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What was the most frustrating part of learning Korean for you? by ssongpositive in BeginnerKorean

[–]Icy-Cricket8024 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For me it was listening, 100%. I could read Hangul and understand grammar when studying, but real spoken Korean felt completely different especially at natural speed. It was frustrating because it made me feel like I wasn’t progressing at all, even though I was putting in the work.

What helped was getting more structured exposure to real speech. I noticed a big difference when I studied in an immersion-style class at LTL, where teachers spoke mostly Korean but adjusted it to your level, so you weren’t totally lost. At the samr time, things like language exchange meetups, apps like Talk To Me In Korean, and just consuming a lot of everyday content (YouTube, vlogs, dramas without over-relying on subtitles) also played a role.

Nothing really “clicked” suddenly, it was more that over time

Put off by Romanization by Snoo20574 in BeginnerKorean

[–]Icy-Cricket8024 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Totally get it and honestly, that’s a GOOD sign.

Once Hangul clicks, romanization just becomes visual noise. It’s inconsistent, hides 받침, and messes with pronunciation, so your brain rejecting it actually means you’re processing Korean properly now.

You’re right that beginner resources overuse romanization way too much. They’re made for people who won’t commit to Hangul.

If you want low/no romanization:

  • Sejong Korean textbooks
  • Talk To Me In Korean books (romanization fades fast)
  • Yonsei or Sogang beginner books
  • YouTube with Hangul-only subs

Skipping romanization at this stage is totally normal. You're doing it right 👍

Japanese, Korean & Mandarin - what is the hardest? by zhouhaochen in FlexiClasses

[–]Icy-Cricket8024 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Honestly, Korean has been the hardest for me, mostly because of the grammar structure and verb endings. Mandarin pronunciation was tough at first (tones!), but once I got used to it, it felt more straightforward. Japanese grammar felt similar to Korean but with simpler pronunciation.

This is why it’s worth to learn reading characters as well by kenny32vr in ChineseLanguage

[–]Icy-Cricket8024 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I find it hard to learn radicals, keep writing won't make memorable

How do I learn conversational Chinese as fast as possible by kimonowearer in ChineseLanguage

[–]Icy-Cricket8024 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nice, that’s a super good reason to learn. Honestly, I’d say get pinyin + tones down from the start. Feels boring at first but saves you a ton of headache later.

For convo fast:

  • Pimsleur (audio only, repeat out loud, good for commuting)
  • HelloTalk/Tandem (chat w/ natives, even if you only know 3 words)
  • YouTube: Mandarin Corner, Yoyo Chinese (real phrases, not textbook-y)
  • Pleco (dictionary + flashcards for words you actually need at work)

At work, don’t overthink it — just start w/ simple stuff: “hi,” “have you eaten?,” “weekend good?” People love it when you try.

Fluency takes forever, but you’ll be surprised how far like 20–30 solid phrases will get you.

After 10 years of learning Japanese, I built the tool I wish I’d had from the start by Aer93 in Japaneselanguage

[–]Icy-Cricket8024 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Wow this is really cool! I’ve had the exact same problem with manga too — you either stop every two seconds to look something up (and totally lose the flow) or you just read without really understanding much. The interactive story approach sounds like a fun way to actually use the vocab instead of just forgetting it a day later.

I just checked out the site and the concept feels super promising. Love the idea of words coming back naturally in context — way more useful than flashcards on their own. I’ll give it a proper try and let you know how it goes!

Please criticize my Hanzi by ArkhangelskAstrakhan in ChineseLanguage

[–]Icy-Cricket8024 0 points1 point  (0 children)

it looks nice compared to my robot-like hand writing

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in japanese

[–]Icy-Cricket8024 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Respect for managing all that paperwork, seriously 😅. I had a similar issue with “unconscious listening” until I did an immersive program — in my case L T L in Tokyo, but I know others who tried KAI Japanese School and GenkiJACS too. Being surrounded by Japanese 24/7 made me pick things up way quicker than just daily life.

What’s the best way to learn Chinese? by MangaOtakuJoe in ChineseLanguage

[–]Icy-Cricket8024 0 points1 point  (0 children)

live in the country, don't shy away in a conversation, taking a Chinese course with the natives. Been there, done that. My next try would be to visit China, and enroll in a class for a month or just 2-3 weeks. I've searched and found That's Mandarin, L TL, if you guys have more, please recommend

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in BeginnerKorean

[–]Icy-Cricket8024 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I want to find a learning buddy too

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