Polyglot In Training

1. 딩가피그 dinggapig

2. 요즘 것들의 사생활/요즘사

3. 무소속 생활자

4. 기담: 이상하고 신비한 이야기

*not specifically designed for learners, but great for immersion at any level and i guess at an intermediate level it can be learning material

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5. Choisusu’s Korean Podcast (with script for beginner and intermediate learners)

6. Didi의 한국문화 Podcast (with script for intermediate learners, would be unrealistic if i’d say for beginners)

7. Annyeong Radio (with script in the description, also more for intermediate learners bc spoken faster and more natural)

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Korean podcast website and app 팟빵/podbbang (they have a vaste variety of korean podcasts)

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i really like podcasts bc you can immerse yourself in the language while you’re on the train on your way to work or doing boring household chores etc. you’ll get used to the pronounciation, flow, speed, filler words. vocab and grammar in context. as you understand more and more you can use the pods that are not especially designed for learners, as learning material too, you just have to be patient and put a little effort in one step at a time.

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More:

Polyglots will do anything to sell you something, so here’s the fastest and most basic technique based on my research.

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Step 1 – Getting the Absolute Basics In

This is where most people already get lost. If you search social media for how to start, the advice isn’t necessarily bad, but it often makes you dependent on a single resource, usually an app that will eventually try to charge you. Duolingo, for example, has turned into a mega-corporation that perfected gamification to keep you on the app.

Remember: free apps make money by keeping you on their platform, not by helping you become fluent.

At this stage, the goal is not to gain conversational skills but to avoid overwhelming yourself and get a feel for what you’re actually getting into. All my recommended resources are free because I believe learning a language should be a basic right. I wouldn’t advise spending any money until you’re sure you’ll stick with it. Otherwise, it can turn into a toxic “but I paid for this, so I have to keep going” mindset that drains all the fun out of learning.

• Language Transfer – Highly recommended for Spanish, Arabic, Turkish, German, Greek, Italian, Swahili, and French.

• Textbooks – Simply search for [language] textbook PDF, or check LibGen and the Internet Archive. Don’t overthink which book to choose—it doesn’t matter much.

• Podcasts – Coffee Break is a solid choice for many languages.

• YouTube Channels – Join r/Learn[language] on Reddit and find recommendations.

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Step 2 – The 20/80 Principle

The idea is that 20% of words make up 80% of everyday speech.

What you’re going to do:

Search “Most common words [language] PDF”.

This list is now your best friend

For flashcards, I highly recommend AnkiPro. It lets you import pre-made lists for Anki/Quizlet and has an archive where you’ll definitely find the most common words. But it lacks audio. The real Anki program has it, but only on PC (unless you’re willing to pay $30 for the mobile app). Use AnkiPro for now—we’ll come back to repeating phrases later. In the meantime, find a YouTube video with the most common words pronounced, or use Google Translate for audio.

(Knowt is a free alternative for Quizlet if you prefer that)

These lists will spare you from learning unnecessary vocabulary at this stage. Spaced repetition (which Anki uses) can take longer, but it’s worth it because you want these words to stick. Anki will only introduce a small number of new words per day. Once you start new words, write phrases using them. Doesn’t matter if they’re random just try to use them.

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Step 3 – The First Breakup With the Language

This isn’t really a step, but I have to mention it. For me (and for other language learners I’ve talked to) this is where motivation crashes.

The dopamine rush is over. Your ego boost is gone. You’re stuck understanding just enough to notice how much you don’t understand, and topics are getting more complex. Everything feels overwhelming, and motivation drops.

This is normal. You have to push through it.

I’ll write a separate post on how I manage this phase, but for now:

• Take a step back and make sure you understand the basics.

• Find something that keeps you motivated.

• Consistency is key. Even if it’s just five minutes a day, do it. (Edit: You can search online for inspiration on scheduled plans. I found one that organizes language exercises into different categories based on how much time you have each day, which seems helpful. https://www.reddit.com/r/languagelearning/s/sSGUtORurM

Personally, I used AI to create a weekly plan kind of as a last resort before giving up on the language, but try looking for pre-made ones first.)

