Check out the related video here:
When learning a new language with a new writing system many people like to focus on how to write or type in the language. While writing is not strictly necessary unless you live in the country, typing will be very handy for when you need to look up a word, search for things or even have conversations. So how can we go from not having a clue where the keys are to touch typing. While this guide is aimed at Korean, the tips can be used for any language.
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| On screen Korean keyboard |
Installing the keyboard
Before you go out ordering stickers or buying a new keyboard, you must know that none of those are necessary to actually be able to type in Korean. Let's first install the Korean keyboard by going into the language settings on our computer and clicking the 'add preferred language' button. From here we can choose Korean by searching for 'Korean' or '한국어'.
We will then be able to use our keyboard to type Hangeul, you should see the icon in the bottom right of the taskbar that will say 한 or Eng. Make sure it is on 한 and you will now be able to type in Korean and English(US layout) without having to change settings. Pressing right alt will allow you to switch between 한글 and English inputs.
Similarly on our Phone we can add keyboards of different languages without having to change our phone language. Once installed on your device you will be able to access it on the keyboard itself. For iOS users it will be in the bottom left section that allows you to change keyboards and for Android users or atleast Samsung keyboard users, you simply swipe left or right on the space bar to change input.
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| Layout for Samsung keyboard |
The Keyboard Layout
Now that we have the keyboard installed, we want to familiarise ourselves with the keyboard layout. If you're on Windows and I presume it works on Mac you can search on-screen keyboard, using the search function in the bottom left. Alternatively you can search Google or your search engine of choice for the Korean keyboard layout. The standard layout will be 두벌식 or Korean Type 101.
Okay so let's take a look at the keyboard itself. You will notice that all the consonants(자음) are on the left hand side of the keyboard and all the vowels(모음) are on the right hand side of the keyboard.
Although the vowels are not a perfect pattern you will notice most of the double vowels ㅛ, ㅕ, ㅑ, ㅐ, ㅒ, ㅔ, ㅖ are on the top row. the vowels that contain a vertical line ㅓ, ㅏ, ㅣ are in the middle, with ㅗ being the exception. and the bottom row are horizontal ㅠ, ㅜ, ㅡ.
The consonants however are extremely well laid out. On the top row we have all the consonants that can be tensed ㅂ, ㅈ, ㄷ,ㄱ,ㅅ. By holding shift we can get the tensed versions ㅃ, ㅉ, ㄸ, ㄲ, ㅆ. The second row are all nasal sounds ㅁ, ㄴ, ㅇ, ㄹ except ㅎ which is aspirated sound. Then the final row contains all the aspirated vowels ㅋ, ㅌ, ㅊ, ㅍ, bar ㅎ.
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| 두벌식 keyboard layout |
Hopefully understanding this will help you to remember the sounds of Korean better as well as their location on the keyboard.
Practicing typing
Now that we know what the keyboard looks like and how to use it how do we go about learning naturally where to put our fingers on the keyboard. Well like we can in our native language, there is no easy way, we just have to put time in. However there are a couple ways we can go about brute forcing the process. It might seem like you're just guessing at first but you will quickly get used to the layout.
Make a habit of searching words using the Korean keyboard rather than copy and pasting them. The more you type the better you will get, so why avoid the simplest and most effective way to get practice in. This will also be necessary later on when you cannot copy a word or see a word written down and have to type it out.
Deliberately practicing how to type in Korean especially when you are just starting will reap the most benefits as like with everything you will get diminishing returns. You can find any content online that has a few paragraphs like a blog or a news post and type them out. There's no need to feel discouraged if you feel it's taking a long time, you won't learn how to type over night.
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| Typing speed after 2 years |
If you are a person that likes to challenge themselves, I highly recommend this website. Although it is designed to test typing speed it gives you a set number of words that are very common so you will even get used to typing those words while learning where all the keys are. You can race yourself against the timer or you can just use it to see if you are improving.
Don't expect too much but you should be typing relatively fast, probably 30-40 words per minute after about 3 months all in all. Ultimately you will get out what you put in like with any mechanical skill. My main advice for getting quicker at typing is, practice, practice, practice.
For related posts please check out these pages:
- How to Start Reading in a Foreign Language
- Anki Decks for Korean Learners
- Talk To Me In Korean Book Review and Thoughts on the Curriculum
- How to Type in Korean and How to Practice Typing Faster
- Smartphone Apps For Learning Korean
- How to Use Ridibooks(Korean Ebook Store)
- How to Learn Korean in 2021
- I read 61 Korean books in 2020
- Can You Learn Korean from Kpop?
- The Best Vocabulary Books for Korean
Can you make an article about writing in beginner phase? Now I can read and understand YONSEI Reading Level 1 quite nicely, but my output is horrible. I have to think for minutes to make a simple 4-5 word sentence :( AFAIK this means the "passive vocabulary" is high and "active vocabulary" is low... I have tried to form 2-3 word sentences daily in my head though. Have I f**ked up my learning journey? Maybe starting Retro's Beginner Korean Grammar Sentences (333) now is a wise idea?
ReplyDeleteSomeone told me to write daily in journal but is it really worth it if its 50% time wrong and I have to search up and go through grammar again word by word, triple checking every single thing? I mostly struggle with remembering the words in Korean, but recognize them if I see them ("can understand, cant speak"). Also problems with word order in sentences.
Thanks for all your hard work and wish you well
Really if you think about it, your knowledge of the language is still very low. Wasting time outputting badly when you still don't have really strong solid foundations is just inefficient. If you want to become good at writing, then simply read more. This will give you a much better idea of how the language works.
DeleteBy the sounds of it you're still quite a low level and in the grand scheme of things don't understand a lot. The answer to this sounds like more input. You have to become used to the language to the point where it feels natural to you. Highly dependent on what you want to achieve, it seems like outputting is important to you, so it would be a good idea to just memorise some phrases that you might find useful.
You can find phrases in the Anki decks or by reading conversations between natives. Really outputting is knowing set phrases and being able to swap out some elements. It sounds like you're still early on and Korean is a very distant language to English so to actually be good you will need many hours of input and very good awareness.
You cannot f up your learning journey. There are many people who have been years into learning who have done a 'silent period' in order to reduce the mistakes they make and just spend time listening to natives instead of trying to create language themselves.
If you copy a native your sentence can never be grammatically wrong but it can be used in the wrong context. It's just become used to when to use certain phrases. Hopefully this is helpful.
I recommend, if you haven't, the 세종 학당 vocabulary app, and Korean Grammar in Use beginner and Intermediate. Also trying to get through to Yonsei reading 3 so you can start reading Korean content that you actually want to read.