I’m starting to discover the limitations of the basic grammar I know. I want to say something a certain way, but I discover I can’t, so I have to say something close to what I want to say, but not quite… and even then, sometimes it’s wrong! ~sigh

But I do feel progress. I think my vocabulary is growing, and I’m finding it easier to pick out words from when my students or colleages speak Korean. Signs are becoming easier to read, too. I’m in Korea for at least another 9 months, so I definitely have more time to practice…

if you don’t mind me correcting your Korean writing, I can always do that ! I was just not sure if I would be too ‘picky’ if I commented on every little mistakes you were making, because you’re doing a great job in writing Korean!!

But, as you’ve mentioned it, haha, here you go!! (don’t worry it doesn’t take me long!)

“현우씨의 경험처럼 아직까지 없었어요.”
–> 현우 씨와 같은 경험은 아직까지 없었어요.

“모든 간 식당에”
–> 제가 간 모든 식당에

버든
–> 버튼

혹시 외국 사람 이라서, 이런 해요.
–> 어쩌면 외국 사람이라서 그런가 봐요.

“못 읽는다고 생각해요”
–> 못 읽는다고 생각하나 봐요.

자, 편하네요!
–> 그래서 편하죠!

한국에서
–> 한국에서는

팁/축의를 드리지 않습니다.
–> 팁을 주지 않아요.(드리다 is too polite here )

한긱당에서 웨이터가 도와 드려요
–> 한식당에서는 웨이터가 도와 줘요.

갈비를 가위랑 절단해요
–> 갈비를 가위로 잘라 줘요.

팁을 드리지 않아요?
–> 팁을 주지 않아요?

Yeah, I agree, you definitely have an ear for languages! How do you maintain all of them? I find that learning a new language sort of pushes out one of the old ones, since I’m now focused on the new one.

And I’m with Max here: my Spanish isn’t so good, but because of its resemblance to English and French, I can usually get the basic meaning of basic Spanish writing.

You didn’t correct my original Korean post! Does that mean it was 백 점 (아마 구십 점)? And as for your reply, I got the gist of your Korean, which was cool (though some of the grammar is puzzling). But what was your last funny comment? The one with “하하”?

진짜. 2달…

But I’m not that good at it yet (아직 그렇게 잘하지는 못해요)

I usually try to focus on the things I want to say rather than what the books tell me that I should be able to say. But no on can learn to say anything out of nothing, so I study with books and podcasts, and then go about using the expressions I’ve learned whenever I can until I really get the hang of them. I guess that’s it. And I think everyone at KoreanClass101.com is doing the same thing with ther Korean!

쟈클린, I like your “어머”!!

진짜? 2 달?
You must be a genious if you started studying 스페인어 just 2 months ago and you already can write that in spanish!!!

어머! How did you learn so fast? ㅋㅋㅋ

지금 정말 빨리 늘고 있어요! 걱정하지 말아요!
(You’re improving so fast now! Don’t worry!)

Ouais, tu as raison, maintenant on a la musique d’intro devant chaque episode, et c’est vrai que ca prend un peu de temps, mais c’est la premiere musique d’intro pour KoreanClass101.com et je pense que c’est pas mal en fait. Et je suis sur qu’on aura beaucoup plus de mieux.

그리고, 한국에서는 정말… 웨이터에게 별로 팁을 주지 않죠. 그건… 한국 사람들에게 물어보면 “가격에 원래 포함되어 있는 거 아니야?”라고 대답하지만, 좀 더 사실에 가까운 것은… “가격에 포함되어 있다”라고 생각하기 전에, “식당에서는 원래 그렇게 해 줘야 하는 것 아닌가?”라고 생각하는 거죠.

하지만 점점 다른 나라의 문화가 들어오면서, 웨이터에게 팁을 주는 곳들이 생겨나고 있고, 아직도 사람들은 그런 곳에서 팁을 주는 것을 조금은 … 억울하게 생각해요 (저만 그런 걸까요? 하하)

Why is it that after 2 months of Korean study but no French study, I can understand a little of the above French post but none of the Korean?

*shrugs*
C’est la vie, non?

Now, the Korean: 솔직히 말해서, 저는 현우씨의 경험처럼 아직까지 없었어요. 모든 간 식당에 서비스 버든 있는데요. 웨이터한테서 서비스 필요하면, 버든을 누르고 웨이터가 즉시 와요.

그런데, “물은 셀프” 식당이 가장 많이 있어요. 하지만 “물은 셀프 입니다” 표지 있는데도, 자주 웨이터나 사장님도 저한테 물을 줘요. 혹시 외국 사람 이라서, 이런 해요. 아마 웨이터가 “음, 저 외국인은 아마도 한국말 못 해서, “셀프” 표지를 못 읽는”다고 생각해요. 자, 편하네요!

다른 재밌는 것 있는데, 한국에서 웨이터에게 팁/축의를 드리지 않습니다. 대부분에, 한국 웨이터가 캐나다 웨이터보다 일을 많이 해요. 한긱당에서 웨이터가 도와 드려요 (샤브샤브를 요리 하고, 갈비를 가위랑 절단해요 등등…). 왜 한극 웨이터에게 팁을 드리지 않아요?

하지만 겨우 제 생각인데…

what can I say? I’m a princess!

Gracias! But my Spanish is still at a very very basic level. It doesn’t come out naturally yet. But I’m working hard on it. I don’t have any preferences for which Spanish to go for, but I guess I’m learning the pronunciation used in Spain.

Let me know when you start French. We could practice together(같이 연습해요!)

한국어, 일본어, 중국어를 동시에(at the same time)? Wow 정말 부지런해야겠는데요!!!(You’ll have to very hard-working!) 대단해요(great!)

그래도 서로 비슷한 단어들이 많이 있어요(But there are many similar words among those languagues.)

I recommend studying … Korean of course, and German and Russion

I’m very surprise that you speak Spanish and so well!

Which Spanish you are learning, the one from Spain?

My Spanish is the Mexican one and my English is the American one.

Now I’m trying to learn Japanese, Korean and Chinese for now. I might try French too and Norigeaw later on.

What other languages do you recommend to learn too? S_R_C