I personally enjoyed story learning during this phase. And don’t forget the frequency lists are still your best friend. For story learning check out Olly Richards books!

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Step 4 – Immersion

Your brain needs active and passive immersion. The earlier steps were mostly active, and now you’ll start the fun part.

How to Immerse Yourself:

1. Join some kind of community.

• I enjoy Reddit/ r/lean[Language]. Do this in your target language, but also in the language you already speak. Post that you’re looking for a chat partner in your target language. The most people are nice, and the mean ones will just ghost you anyway.

2. Watch shows.

• Subtitles only in your target language or drop English subtitles ASAP.

3. Listen to podcasts.

4. Read

I personally dislike media made for kids (except on low-energy days). For real immersion, pick something for adults.

5. Translate, write, and speak.

Before this, you wrote simple sentences using vocabulary. Now, put them to work:

• Translate texts.

• Keep a diary.

• Write short stories.

• Complain about the language in the language.

It doesn’t matter, just use it.

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Step 5 – Speaking

Start speaking earlier than you think you’re ready. Trust me. This is probably where most people disagree with me. I do think you should start by focusing on input, but the importance of output isn’t talked about enough.

Now, the real Anki (or any program with phrases + audio) comes into play. At lower levels, it doesn’t make sense to just start talking, since you wouldn’t even be able to recognize your mistakes. Here’s what you’ll do:

1. Repeat phrases out loud.

2. Record yourself speaking.

3. Compare your recording to the original audio and adjust your pronunciation.

If it’s a tonal language (or if you struggle with accents), start this even earlier.

Other Speaking Strategies:

• Shadowing – Repeat after native speakers.

• Reading aloud – Your own texts, books, anything.

• Talking to yourself.

• Talking to natives (if you’re brave).

I’m not here to fix social anxiety, but I am here to help with language learning, so just speak.

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Final Thoughts

• These steps overlap, and that’s fine.

• This is supposed to be fun. Learning just because you’re “too deep in” or because of school won’t cut it.

• If you’re lost, take a step back.

• I’m not a professional. I just think a straight answer is way too hard to find.

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1. Learn Korean with Juhee

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2. Korean Storytime Podcast

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3. KoreanPods | Learn Korean on Podcasts

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4. AhAh’s Korean Podcast

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5. 미루는 한국어 공부중

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6. KOREAN친구

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7. Learn Korean

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8. 한국어는아일린 (upper-beginner/pre-intermediate & intermediate to advanced with in-video-script)

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9. Korean Podcast_Heeya Korean 희야 한국어 (intermediate & advanced podcast with a patreon)

125 episodes😮!!

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for me personally podcasts are a great tool to learn a language:

1. you can listen to them while commuting, taking a walk, doing household chores,…

2. you hear everything in context: vocabulary&grammar in sentences AND spoken

3. you can get your daily repetition in while listening to podcasts: hearing the words over and over, the sentences over and over, will make them stick in your mind easily (especially if you’re an auditory learner)

4. depending on how naturally the podcasts are spoken (podcasts for learners can be spoken more slowly and clearly, and can have less filler words or exclamations in it but hey still a great start and tool), you just get used to the reality xD, you don’t live in a textbook, you have people talking to you and it will gradullay improve your listening comprehension and natural expression in the language.

5. with podcast you can do shadowing and so practice your speed, flow and pronounciation of the language. you can use the topics of the episodes to do a little writing session, wether you personalize or summarize it or just write a paragraph with the most relevant and useful sentences for yourself.

6. you can practice your speaking by responding to the podcast orally, if they talk about the weather you can stop it and just quickly talk about the weather situation in your country. even if it’s technically monologuing you still practice speaking the language out loud, think of the right words in that very moment and hearing yourself speak it (that can be weird to hear yourself speak in a foreign language, you might feel silly or not good enough but don’t worry it will get easier)

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I hope you find a podcast that you like!

xoxo,

A.

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my other post of korean podcasts:

B1-B2: wow, what I know is enough now