Learning guides
학습 가이드
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 OnlineLearn 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 ChooseKorean lessons run $7.70–$20.90 per 25 min (median $11), and your first lesson with each tutor is 50% off. What moves the price and how to choose.
Where to start learning Korean as a beginnerStart 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 WorksKorean language course, app, or 1:1 tutor? Compared on the thing that decides progress: how many minutes per hour you spend speaking.
Online Korean Lessons in Singapore: Private 1:1 Korean TutorsPrivate 1:1 Korean lessons online from Singapore: 25 min from about S$10 (median S$14), first lesson with each tutor 50% off, evening slots in SGT.
Korean Tutor Online in Australia: Private 1:1 Korean LessonsOnline Korean lessons for Australia and NZ: 25 minutes from about A$11 (median A$16), first lesson with each tutor 50% off, times shown in your own time zone.
Online Korean Lessons in the US: 1:1 Tutors, Evening TimesPrivate 1:1 Korean lessons online from the US and Canada: 25 min from $7.70 (median $11) with tutors in Korea, at evening times from ET to PT.
italki vs Preply vs HaruMeet for Korean Lessons (2026)italki vs Preply vs HaruMeet (Haru) for Korean lessons, as of October 2026: how each one charges, student fees, trial lessons, cancellation windows and refunds, side by side.
Korean Study Plan for Beginners: 30 Days to 6 MonthsA week-by-week Korean study plan for beginners: Hangul, your first 300 words, then speaking and grammar, with 3-, 5- and 8-hour weekly schedules.
Your First Online Korean Lesson: What to ExpectWhat happens in a first online Korean lesson: a typical 25-minute plan, a Zoom tech check, what to prepare, phrases to use and questions to ask your tutor.
Korean AI Tutor vs Human Tutor: What ChatGPT Gets WrongCan ChatGPT replace a Korean tutor? Where AI helps (drills, vocab), where it falls short (pronunciation, nuance) and a cheap hybrid plan with 1:1 lessons.
Script and pronunciation
Korean Alphabet (Hangul): Learn to Read Korean in a WeekendThe Korean alphabet has 24 letters and was 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 LetterKorean 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 DeviceAdd 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
25 Basic Korean Phrases for Beginners (with Romanization)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.
Hello in Korean: Annyeonghaseyo (안녕하세요) + 12 More GreetingsAnnyeonghaseyo (안녕하세요) is hello in Korean almost anywhere except on the phone, where it's yeoboseyo. 13 greetings with romanization, goodbyes, and mistakes to avoid.
Thank You in Korean: Gamsahamnida, Gomawo & 4 More WaysGamsahamnida (감사합니다) is the safe thank you in Korean; gomawo (고마워) is for friends. 6 ways with romanization, which to use with whom, and how to reply.
Korean Words: 100 Basics with Meanings for BeginnersThe Korean words to learn first, in frequency order: 100 basics with meanings and romanization, both number systems, and a method that makes them stick.
How to Say Sorry in Korean: Mianhae vs JoesonghamnidaSay sorry in Korean the right way: joesonghamnida, mianhaeyo and mianhae explained by formality, with romanization, replies and common mistakes.
How to Introduce Yourself in Korean (Script + Examples)A fill-in-the-blank Korean self-introduction in polite and formal styles: name, country, job, age and hobbies, with romanization and an interview version.
Grammar
Korean Honorifics: How Speech Levels Actually WorkKorean honorifics are three systems: the sentence ending, the -(으)시- infix, and words that change entirely, like 먹다 to 드시다.
Korean Grammar Basics: Word Order, Particles, and Verb FormsKorean grammar basics: verb-final word order, 은/는 vs 이/가, the particles that mark every other role, and how 아요/어요 conjugation works.
Oppa, Noona, Hyung, Unnie: What They Mean and Who Says ThemOppa, noona, hyung or unnie? A chart of who says which word to whom, when it sounds sweet or awkward, plus sunbae, -ssi and -nim, with romanization.
Practice and exams
TOPIK Test: How to Prepare, Level by LevelHow 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 FluencyWhy your Korean speaking stalls, what solo practice like shadowing can and cannot fix, and how to use 1:1 video lessons to get fluent.
Learning Korean with K-pop: from lyrics to real conversationLearn Korean with K-pop without wasting time: why lyrics work, a step-by-step method, phrases fans use, and how to move on to dramas.
Learn Korean with K-Dramas: Method + 30 Drama PhrasesHow to learn Korean from K-dramas: a 5-step subtitle and shadowing method, 30 drama phrases with real-life notes, and the speech levels behind them.
Learning Japanese
Kana, self-study, and JLPT prep
Before you start
How to Learn Japanese: A Beginner's Guide to Studying OnlineHow to learn Japanese online, in order: kana first, then sentence patterns and speaking, then kanji and JLPT, and where a tutor helps.
Japanese Lesson Cost: Real Prices from $5.50 per 25 MinutesJapanese lessons run $5.50–$16.50 per 25 minutes (median $13.75). How academy, private, and online pricing compare, and where the money goes.
How to self-study Japanese: a realistic roadmapA 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 WeekHiragana 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 OneJapanese pronunciation is timed by mora rather than 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 ExplainedThe Japanese alphabet is 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 DeviceAdd 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, when 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 BeyondJapanese 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 Beginners100 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 UseThe Japanese phrases that 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 ThemJapanese 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 FormsJapanese 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 payoutsA 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 youHow 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.
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