for you. The process involves five steps: classify, link, invent, picture, and say.
By creating a backstory and personal memories to link to the words, you can enhance your associations and memorize Korean verbs more effectively. Adding colorful details to the story can also help. By using this process, you will be able to learn Korean words bidirectionally, meaning you can recall and understand them in conversation.
Examples
Here are some examples that illustrate how the CLIPS Process can be used to memorize Korean verbs:
Step 1 - Classify: Classify the word. For example, if the verb is "to eat" (밥을 먹다), classify it as a 하다 (hada) verb
Step 2 - Link: Break down the root of the verb (먹) into syllables and find link words for that verb. For example, link the syllables "먹" to the phrase "make a mukbang."
Step 3 - Invent: Create a backstory to go with the link words. For example, you could invent a story about a friend who likes to create mukbang videos and always has to eat a lot of food to make the videos entertaining.
Step 4 - Picture: Visualize the scenario in your mind, like a scene from a movie. You could imagine your friend sitting in front of a camera with a table full of food.
Step 5 - Say: Say the backstory and rehearse the link words and associations. For example, say the phrase "make a mukbang" aloud to help solidify the memory.
Another example:
Step 1 - Classify: Classify the word. For instance, if the verb is "to read" (읽다), classify it as a 하다 (hada) verb.
Step 2 - Link: Link the root of the verb (읽) to the word "liquor." For example, you could associate the pronunciation of the verb with the sound of a cocktail being made in a bar.
Step 3 - Invent: Create a backstory to go with the link words. For instance, you could imagine being in a bar and reading a book while enjoying a cocktail.
Step 4 - Picture: Visualize the scenario in your mind, like a scene from a movie. You could imagine yourself sitting at a bar, sipping a drink, and reading a book.
Step 5 - Say: Say the backstory and rehearse the link words and associations. For example, say the word "liquor" to help solidify the memory.
9. Peg word memorization
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What is it?
You can also use this system to memorize groups of words. The peg method, also known as the peg system, is a memory technique that involves linking numbers with visual images (also called "pegs") to help remember a list of items in a specific order. The system typically uses a standard set of images to associate with numbers, such as rhyming words, number shapes, or a numerical system based on letters in the alphabet.Examples
A popular peg system uses rhyming words to associate with numbers:
1 - Bun
2 - Shoe
3 - Tree
4 - Door
5 - Hive
6 - Sticks
7 - Heaven
8 - Gate
9 - Vine
10 - Hen
To use this system, you would create a vivid mental image associating one item in your list with each of the rhyming pegs. For instance, if you were trying to memorize a grocery list including milk, bread, apples, chicken, and ice cream, you would imagine:
- A giant bottle of milk spilling out of a hot dog bun
- A shoe-shaped loaf of bread
- A tree growing apples instead of leaves
- A chicken running into a door
- An ice cream cone overflowing with bees and honeycomb
By associating each item with a peg and visualizing these odd and memorable images, you can recall the items more easily and in the correct order.
As an example of using the peg method to memorize vocabulary words in Korean, a version of the pegs system that uses English words that sound similar to Korean numbers can be helpful (3):
- Eel One, bun.
- “E” Two, shoe.
- Same Three, tree.
- Saw Four, door.
- “O” Five, (bee)hive.
- Yuk! Six, sticks.
- Chill Seven, heaven.
- Pal Eight, gate.
- Goo Nine, vine.
- Ship Ten, hen.
Here is one possible way to associate Korean numbers with these peg words:
- 일 (il), meaning "one" in Korean, could be associated with "Eel" by imagining a huge electric eel on a hot dog bun.
- 이 (i), meaning "two" in Korean, could be associated with "E" by imagining a basketball sneaker with a bigger letter "E" on the side.
- 삼 (sam), meaning "three" in Korean, could be associated with "Same" by imagining the silhouette of three identical tall trees on a hilltop.
- 사 (sa), meaning "four" in Korean, could be associated with "Saw" by imagining a saw cutting through a door.
- 오 (o), meaning "five" in Korean, could be associated with "O" by imagining Honey Nut Cheerios shaped like little "Os" and drizzled with sweet honey from a beehive.
- 육 (yuk), meaning "six" in Korean, could be associated with "Yuk!" by imagining exploring the woods with sticks and finding something "yucky" to prod.
- 칠 (chil), meaning "seven" in Korean, could be associated with "Chill" by imagining yourself in heaven where a gentle breeze gives you the chills.
- 팔 (pal), meaning "eight" in Korean, could be associated with "Pal" by imaging a good pal opening the gate for you and patting you on the back as you get in.
- 구 (gu), meaning "nine" in Korean, could be associated with "Goo" by imagining Tarzan swinging on a goo-covered vine.
- 십 (sip), meaning "ten" in Korean, could be associated with "Ship" by imagining a big ship transporting only hens. How chaotic it can be!
By using these vivid and memorable images, you can associate Korean numbers with English words and make the language more memorable and easy to retain.
10. Memorization tips for studying 1600 words in a month
What is it?
