Learning the Korean Language with Duolingo In-depth Guide 2024 (Is it Free?)

Duolingo is a platform where you can learn popular as well as non-popular languages freely. This platform will help you to increase your knowledge while sitting at home. If you are thinking of learning the Korean language on Duolingo, it is important to know if it is worth it or not. Therefore here we will help you to understand what it looks like when you are learning the Korean language with Duolingo platform.

Quick Takeaways

• The Duolingo Korean course is divided into various units. You go on to the next unit after completing the individual lessons in a particular unit.
• You will receive two additional features: Stories and a special tap to learn Hangul if you are studying Korean. Hangul is the writing style of the Korean language.
• You can download the app for free or pay for a premium version.
• You can take Korean classes on Duolingo if you’re a beginner or on a tight budget.
• You should not use Duolingo if you are looking for advanced-level fluency and in-depth language knowledge.

However, you must read till the end so that you do not miss any important facts related to learning the Korean course on Duolingo.

How is the Korean course designed on Duolingo?

If you are already using Duolingo you must be aware that all the courses follow a specific format. But if you are a new user you must want to know how different courses work. As a Korean learner, it is very important for you to understand what you will be getting throughout your course. The courses on this platform follow a specific path which was earlier known as the Duolingo tree. All the courses from Spanish to Korean follow this particular path.

When you are following the path you will be getting different units which will help you to learn specific skills just like Greek language. These units will have different lessons that will help you to boost your language knowledge. When you complete the particular skill you will get the chance to unlock the legendary levels which further helps you to get crowns. The duration for the lessons on this platform is short and can be downloaded offline.

These units are designed in a manner that you can start from the beginner level and get to the intermediate level in the particular language. Presently there are 61 units of Korean language. As they are divided into different sections, you will be getting five different sections which will include these 61 units. The sections along with different numbers of units are mentioned below-

Sections	Number of Units
Rookie	8 units
Explorer	20 units
Traveler	20 units
Trailblazer	10 units
Daily Refresh	6 levels

What are some of the exercises that you get in the Korean course on Duolingo?

Following are some of the exercises that you can get on this platform when you are learning the Korean language-

• Tap the pairs (standard and audio)
• Complete the translation 
• Select the missing word 
• Speak this sentence
• Sentence shuffle Translation 
• Mark the correct meaning
• Picture flashcards 
• Tap what you hear
• Fill in the blanks

Is learning the Korean language with Duolingo worth it?

Learning any new language be it Italian or Korean, needs a lot of effort. Of course, these efforts pay you a lot in terms of a job or getting admission to a university. However, if you are using Duolingo, you must want to know if you should use this platform to learn the language or not. According to the official website of Duolingo, you can become an intermediate learner of the language you have chosen. Therefore if you are already an intermediate-level learner and are looking for advanced course material then this platform may not be worth it for you.

However, if you are a beginner and are on a tight budget then you can take advantage of this platform. Also, this platform is well known for its gamified version and therefore if you are looking for some engaging content then this platform is for you. Further, we have discussed the advantages and disadvantages of learning the Korean language in detail.

What are the advantages of learning the Korean language with Duolingo?

The following are the benefits of learning the Korean language-

• If you have just started learning this language then Duolingo is a platform for you.
• As this platform follows the gamified approach, you get engaging content that helps you to practice easily. It means that the content on this platform is very easy to understand.
• The context on the platform is not only easy but also way more fun. There are a lot of funny sentences 
• If you are tight on budget and are looking for something that is absolutely free then again this platform will work well for you.
• This platform is highly motivating and therefore when you miss a lesson or are unable to take it then an owl will come to motivate you to take up the lesson.

What are the disadvantages of learning the Korean language with Duolingo?

The following are the drawbacks of learning the Korean language with Duolingo-

• This platform has a heart system in which you only get five chances to practice in the lesson. If you make a mistake while in the lesson you will lose a life.
• If you are looking for content at an advanced level then you may not find this platform to work well for you.
• If you are a person who learns better with the explanation then this platform is definitely not for you.
• Also if you are preparing for any specific exam like TOPIK then also you must not use this platform. It is because this platform is not built for testing purposes.

However further we will be discussing various features that you will be getting in the Korean course.

Does the Korean course have any special features on Duolingo?

If you are an English speaker you must know that there are 40 different language courses available on Duolingo. One of the major points that you must remember is that all the courses or not created in a similar manner and thus every course has its own specific feature. Some of the special features that you get in various courses are stories, match madness, and AI-powered features.

