A little Korean goes a long way
You do not need a perfect sentence to order lunch or find your train. Start with a greeting, say the part you know, and give the other person a moment.
Read a scene before you arrive
Each scene gives you a small, ordinary conversation. Read the Korean first if you can. The line below it is a romanization guide; the English tells you what the speaker means. Words and short grammar notes sit beside the sentence, so you can read across without hunting through a list.
Make it your conversation
Change the place, number or food. Use the “Two more expressions” link to open a phrase lab with two extra lines for that scene. The lab also explains their words. Try the short task at the bottom of the conversation without looking back.
Use the book on your phone
Tap a title in Contents to jump to a scene. Use Contents ↗ at the foot of any page to return. The HTML edition also has search. Internal links work offline; official websites need internet access.
About the pronunciation lines
Romanization uses a consistent Revised Romanization style, with familiar place names where useful. It is a reading aid, not a recording: connected speech can sound different.
| Letters | A quick guide |
|---|---|
| eo / 어 | One vowel, roughly the “uh” in an open, relaxed voice. |
| eu / 으 | Keep your lips unrounded; there is no close English equivalent. |
| ae, e / 애, 에 | Both are often close to “eh” in everyday speech. |
| kk, tt, pp, ss, jj | Tense consonants, not two separate syllables. |
| r / l / ㄹ | Often a light tap between vowels; closer to l at the end. |
The conversations are original learning examples. Prices spoken in examples, if any, are practice amounts rather than quotations from a real business. Travelers, hotels and purchases are fictional.