The method involves four steps (4):
- You will remember how to pronounce Korean words correctly in the first four days.
- Practice saying the Korean and English words out loud at a speed of one word per second from day 5 to day 14.
- Test yourself by looking at the Korean words and trying to say their English meanings right away from day 15 to day 26.
- From day 27 to day 30, do the final check.
To accomplish this within a month, you should study 45 minutes a day intensively. It is recommended for students who already know the basic rules of Korean pronunciation, but those who cannot read Hangul are advised to start studying Hangul first. Besides, you may want to write down your schedule and goals for each step on a calendar and announce them to your family for accountability purposes.
How to do it
Detailed explanations for each of the four steps:
Step 1: Memorize Accurate Pronunciation
During the first four days, focus on mastering the accurate pronunciation of Korean words. This step is essential as some words may change pronunciation irregularly, and it is necessary to check that you are learning the correct pronunciation.
Follow along with a video that contains the 1600 words you will be learning, and make sure you are pronouncing each word accurately. Concentrate on the differences in pronunciation, such as liaison and pronunciation of batchim. Try your best to pronounce them correctly and memorize both the pronunciation and the letter of the word.
Remember that Korean pronunciation is more consistent than English. You can skip step 1 if you already know how to pronounce Korean. Go to step 2 instead.
Step 2: Read Through the Wordbook 10 Times
During the 10 days from Day 5 to Day 14, use the "1-second memorization" method to finally memorize the words. Read aloud the Korean and English words in one second per word. Use the vocabulary book downloaded and read it for all 1600 words. Read through with a good rhythm and don’t stop and think in the middle of the process.
Another point is to read the words aloud as much as possible, which makes it easy to retain information in your memory. You can do it while lying down or standing up, but the important part here is the rhythm and speed.
The repetition of seeing a word, hearing it, and then reading it aloud will help you remember it in the long run. The goal is to complete 10 rounds, but remember that it is better to do 20 rounds or even 100 rounds, not just 10 rounds. Additionally, put all your effort into completing one lap a day.
Step 3: Go Around the Wordbook 3 Times
From Day 15 to Day 26, use a vocabulary book to check if you are remembering the words. Hide the English meaning on an A4 paper, look at the Korean word, and see if you can say the English meaning right away.
Don't try too hard to recall the words. Don't hesitate to check the answer if you're stuck on a word. If you know the meaning, mark an "O" with a pen or circle it.
Once you finished all 80 words on the first page, go to the second and third pages, carrying that process throughout all the 21 pages. Once you have finished the last page, you should start the memorization check again from page 1.
This process should be repeated for a total of three times. At 1.5 seconds per word, it will take you about two minutes to go through each page, and by doing this every day for 45 minutes, you can complete the first lap in five days. The order of marked Οs should be changed to check if you have memorized the word's meaning, so rearrange the order of marked Οs instead of just marking them.
Step 4: Final Check in Listening
During the last four days, from day 27 to day 30, you will do the final check by listening to the learning videos without looking at the screen. The video contains the words read out in Korean and English. The test involves saying the English meaning out loud when the Korean word is read before the English meaning is given. At this point, you should be able to recall the meaning of most of the words, so think of this step as the final confirmation.
If there was a word that you couldn't say the meaning of, check it in your vocabulary book and try to memorize it. Since this video is about tưo hours and 20 minutes long, four days should be enough time to finish it, including the memorization check.
11. Create a personalized way to master new words
To be successful in learning new vocabulary, it's best to develop your own personalized method. This means trying out different techniques and figuring out which ones work best for you.
You can combine multiple methods to create a customized approach. This will help you learn and remember words more effectively and efficiently. The key is to experiment and find what works for you.
Final thoughts
I can't stress anough the importance of having a personal attachment or context when learning new words, as it makes it easier to remember their origins and meanings. Drilling your flashcards is not effective for me, and I prefer learning through shows, lyrics, or lessons. I recommend repetition as a key factor in language learning, especially by using and consuming content where the learned words could appear again. I also suggest writing the words down and practicing pronunciation out loud to enhance the learning experience and develop a feel for words. By doing so, you can see an improvement in pronunciation and a better ability to distinguish similar sounds over time.
Besides, remember that simply cramming random words into your vocabulary won't help you remember them for long. You may recall the meanings for about a day but quickly forget the actual word. Thankfully, there's a better way! Reading is vital. Spend time reading -- the news, articles, stories, novels, or anything that interests you.
Still, we often encounter new words and make the mistake of only looking up their definitions. This doesn't help us memorize vocabulary itself. To truly embrace a new word, you need to learn its different forms (noun, adjective, etc.) and find sentences in which it's used. This way, you become more familiar with the word and truly understand it.
To keep track, create a note on your phone or in a diary, and revisit these new words frequently. This should allow you to seamlessly increase your vocabulary effectively.
References
(1) https://www.90daykorean.com/how-to-remember-korean-words/
(2) https://www.90daykorean.com/how-to-remember-korean-words/
(3) https://www.90daykorean.com/how-to-remember-korean-words/
(4) https://learning-korean.com/elementary/20220602-12551/
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