Pimsleur Korean Level 1 Lessons 1-5

Learn to Speak and Understand Korean with Pimsleur Language Programs

By: Pimsleur

Narrated by: Pimsleur

Length: 2 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

The Pimsleur® Method: the easiest, fastest way to learn a new language. You'll be speaking and understanding in no time flat!

This course includes lessons 1 to 5 from the Korean Level 1 program, featuring two and a half hours of language instruction. Each lesson provides 30 minutes of spoken language practice, with an introductory conversation and new vocabulary and structures. Detailed instructions enable you to understand and participate in the conversation. Practice for vocabulary introduced in previous lessons is included in each lesson. The emphasis is on pronunciation and comprehension and on learning to speak Korean. A user's guide is included.

The Korean Language

Korean, the native language of about 80 million people, is the official language of both North and South Korea. It is also spoken in neighboring Yanbian, China. There are two standard dialects, Seoul (South Korea) and P'yongyang (North Korea). Pimsleur's Korean teaches the Seoul dialect of South Korea.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2016 Simon & Schuster (P)2016 Simon & Schuster

Critic reviews

"Pimsleur programs provide plenty of positive reinforcement that will keep learners on track, and we found that Pimsleur gave us more proficiency and confidence in speaking the new language than any of the other language programs we reviewed." (AudioFile magazine)

Most effective way to learn Korean language.

I really enjoyed learning Korean language using this Pimsleur method. Very effective, very fast to absorb the lessons. I find it a little expensive though.

A very good purchase!

The pacing is very nice and is somewhat easier to keep up with. The repetition of words over time also helps with retention and multiple chances to get down that one word that escapes the englisb monolingual tongue. highly recommend and I found best results(for the individual lessons)are when repeated you 2 or 3x throughout the day or when played in tandem with the previous lesson e.g. im on lesson 3 so I listen 3 then 2, then 3 again and until I get them both comfortably and then the same with lesson 4.

Effective!

With some basic grammar knowledge, I find this audio course quite effective. I can communicate now (start conversation). I like dialogues in real speed. I am not sure if it would help me without knowing grammar and some vocabulary. Looking foward to next lessons. It promises fluency after 10 lessons.

Amazing method for learning Korean!!

I had to replay a few lessons to completely internalize what was being taught, but my Korean speaking friends at school are impressed with how fast I am learning! 감사합니다 😁

It works for me

It took me two weeks to finish lessons one through five. I did it that way so I could do the lessons twice, and the more difficult lessons three or four times. I highly recommend this program!!

Be patient! It works!

The key to this program working is to be PATIENT. I’m reading a lot of reviews that seem to be upset by how quickly the lessons go and/or how context isn’t necessarily explained. I listened to the introductory chapters before Unit 1 and it literally says that lessons can and should be repeated until you can answer about 80% of the prompts correctly. Of course you’re not going to memorize a bunch of new words and phrases in 30 minutes and be able to retain them…you have to be patient and put in the work! It usually takes me 3-5 days before I feel comfortable moving onto the next lesson, but by the time I’m ready to move on, I know for sure that I’ve retained the information. I’m currently on Unit 12 and I still remember everything they throw at me from previous lessons.
As far as words and phrases in context, it’s another exercise in patience. The lessons teach you words/phrases that make sense in the context that they’re being taught in. If there’s a change or difference, it teaches you about it later in a new context. For example: in lessons 6-10 you learn numbers in the context of telling time. But in lesson 12, it starts teaching you about numbers in the context of money, and it explains that there’s a difference.
This program really is great. It’s well known that one of the best ways to start learning a language is to start trying to speak it little by little. The way this program is set up is very practical, and I found that I’m able to notice patterns in grammar by paying attention as the sentences are getting longer and more complex. Learning in the context of conversation rather than just memorizing vocabulary and random grammar rules is much more effective.

Rekindling My Language Learning

I lived in Korea for 5 years. In the first couple years, I was making progress. I then moved to an area where there weren't a lot of people and it was pretty difficult to do - I didn't have this as a resource. I wish I had. This is pretty awesome. I just throw it in when I am on the treadmill or the bike.
I am taking it slow to make sure I remember, but it's all coming back. It's clear and pretty awesome. Everything was fine until Unit 5 of this one. It seemed like they added many more items! It's still good, though. 3 thumbs up. Fighting!

Beginning Korean

This audio allows you to jump straight into spoken Korean. Although it is seem counter to what is done in a language classroom, working first with listening and speaking skills is confidence inspiring when one doesn’t have a language tutor. I find that even though the program is repetitive, that when the material is repeating itself it is adding context to words or slightly altering the sentences to introduce new grammar naturally.

I read other reviews before deciding on this program, and I want to clear up something in regards to the manual that comes with the week versions of this course on Audible. You won’t get written assignments until you are a couple of “weeks” into the program. This is done so that you focus solely on pronunciation and identifying sounds versus confusing you early on with a new writing system (no matter how simple the Korean alphabet is). Patience is key, and I am personally in no rush to be writing since this is merely a personal hobby. If you are, you only have to wait three to four weeks to actually begin writing, so it isn’t to bad.

I have you used this program before with another language and was happy with how easy the process felt, and how after a couple of years of neglecting to study I still was able to recall almost all of the information presented. Being in college, the last thing I want to do is read another textbook, so it is nice to have the audio reading the material to me with my only effort being listening and responding.

Needs workbook companion

So in the very beginning it says not to use any other learning tool with this audio. For the hard of hearing this is very difficult. When they pronounce their words, it sounds very different from the original to the repeated form. Phonetically, I need to see how the word is spelled in order to repeat correctly. For example, when he first says the word one letter might sound like a G but when he repeats it sounds like a K. It’s a little frustrating. I find my self googling the word to see how it’s spelled. I would love a workbook companion to see and write.

Fast learning

I have been trying to learn Korean for a few months and was really struggling. I got this audio book and listened to each lesson twice. I have learned important phrases and feel co fident in speaking them. This book is good and helpful!