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Should I learn Korean or Japanese?

Hi! For one of my optional modules this year I wanted to learn a language. I've been stuck between picking Korean and Japanese for a while now though.

I already know hangul and find the Korean pronunciation to be easier than Japanese. Knowing that Japanese also has 3 different alphabets (including the infamously difficult kanji) is also intimidating and makes me lean towards Korean.

However having been in Japan already and knowing I'd want to go back there some day makes me think I would probably benefit more from learning Japanese. But then again I have not been able to go to Korea so I can't compare experiences.

Does anyone have any advice or personal experiences with the two languages? Any help would be greatly appreciated!!
Original post by oliviabenson
Hi! For one of my optional modules this year I wanted to learn a language. I've been stuck between picking Korean and Japanese for a while now though.

I already know hangul and find the Korean pronunciation to be easier than Japanese. Knowing that Japanese also has 3 different alphabets (including the infamously difficult kanji) is also intimidating and makes me lean towards Korean.

However having been in Japan already and knowing I'd want to go back there some day makes me think I would probably benefit more from learning Japanese. But then again I have not been able to go to Korea so I can't compare experiences.

Does anyone have any advice or personal experiences with the two languages? Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

I've never studied Korean but I can tell you that Japanese pronunciation is extremely easy (especially if you have no problem with Korean).

The 2 major alphabets, hiragana and katakana, are somewhat annoying at first but can be easily mastered. Kanji, on the other hand, is always a work in progress but most definitely doable. Not impossible whatsoever.

I also read somewhere that Japanese uses vocabulary in daily life than Korean (much like French and Spanish) and so, conversational Japanese should come easier. The grammar is also almost identical meaning that if you've already got a firm handle on the foundations of Korean grammar, then Japanese grammar should come very naturally to you. :rambo:

At the end of the day, I'd say don't be intimidated by Japanese. It's extremely doable, especially if you're interested in it and want to actively learn it. Just remember to choose the language that you'd rather learn more at the moment because enjoyment and engagement can make a world of difference when you're trying for fluency. :fluffy:
Original post by Quick-use
I've never studied Korean but I can tell you that Japanese pronunciation is extremely easy (especially if you have no problem with Korean).

The 2 major alphabets, hiragana and katakana, are somewhat annoying at first but can be easily mastered. Kanji, on the other hand, is always a work in progress but most definitely doable. Not impossible whatsoever.

I also read somewhere that Japanese uses vocabulary in daily life than Korean (much like French and Spanish) and so, conversational Japanese should come easier. The grammar is also almost identical meaning that if you've already got a firm handle on the foundations of Korean grammar, then Japanese grammar should come very naturally to you. :rambo:

At the end of the day, I'd say don't be intimidated by Japanese. It's extremely doable, especially if you're interested in it and want to actively learn it. Just remember to choose the language that you'd rather learn more at the moment because enjoyment and engagement can make a world of difference when you're trying for fluency. :fluffy:

Thanks so much for your reply! I'm glad to hear that in your experience Japanese can be manageable :smile: Good to know that they have similar grammar, in case I'd want to learn the other one later. I feel myself leaning more towards Japanese, so hearing this, I feel a lot more confident picking it. Thank you again!!
Original post by oliviabenson
Thanks so much for your reply! I'm glad to hear that in your experience Japanese can be manageable :smile: Good to know that they have similar grammar, in case I'd want to learn the other one later. I feel myself leaning more towards Japanese, so hearing this, I feel a lot more confident picking it. Thank you again!!

Definitely manageable!

I meant to say earlier that Japanese uses less vocabulary in daily life compared with Korean. Similar to French and Spanish where French uses less vocabulary everyday and so in order to be conversational in Spanish, you actually have to know more vocabulary.

If you're leaning towards Japanese, go for it. I believe the grammar is like 95% similar to Korean and the pronunciation really is simple once you learn the alphabets! :rambo:
Original post by oliviabenson
Hi! For one of my optional modules this year I wanted to learn a language. I've been stuck between picking Korean and Japanese for a while now though.

I already know hangul and find the Korean pronunciation to be easier than Japanese. Knowing that Japanese also has 3 different alphabets (including the infamously difficult kanji) is also intimidating and makes me lean towards Korean.

However having been in Japan already and knowing I'd want to go back there some day makes me think I would probably benefit more from learning Japanese. But then again I have not been able to go to Korea so I can't compare experiences.

Does anyone have any advice or personal experiences with the two languages? Any help would be greatly appreciated!!


I'm studying Korean at uni and there's several people in my class who do both. Based on their experiences, they say that pronunciation is slightly more difficult in Korean and Korean grammar is much more confusing. The two have quite similar basic grammar structures, but Korean has a seemingly endless number of irregularities and caveats for pretty much every grammar structure you'll learn, and from what my classmates have said about Japanese it sounds like Japanese is much more regular in comparison. If you look at the studies and official numbers of how long each takes to learn they're usually about the same so really you should go for whichever one you enjoy more. As for kanji, there's a Korean equivalent (hanja) which you'll encounter at higher intermediate/more advanced levels but of course nowhere near on the same scale. Apparently once you get the hang of learning kanji it's not too bad, but I wouldn't know from personal experience. Both languages have their challenging aspects but if you love the language you're learning then you'll have the perseverance you need to keep learning regardless
Original post by oliviabenson
Hi! For one of my optional modules this year I wanted to learn a language. I've been stuck between picking Korean and Japanese for a while now though.

I already know hangul and find the Korean pronunciation to be easier than Japanese. Knowing that Japanese also has 3 different alphabets (including the infamously difficult kanji) is also intimidating and makes me lean towards Korean.

However having been in Japan already and knowing I'd want to go back there some day makes me think I would probably benefit more from learning Japanese. But then again I have not been able to go to Korea so I can't compare experiences.

Does anyone have any advice or personal experiences with the two languages? Any help would be greatly appreciated!!


Sounds to me that currently Japanese will be your best bet since it would come in use if you’re thinking of returning then you can actually use it

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