Grammar Korean is an agglutinative language.

The basic form of a Korean sentence is Subject-Object-Verb (SOV), and modifiers precede the modified word. Accordingly, whereas in English, one would say, "I'm going to the store to buy some food, in Korean it would be: *"I food to-buy in-order-to store-to going-am." In Korean, "unnecessary" words (see theme and rheme) can be left out of a sentence as long as the context makes the meaning clear. Unlike most European languages, Korean does not conjugate verbs using agreement with the subject, and nouns have no gender. Instead, verb conjugations depend upon the verb tense and on the relation between the people speaking. When talking to or about friends, you would use one conjugate ending, to your parents, another, and to nobility/honoured persons, another. This loosely echoes the T-V distinction of most Indo-European languages.

Korean Words Basic Words Hello : annyong hashimnigga (formal) Good bye: (to someone leaving) annyonghi kaseyo Good bye: (to someone staying) annyonghi kyeseyo Please : putak hamnida Thank you : kamsa hamnida Days of the week Monday : wol-yo-il Tuesday : hwa-yo-il Wednesday : su-yo-il Thursday : mok-yo-il Friday : keum-yo-il Saturday : to-yo-il Sunday : il-yo-il Months January : il-wol February : i-wol March : sam-wol April : sa-wol May : o-wol June : yuk-wol July : chil-wol August : pal-wol September : gu-wol October : sip-wol November : sip-il-wol December : sip-i-wol Directions left : wen-chok right : o-reun-chok straight : ddok-ba-ro

up : wi-ro down : a-re-ro far : meon near : ga-ka-un long : gin short : chal-beun map : ji-do tourist information center(office) : gwan-gang anne-so here : yyog-ee there : chog-ee Family wife : a-nae husband : nam-pyeon daughter : ttal son : adeul mother : omma (if you are a child), o-mmo-ni (if you are an adult) father : oppa (if you are a child), o-bo-ji ( if you are an adult) friend : chin-gu Colours red: ppalgang blue: parang yellow: norang white: hayang black: geomjeong Transport Airport : konghang Express bus terminal : kosok bosu tominol Bus stop : bosu chongnyujang Ferry crossing: naru

Ferry pier: pudu Underground station: chihachol yok Train station: kicha yok Bus: bosu Taxi: taekshi Train: kicha One-way: pyondo Return: wangbok Passport: yogwan In Town Post Office: ucheguk Stamp: upuo Public phone: gongjung chonhwa Telephone card: chonhwa kadu Bank: unhaeng Pharmacy: yakkuk Toilet: hwajangshil Hospital: pyongwon Accommodation Hotel: hotel Guesthouse: yogwan Single room: shinggul Double room: tobul lum With private bath: yokshil innun bang Towel: sugon Eating Delicious: ahbasta Noodles: myon/kuksu Rice: bap Fish: saengson Beef: sogogi Chicken: takkogi Pork: taejigogi Beans: kyong Black pepper: huchu Salt: sogum Butter: poto

Ketchup: kechop Sugar: soltang Water (cold): chan mul Tea: cha Coffee: kopi Juice: chyusu Milk: uyu Beer: maekchu Korean Phrases Meeting People Nice to meet you = BAN-GAP SUP-NEE-DA Youre welcome : gwaenchansumnida My name is : che irumun imnida I come from : chonun e so watsumnida Transport I want to get off here : yogiyae naeryojuseyo I want to go to : e kago shipsumnida Take me to my hotel : hotel-lo gap-see-da Accomodation May I see the room?: pangul polsu issoyo? Do you have anything cheaper?: tossan kot sun opsumnigga? Please give me my key: yolse jom juseyo Where is the bathroom : byun-soh uh-dee-yipnee-ga Food Restaurant: shikdang Im vegetarian: chaeshik juwi imnida The menu, please: menyurul poyo juseyo The bill please: kyesanso juseyo In a shop How much does it cost?: olmayeyo? Thats too expensive: nomu pissayo Can I have a discount?: chim ssage juseyo Korean Literature

The Character of Korean Literature Korean literature is usually divided chronologically into a classical and a modern period and is conveyed through two different manners of transmission. We can distinguish between a literature recorded in Chinese and one recorded in Korean. The latter spread later, as the creation of the Korean Alphabet started only in the Choson period. Korea's classical literature developed against the backdrop of traditional folk beliefs of the Korean people; it was also influenced by Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism. Among these, Buddhist influence held the greatest sway, followed by enormous influences from Confucianism - especially Song Confucianism during the Choson period. The chore of Korean Classical literature is the Hyangga poetry of the Shilla period. The Hyangga were recorded in the hyangch'al script, in which the Korean language was written

