Learning Korean On-the-go: Useful Smartphone Apps
안녕~!!!!
I'm pretty sure that the title of this video is self explanatory so without any unnecessary blabbering, here are all the apps that I've mentioned in the video (and maybe even a few that I didn't) :
1. Pop-Popping Korean (Free for Android and Apple)
This beginner-friendly app mainly illustrates the pronunciation of the Korean alphabet through audio and animated demonstrations of mouth and tongue positions. Though the breadth of what the app teaches is rather limited, the animations are clever and clear, with the added bonus of having a cute monster theme.
2. TenguGo Hangul (Free for Android and Apple)
This app is a little more text-heavy, which I think is great for the very beginners who want a thorough explanation and understanding of the alphabet. Other helpful features involve handy charts of all the vowels and consonants along with audio examples and animated stroke order.
3. Learn Speak Korean Flashcards by Bokay (Free for Android.. Apple users please let me know if you can find it in your app store!)
As much as this app is limited to being purely vocab-based, the huge amount of words/phrases provided makes up for that. Also, the handy feature of recording yourself talk and being rated based on your pronunciation makes this app really addictive (I totally didn't spend an entire hour just speaking Korean to my phone ^^'')
4. KORLINK by Talk To Me In Korean (Free for Apple and Android)
If you’ve been studying Korean for any length of time that's longer than a day, you’ve likely heard of the website Talk to Me in Korean (TTMIK) with its wonderful podcasts and pdfs. THIS APP IS A MUST-HAVE! If you prefer to learn your Korean with a fair bit of English explanation, numerous examples, and witty banter between presenters, TTMIK is a great option for you.
5. Korean Flashcards by BH Inc. (Free for Android.. $4.99 for Apple)
At this point there are multiple Korean flashcards apps available in any app store but one of the best seems to be this one by BHInc. Besides having what seems to be the widest offering of basic vocabulary cards and categories (many of which have downloadable pictures), this app also allows you to import sets from sites like Quizlet and Cram. If that’s not enough, you can make your own sets via the app’s flashcard website or browse other user-made categories. Wooo!
6. TOPIK One (Free for Android and Apple)
For those interested in taking the actual TOPIK exam, this app presents you with a real previous version of the test split into the former beginner, intermediate, and advanced test levels. Within each, you can practice the four sections of Vocabulary and Grammar, Writing, Listening (requires downloading extra files), and Reading by clicking on the appropriate answers.
7. Dongsa [동사] (Free for Android... if any of you, Apple users, can find out if it exists in your app store, that would be greatly appreciated!)
A great app for those who, like me, sometimes feel overwhelmed with generic Korean learning apps that provide a variety of topics to learn and multiple features. Personally, I get confused and don't really know what to do and where to start. If you're like me, worry no more because this app is has a very narrow focus and it only deals with Korean verbs and their conjugation!
Phewww.... this is it for all the apps that I had used/still use to learn Korean on-the-go. I will try and update the list with other apps for a variety of different learning groups (beginners, advanced, casual learners, etc...)
Hope this helps y'all in your studies! :)
Much love,
x