Unfortunately, the Korean course only has stories and a special tab for learning the writing style of this language. This tab helps you to learn Hangul which is the writing system of the Korean language. Duolingo stories are the ones that are created to improve your reading, listening, and speaking skills. All the stories that you will get in this course will be in the Korean language and you will need to answer the questions that are asked in the stories. On the other hand, if you want to practice reading and how to form Korean characters then you must use the special tab for learning the Korean language.

What are the other features of Korean courses on Duolingo?

Following are the common features that you get in the Korean course-

1. XP Score

When you are using this platform you get some experience points which are known as XP. Whatever activity you perform beet completing lessons or taking up a challenge, you will be getting experience points for every activity. However, an important point you must remember is that some activities may give you more XP and others may give you less. Even if you are taking part in a league, you will have to maintain your XP score. 

2. Duolingo gems

As this platform follows the gamified approach there are a lot of features that you need to unlock. To unlock these features you need to use Duolingo gems. Thus, we can say that the Duolingo gems are nothing but the official currency of the platform. When you complete a lesson or take part in a league you get these gems which further help you to unlock new status icons or to buy the boosters on the platform. You can also use these gems to refill your heart that you have lost while making a mistake.

3. Duolingo leagues

Duolingo leagues are the weekly competitions that will happen on the platform that help you maintain your XP points. Furthermore, you have the opportunity to receive the Duolingo gems after passing the league. There are ten separate leagues in all which start from bronze to diamond. You will be sent back to the previous league if you are unable to pass the present league. Thus, you must keep your XP score high on the platform if you do not want to go back.

4. Health system

When you are using Duolingo on a mobile app then you will be getting only 5 lives to practice in a particular lesson. So when you make a mistake you lose a life for it. Although you can buy it with the help of gems, if you have a paid subscription then there is no heart system on your Duolingo account. However, if you do not want to get the paid subscription but want to have unlimited health then you must use the desktop version. 

5. Super Duolingo

Super Duolingo earlier known as Duolingo Plus, is the subscription plan that you take up on the Duolingo platform. When you take up this subscription plan, you get rid of unwanted ads and also get unlimited health that helps you in a better understanding of the language. Generally, there are two types of subscriptions: Individual and Family plans. The price of your subscription plan will depend upon the type of subscription chosen and also for how much duration you have taken it. 

6. Duolingo Events

An extra feature that can help in your language learning progress is the Duolingo events. They are the most effective means of improving your communication abilities with other people worldwide. During these events, all you have to do is speak in the target language while on a video conference with other individuals. In short, Duolingo events give you additional assistance while you learn the material provided in the basic lessons. You can obtain 250 gems by finishing these events. Although it was freely available for everyone earlier, with the current update you may have to pay for it and also you no longer receive gems for it.

7. Friends

Duolingo is a platform that not only helps you to learn the language but also helps you to make new friends and increase your network. To become a friend on this platform it is important for you to follow them and vice versa. The importance of becoming friends on this platform is that you can take part in the friend quest. These are the challenges that are taken along with a friend who is on the same level of the language that you are.

8. Streak score

The streak score is the score that is based on the number of days taken to complete the lesson. It is a way to keep you motivated as it will help you to know how many days you have used the platform. Once you will reach your streak score at 365 days you will be unlocking a special feature known as streak society and also will be getting VIP status. In this Streak society, you will be getting different boosters that can help you prevent your streak score from breaking up.

9. Duolingo happy hour

Duolingo happy hour is the hour in which you get the ability to earn some extra XP score. Usually, this takes place in the evening and you are able to earn 5 extra XP during this hour. Thus, if you earn 10 XP for a particular lesson, you will be getting 15 XP for the same lesson. It is one of the perfect ways of earning extra XP. You can even get 30 XP for that particular lesson if you also use an XP booster in the Duolingo happy hour.

Conclusion

Duolingo is one of the platforms that allows you to learn a new language while sitting at home. You can use this platform to learn any language including Korean. Of course, it is important to understand if it is worthwhile to learn the Korean language with Duolingo or not. The core structure of this platform includes a lot of units that have different lessons. Every unit focuses on specific skills that will help you to boost your language knowledge.

On this platform, you get different features like Duolingo gems, leagues, etc. If you are a beginner and want to learn Korean that too without paying a single penny then Duolingo is for you. However, if you are already at an intermediate level and are looking for advanced content then you might not want to use this platform. It is because according to its official website, you can only learn at the B2 level of proficiency.

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