# Learn Korean with NativePal > Learn Korean with NativePal: levelled reading, vocabulary with spaced repetition, and pronunciation coaching. Free app for iOS and Android. ## Quick facts - Native name: 한국어 - Speakers: 80+ million speakers worldwide - Spoken in: South Korea and North Korea - Writing system: Hangul, 24 basic letters - FSI difficulty category: IV - Estimated study to professional working proficiency: 2200 hours (about 88 weeks full-time, per the US Foreign Service Institute) - Proficiency framework: TOPIK (TOPIK 1, TOPIK 2, TOPIK 3, TOPIK 4, TOPIK 5, TOPIK 6) ## What English speakers find hardest about Korean - **Speech levels and honorifics**: Verb endings encode your relationship to the listener and to the person you are talking about. Choosing the wrong level is a social error, not just a grammatical one. - **Verb at the end with stacked endings**: Korean puts the verb last and builds tense, mood, politeness and connection into a chain of suffixes on it, so the final word carries most of the meaning. - **Two number systems**: Native Korean and Sino-Korean numbers are used in different contexts, so you learn to count twice and then learn which one goes with which counter. - **Plain, aspirated and tense consonants**: Korean splits sounds three ways where English has two, as in ㄱ, ㅋ and ㄲ. English ears often cannot hear the difference at first. - **Particles marking topic and subject**: 은/는 and 이/가 divide up work that English does with word order and intonation, and the distinction is a long-running stumbling block. ## How you practise Korean in NativePal - [Reading Lessons](https://nativepal.app/features/reading-lessons/): Korean stories generated for your level, every word tappable for a translation, comprehension quiz at the end. - [Vocabulary & Dictionary](https://nativepal.app/features/vocabulary-and-dictionary/): themed Korean vocabulary lessons plus a personal dictionary feeding spaced-repetition flashcards. - [Speaking Practice](https://nativepal.app/features/speaking-practice/): read Korean aloud on a teleprompter and get scored on individual sounds, prosody, fluency, and connected speech. - [Daily Challenges](https://nativepal.app/features/daily-challenges/): 60 seconds of freeform Korean every day, analysed for grammar, vocabulary, and phrasing. - [Learning Scenarios](https://nativepal.app/features/learning-scenarios/): structured Korean lessons from the alphabet for absolute beginners. ## FAQ ### How long does it take to learn Korean? The US Foreign Service Institute puts Korean at roughly 2200 hours of instruction — about 88 weeks full-time — to reach professional working proficiency. Holding a simple conversation comes much sooner: most learners manage it inside the first few months. NativePal shortens the part you control: reading at your level every day, vocabulary that returns before you forget it, and speaking practice that scores your pronunciation instead of just ticking a box. ### What is hardest about Korean grammar? Speech levels and honorifics: Verb endings encode your relationship to the listener and to the person you are talking about. Choosing the wrong level is a social error, not just a grammatical one. Verb at the end with stacked endings: Korean puts the verb last and builds tense, mood, politeness and connection into a chain of suffixes on it, so the final word carries most of the meaning. Two number systems: Native Korean and Sino-Korean numbers are used in different contexts, so you learn to count twice and then learn which one goes with which counter. Plain, aspirated and tense consonants: Korean splits sounds three ways where English has two, as in ㄱ, ㅋ and ㄲ. English ears often cannot hear the difference at first. Particles marking topic and subject: 은/는 and 이/가 divide up work that English does with word order and intonation, and the distinction is a long-running stumbling block. ### Is Korean hard for English speakers? Among the hardest for English speakers, despite an easy alphabet. Hangul was designed to be learnable and most people read it within a few hours to a few days. It is by far the easiest part of Korean. ### What writing system does Korean use? Korean uses hangul, 24 basic letters. Hangul was designed to be learnable and most people read it within a few hours to a few days. It is by far the easiest part of Korean. ### What proficiency levels does NativePal use for Korean? NativePal levels your Korean practice with TOPIK, so reading lessons, vocabulary, and speaking prompts are generated for the level you select rather than a generic average. The ladder runs TOPIK 1 through to TOPIK 6. ### Where is Korean spoken? Korean is spoken in South Korea and North Korea, with 80+ million speakers worldwide. ### Can I learn Korean as a complete beginner? Yes. NativePal's Learning Scenarios start from the alphabet, numbers, greetings, and how to introduce yourself, with no prior Korean assumed. Once those land, reading lessons and vocabulary packs pick up from wherever you are. ### Does NativePal correct my Korean pronunciation? Yes. You read Korean aloud on a teleprompter and get scored on individual vowels and consonants, stress, rhythm and intonation, fluency, and connected speech — not just a pass or fail. The 60-second daily speaking challenge adds freeform practice on top. ### Can I practise speaking Korean, not just reading it? Yes, and it is the most-used part of the app. Speaking Practice is a teleprompter you read aloud for scored pronunciation feedback, the daily challenge gives you 60 seconds of freeform talk, and you can reply with your voice in any chat or roleplay scenario. ### Is NativePal free for learning Korean? NativePal is free to start, with a daily allowance across reading, vocabulary, speaking practice, and chats. A premium subscription removes the daily limits and unlocks the longer formats. Prices are set in the App Store and Google Play and vary by region. ### Do I need an account to start learning Korean? No. NativePal uses anonymous sign-in, so you can start practising Korean without an email address or social login. ## More - [All supported languages](https://nativepal.app/languages.html) - [All features](https://nativepal.app/features/) - [Compare NativePal with other apps](https://nativepal.app/compare/) - [llms.txt](https://nativepal.app/llms.txt)