using "sound" (um) and "meaning" (hun) of Chinese characters. The literature of the Koryo period is marked by an increased use of Chinese letters, the disappearance of Hyangga, and the emergence of Koryo kayo (Koryo songs) which continued to be transmitted as oral literature until the Choson period. Only later in the Choson period the songs were recorded using the Korean script (Han-gul). The creation of the Korean alphabet in the early Choson period was one of the turning points in the history of Korean literature. In the process of creating the Korean alphabet (Han-gul) and investigating its practicality, akchang (musical scores) were written in the Korean script, such as Yongbioch'bon-ga (Songs of Flying Dragons Through the Heavens) which celebrates the foundation of the Choson Dynasty(1392-1910), and which is complete with musical notation and instrumentation. Modern literature of Korea, on the other hand, developed out of its contact with Western culture, following the course of modernization. Not only Christian thought, but also various artistic trends and influences were imported from the West. As the "New Education" and the "National Language and Literature Movement" developed, the Chinese writing system, which had traditionally represented the culture of the dominant class, lost the socio-cultural function it had previously enjoyed. At the same time, the Korean script, Han-gul was being used more and more frequently, resulting in the growth and development of Korean language and literature studies. With the advent of the "new novel" (shinsosol) came a surge in novels written in the Korean script. Music and classical poetry, formerly fused together in a kind of a song called ch'anggok, were now viewed as separate endeavours. New paths opened up for the new literature. While Korea was importing Western culture via Japan or China, it was also carrying out literary reforms from within. But despite the novelty of the new forms, there were also many instances where the poetic voice was politicized, a sharp contrast to the lyric poetry of old, which gave primary expression to individual sentiment and feeling. Literature in Chinese and Literature in Han-Gul Linguistic expression and manner of transmission are issues of utmost importance in the overall understanding of Korean literature. Korean literature extends over a broad territory: literature recorded in Chinese and literature written in Han-gul (the Korean alphabet). These two aspects of Korean literature greatly differ from each other in terms of their literary forms and character. Korean literature in Chinese was created when Chinese characters were brought to Korea. Because Chinese characters are a Chinese invention, there have been times in Korea's history when efforts were made to exclude literature written in Chinese from the parameters of what constitutes Korean literature. But in the Koryo and Choson cultures, Chinese letters were central to Koreans' daily lives. We also cannot overlook the fact that the literary activity of the dominant class was conducted in Chinese. While Chinese-cantered ideas and values are contained in this literature - a feature shared by most of East Asia during this period - they also contain experiences and thought patterns that express the unique way of life of the Korean people. The use of the Korean script began during the Choson period with the creation of the Korean alphabet (Hunmin Chong-um). The creation of the Korean alphabet in the 15th century was a crucial turning point in Korea's literary history. Compared with the literature written in Chinese which was dominated by the upper classes, Korean script made possible the broadening of the literary field to include women and commoners. This expanded the social base of Korean writers and readers alike. The Korean script (Hangul) assumed its place of leading importance in Korean literature only during the latter half of the 19th century. After the Enlightenment period, the use of Chinese letters swiftly declined and the popularity of Korean letters greatly increased. As soon as the linguistic duality of "Chinese" and "Native" within Korean life was overcome, literature in the Korean script became the foundation upon which the national literature developed.

Korean Slang Wanna speak Korean with an attitude? Here we suggest some nice phrases which can be useful to chat with young people.

Sarang hae yo = I love you. Oppa = a term of affection from a younger girl to an older male. It literally means 'big brother,' but it's commonly used by a younger female to an older male with whom she has some connection. Bogo-shipo = Lit: I want to see you, but it translates as 'I miss you.' bal ddak ko jam i na ja = That means 'you're not enough to drive. Go home and just take care of your household chores. (a man might say this to a woman) And to show your wisdom, here you are some nice proverbs.

Kanun mari kooaya onun mari kopta = Say kind words to hear kind words (Nice words for nice words). Mal han matie chonnyang pito kapnunda = a big debt is repaid with only a few words (Your toungue can make or break you). Nat marun saeka tuko pam marun chuika tutnunda = Birds can hear the talk in the daytime, rats can hear the talk at night (Don't speak ill of others) Songkoto kutputo turokanda = Even a drill goes in from the tip (You have to start at the bottom to climb a ladder) Morunun ke yakida = Ignorance is a medicine (Ignorance is a bliss). Teaching Korean Association of teachers of Korean American Association of Teachers of Korean (AATK)

The American Association of Teachers of Korean seeks to promote the effective teaching, learning, study and research of the Korean language, language pedagogy, applied linguistics, and literature in the United States. The activities of the American Association of Teachers of Korean include but are not limited to the following: Host annual workshops for professional development and conferences for the exchange of ideas, information, experience, and research results and findings, Encourage the development and demonstration of instructional materials, teaching methods, and curricula, Publish a journal, proceedings, and newsletters, Voice the Association's concerns related to Korean language education in the United States, and Raise funds to carry out the Association's activities