Learning guides
What to know before you start learning Korean or Japanese online — costs, how to begin, and how Haru works.
Learning Korean
From Hangul to TOPIK and conversation
Before you start
How to Learn Korean: A Beginner's Guide to Studying Online
Learn Korean online without stalling: pick a tutor over an app, set one measurable goal, build a weekly routine, and use your first lesson well.
Korean Lessons Online: What They Cost and How to Choose
Korean lessons run $1.10–$20.90 per 25 minutes (median $11). What moves the price, group vs 1:1, and how to get real value on a small budget.
Where to start learning Korean as a beginner
Start Korean from zero: why Hangul comes first, the phrases to learn on day one, the mistakes beginners repeat, and a realistic timeline.
How long does it take to learn Korean?
How long it takes to learn Korean, by goal: Hangul in days, basic conversation at ~300 hours, TOPIK level tables, and the FSI 2,200-hour benchmark.
Korean Language Course vs 1:1 Tutor vs App: What Actually Works
Korean language course, app, or 1:1 tutor? Compared on the thing that decides progress — how many minutes per hour you actually spend speaking.
Script and pronunciation
Korean Alphabet (Hangul): Learn to Read Korean in a Weekend
The Korean alphabet has 24 letters, designed to be learned fast — the order to learn them, each sound, and how Korean writing stacks them into blocks.
Korean Pronunciation: How to Pronounce Every Hangul Letter
Korean pronunciation rarely matches the spelling. The vowels, the three-way consonant system, the seven batchim sounds, and the rules behind the changes.
Korean Keyboard: How to Type in Korean on Any Device
Add a Korean keyboard on Windows, Mac, iPhone, or Android in a minute — plus how the 2-set layout works and the shortcut that switches languages.
Phrases and vocabulary
Basic Korean Phrases Every Beginner Should Know
The Korean phrases worth learning first — hello, thank you, sorry, how much is it — with romanization, when to use each, and how to make them stick.
How to Say Hello in Korean — 안녕하세요 and 12 More Greetings
안녕하세요 is hello in Korean almost anywhere — but not on the phone. Which greeting fits when, how to say goodbye, and the mistakes that give you away.
How to Say Thank You in Korean — 6 Ways, Casual to Formal
감사합니다 is the safe thank you in Korean, 고맙습니다 the warmer one. Which to use when, how to reply, and how to say sorry and I love you.
Korean Words: 100 Basics with Meanings for Beginners
The Korean words to learn first are not random — 100 basics with meanings and romanization, both number systems, and a method that makes them stick.
Grammar
Korean Honorifics: How Speech Levels Actually Work
Korean honorifics are three systems, not one switch — the sentence ending, the -(으)시- infix, and words that change entirely, like 먹다 to 드시다.
Korean Grammar Basics: Word Order, Particles, and Verb Forms
Korean grammar basics: verb-final word order, 은/는 vs 이/가, the particles that mark every other role, and how 아요/어요 conjugation actually works.
Practice and exams
TOPIK Test: How to Prepare, Level by Level
How to prepare for the TOPIK test: exam structure and levels, self-study vs a tutor, and a 4-week plan for the weeks before test day.
How to Speak Korean: Practice That Builds Real Fluency
Why your Korean speaking stalls, what solo practice like shadowing can and cannot fix, and how to use 1:1 video lessons to actually get fluent.
Learning Korean with K-pop: from lyrics to real conversation
Learn Korean with K-pop without wasting time: why lyrics work, a step-by-step method, phrases fans actually use, and how to move on to dramas.
Learning Japanese
Kana, self-study, and JLPT prep
Before you start
How to Learn Japanese: A Beginner's Guide to Studying Online
How to learn Japanese online, in order: kana first, then sentence patterns and speaking, then kanji and JLPT — and where a tutor actually helps.
Japanese Lesson Cost: Real Prices from $5.50 per 25 Minutes
Japanese lessons run $5.50–$16.50 per 25 minutes (median $13.75). How academy, private, and online pricing compare — and where the money actually goes.
How to self-study Japanese: a realistic roadmap
A realistic Japanese self-study roadmap: what to learn in what order, how to choose materials, why plateaus happen, and when adding a tutor helps.
Script and pronunciation
Hiragana and Katakana: How to Memorize Both in a Week
Hiragana and katakana are 46 characters each. A five-day, row-by-row plan: the mnemonics that stick, why katakana feels harder, and how to not forget.
Japanese Pronunciation: How to Sound Natural from Day One
Japanese pronunciation is timed by mora, not syllables — which is why きて and きって differ. The vowels, long sounds, the small っ, and pitch accent.
Japanese Alphabet: Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji Explained
The Japanese alphabet is really three scripts. What hiragana, katakana, and kanji each do, how many characters you need, and the order to learn them.
Japanese Keyboard: How to Type in Japanese on Any Device
Add a Japanese keyboard on any device, then type in romaji: nihongo becomes にほんご, and space converts it to 日本語. Plus how to type っ and ん.
Phrases and vocabulary
How to Say Hello in Japanese — こんにちは and 12 More Greetings
こんにちは is hello in Japanese — but not at 8am. Which greeting fits which hour, how to answer the phone, and why さようなら is rarer than textbooks suggest.
How to Say Thank You in Japanese — 6 Ways, Casual to Formal
ありがとうございます is thank you in Japanese — until the favor ends and it becomes ございました. When to use each, how to reply, and where すみません fits.
Japanese Numbers: How to Count from 1 to 100 and Beyond
Japanese numbers run on two systems, and 4, 7, and 9 each have two readings. Which to use when, the sound shifts in the hundreds, and the counters.
Japanese Words: 100 Basics with Meanings for Beginners
100 Japanese words worth learning first, with kana readings: core nouns and verbs, both adjective types, colors, and the days of the week.
Basic Japanese Phrases: Greetings, Travel, and Daily Use
The Japanese phrases that actually earn their place: すみません, お願いします, いくらですか — plus the two lines that rescue a stalled conversation.
Grammar
Japanese Particles: は, が, を, に, で and How to Use Them
Japanese particles decide what each word does in a sentence. は vs が explained without jargon, the に / で split, and the mistakes learners repeat.
Japanese Grammar Basics: Sentence Structure and Verb Forms
Japanese grammar in the order a beginner needs it: verb-final word order, the three verb groups, the ます and て forms, and both adjective types.
Getting started
How to pick a tutor and how Haru works
How Haru works: from finding a tutor to lessons and payouts
A step-by-step guide to finding a verified Korean or Japanese tutor on Haru, booking and paying, and taking your lesson over video.
How to choose the right online tutor for you
How to choose an online tutor: set the goal first, what to read on a profile, what to test in lesson one, and when switching is the right call.
Find tutors by subject
Once the guides have you oriented, start with a verified tutor.