Read and Speak Korean for Beginners with Audio CD, 2nd Edition (Read and Speak Languages for Beginners)

Is it perfect? Not it's not. But I think this book IS perfect for a total, first time learner of languages and is a bit afraid and intimidated by Korean. I am not a first time learner of a language but I have to say, the Asian languages intimidate my. This book is gently learning and while the organization is something to be desired and needs a bit of a change in order of relevance and learning, doesn't mean you should ignore it or chuck it in the bin. Yes, it uses a Romaji-ish type letters for pronunciation but I think for a true beginner, that is not a big issue, if you have a back up program that teaches you Hangul and pronunciation/reading, like Elementary Korean or go to the web and find that on YT or Google. I like the ease of use of this book and the fact that it is not a strict, in your face, grammar, textbook-like book for newbies!

I have just completed the first topic of this book - and so far I am really enjoying it. I feel like I am actually learning fairly quickly and the course, once you start using it, is so easy to follow and understand. I love how there are listening, reading, writing, speaking (to a CD), and fun activities all included to help facilitate learning. Coming from the background of a Foreign Language/ESL teacher, this little book hits all the highlights of good language teaching - and at a bargain price.

I bought this because I checked it out of the library and really like it but I needed a workbook I could write in. I enjoy the various exercises at a slow gentle pace. I am not advertising but I already learned how to read Korean at korean 101 site which has free videos teaching vowels and consonants one by one. I suggest you check out the hana hana videos and complete this workbook My memory is awful so I was at a dead end being able to read it but not being able to understand. This workbook was the difference. Such a beautiful and fun language to learn but don't forget to turn on a K-Drama like "City Hunter" to help reinforce what you have learned and enjoy the ride!

Super helpful, I've learned faster using this than the other methods I've tried. Am progressing and am so excited about it!

감사합니다! Ahh thank you thank you thank you!!! I love this book so much it has helped my pronunciation so much! I already know Hangul and the sounds each charather make so I didn't really need the romanization. Also this book will only help you with pronunciation and basic stuff such as how to greet yourself, family members, what is it, where is it, etc. So make sure to buy another book where it's talk about conversational phrases and stuff like that. I would totally recommend this book :)

This book is OK and not great. It is not the way I want to learn Korean but does provide some valuable insight on reading the language in the back. I was hoping for more content, and yes I did look inside the book first. It jumps from moment to moment in the book which leaves most of the learning to be done on your own. My memory just does not work that way I guess. They are teaching you to memorize how each word looks rather than read/understand the language. I have started to learn the alphabet on my own and use this book to help me practice reading and recognizing words which has been handy.

I thought this would be a good refresher course for me before I advanced to an intermediate level. The book jumps straight into learning communication starting with chapter one "What's your name?" What I don't like about this book is that the Korean script is on page 89 as a reference. I don't feel it's really being taught. If you tried learning Japanese before and you relied heavily on romaji chances are you'll try to do the same. I feel the Korean script isn't being used enough in this book and it should of been implemented within the first 2-5 lessons so you gradually learn to start memorizing the vowels and consonants instead of relying on a pronunciation key. The pronunciation key is given below each word written in Hangul. I do like the listening activities as well as the reading and writing exercises. There are some game activities in the book which require you to cut out charts and cards given in the back of the book. WARNING: There is an answer key in the book as well, remember to be careful looking at it. The pages contain answers for multiple topics, you wouldn't want to ruin your learning experience. I feel that if you're serious about actually reading the script you should pick another book but if you just want to learn to speak quickly to others this is a good book for you.

Great for beginners learning Korean! This is basic basic basic, so if you know Hangul and some vocabulary this book might be a bit too easy for you. If you are just starting out this is a great choice! I took an intro level Korean class and this was a great follow-up for me to continue self-study in addition to other sources.

I have used this book for young children and it worked well for them. The CD sounds very good and the book contents are well made as well!

Non l'ho ancora usato, non lo riterrei un libro per imparare ma come eserciziario per confermare ciò che si impara sul altri libri. Mio parere personale. Sempre e rigorosamente tutto in inglese.

It's a great book for beginners with no previous knowledge of Korean as it starts out slowly. It's also at a very good price. It's a really fun book, with lots of activities and a CD to help with pronunciation. You would benefit from an additional way to learn Hangul, but that's easily found online.

I find the book really useful for learning and practising Korean writing. The layout is great, the examples are interesting and useful and it does not overwhelm. However, I find the English pronunciation of the Korean lady and gentleman on the CD really strange unfortunately, so much so that I have decided to carry on with the book without listening to the recordings, which I know is not the best thing to do. Also, some of the Korean words are pronounced very differently from the way they are written, without an explanation, which is a bit confusing. For Hangul reading, however, this is a very useful book. I do like it.

Da das Buch auf Englisch geschrieben ist und die Sprecher auf der CD native Koreaner sind ist es etwas schwierig verständlich. Zudem beginnt man sofort mit Hangul. Ich würde das Buch eher empfehlen wenn man die Wörter schon kennt und nurnoch das Schreiben lernen möchte.