Learn the bricks. Build your sentences.
Instead of memorising lists of phrases, you learn reusable words and the rules that put them together. You build, transform and listen to sentences you have never seen before.
Six families of bricks
Every word is shown in Hangeul, with its romanization, its audio and a meaning in context.
The subject takes 는 or 은, the topic particle. It is often left out when the context is clear.
The verb always comes at the end of the sentence. Its polite ending -요 is the same for every person.
Nouns never change form: a particle attached after them shows their role (를 / 을 for the object, 에 for the destination).
The negation 안 goes right before the verb; a question keeps the word order of the statement.
The rules for putting words together: the verb closes the sentence, and particles show who does what.
An alphabet of twenty-four letters grouped into syllables, three series of consonants (plain, aspirated, tense) and vowels such as ㅓ and ㅡ that take practice.
The same bricks, everywhere
At a restaurant, on the move or meeting someone new, a few bricks are enough to make yourself understood.
Where is Korean spoken?
Korean is the language of the Korean Peninsula and the official language of both South and North Korea; the South’s standard form is based on the speech of Seoul. Long-established Korean communities live in China, Japan, the Russian Far East and Central Asia, and a large diaspora has formed in the United States and Canada.
- South Korea — Seoul: the South’s standard language is based on its speech
- North Korea — Pyongyang
- Yanbian, China — Korean autonomous prefecture, where Korean is co-official
- Japan — Osaka: Zainichi Koreans
- Sakhalin, Russia — Sakhalin Koreans
- Uzbekistan — Koryo-saram, deported from the Far East in 1937
- Kazakhstan — Koryo-saram, deported from the Far East in 1937
- United States — Los Angeles (Koreatown)
- Canada — Toronto
Homeland or official language Community · Approximate positions. Natural Earth.
The sentence builder
Every combination is checked against the grammar. Bricks marked ≠ don’t go with your choice: pick them to find out why.
Fifteen minutes a day
Adjustable from 5 to 30 minutes. Missing a day costs you nothing: your progress waits for you.
Eight weeks of discovery
A path, not a promise of a level. Each week targets a skill you can see for yourself.
Twenty-four letters, arranged in syllables.
Hangeul was created in the 15th century to be learned quickly: each letter stands for a sound, and the letters are grouped into one block per syllable. A few hours are enough to start reading.
Learn HangeulLearning Korean with KilaTalk
What is KilaTalk, and what does learning “by construction” mean?
KilaTalk is a language-learning app. Instead of memorising lists of phrases, you learn reusable words — people, actions, things, places — and the rules that put them together, then you build, transform and listen to your own sentences.
Do I need an account? Is it free?
The sentence builder and the method, pronunciation and reading pages are open to everyone, with no account. The eight-week course, reviews and your word list require an account, which is free to create.
How much time does it take each day, and what is in the eight-week course?
A session lasts fifteen minutes, adjustable from 5 to 30: the day’s reviews, new bricks, sentences to build and a listening task. The eight weeks go from the first sounds to real-life dialogues, through negation, questions, numbers and polite requests; it is a discovery path, not a promise of a level.
How is pronunciation taught?
Every word and sentence has audio you can play at normal speed or slowly (0.5×, without distorting the voice). Words come with a transcription suited to the language: pinyin for Mandarin, Yale romanisation for Cantonese, rōmaji for Japanese, Revised Romanization for Korean, the International Phonetic Alphabet for Vietnamese and most European languages, and a transliteration for Russian.
Which languages can I learn from?
The interface is available in six languages: English, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Chinese and French. Explanations and translations are written for each of them, with comparisons drawn from the learner’s own language.
Who is behind KilaTalk, and can I trust the sentences?
KilaTalk is designed and published by SDiTech, a software publisher based in France. Every sentence in the builder is checked by a grammar engine: a combination that doesn’t work is refused, with the rule explained and correct alternatives offered.
Lay your first brick.
Choose your goal and your pace, and the first lesson starts straight away.