Foreigners speaking Korean to Koreans...grrrr!

[the_haunted_boy]

Some of the Korean foreign exchange students think I'm trying to hit on them when I talk to them. One girl actually asked me if I was, just bluntly. I said no, I just want to listen to a native Korean speaker. Now I get the impression that she trying to avoid me... I think I mispronounced something that creeped her out.

[HighTreason]

Some of the Korean foreign exchange students think I'm trying to hit on them when I talk to them. One girl actually asked me if I was, just bluntly. I said no, I just want to listen to a native Korean speaker. Now I get the impression that she trying to avoid me... I think I mispronounced something that creeped her out.

Or maybe she was hoping you were

[the_haunted_boy]

Some of the Korean foreign exchange students think I'm trying to hit on them when I talk to them. One girl actually asked me if I was, just bluntly. I said no, I just want to listen to a native Korean speaker. Now I get the impression that she trying to avoid me... I think I mispronounced something that creeped her out.

Or maybe she was hoping you were

Any maybe I was

lol, I just have weird experiences whenever I try to make conversation with anyone.

[maxiewawa]

I met Mingyong sonsengnim yesterday at KClass International Headquarters yesterday. She kept speaking Japanese to me. I'm going to try again today. Fighting!

[hyunwoo]

Haha Max Good luck!!

[sarahk]

I went to a Korean market yesterday...I wanted to find some current music to listen to. I started to browse and the sales girl came up to me, very cheerful, and said something to me so fast that I had no idea what she said.

I defaulted back to my standard reply: I can't speak Korean well. (Keith, how do you write "hangeul mal chal mot hae yo" in hangeul?)

I'm very fast at most of what I do...but when it comes to speaking Korean, I feel like my brain is trying to go through mud...

I need more conversational practice....!!
The K-dramas are helping with my comprehension...but not really with my conversation...

*sigh*

any suggestions? Today I'm going to visit a Korean church to ask about weekly lessons...

[hyunwoo]

Sarahk

한국말 잘 못 해요. is what you want to write down.

or if you want to say "Please speak slowly" - you can say "천천히 말해 주세요(cheon cheon hi mal hae ju se yo.)"

But don't worry - slowly start building stock of the sentences that you can say comfortably ^^ if you can say 10 sentences very fluently, that's already a good starting point ^^ Hehe. Whenever I learn a new language, I try not to care about the things I can't say - but I only care about the things I want to say and can say ^^ - and that helps having more confidence too!

Anything you want to say in Korean, please keep asking in the forum ^^ !

[matthew254]

Sarahk Anything you want to say in Korean, please keep asking in the forum ^^ !

that's no joke either Sarahk. Every one of us are learning. I encourage you to keep posting about your experiences and questions as they serve a great model for what to do (and sometimes what not to do). For me, it helps to keep things in perspective.

As far as reaching out to the church for language practice, I commend you! You're already showing self-initiative and motivation. That right there will be your strongest asset.

However, I offer a small bit of advice stolen from Austin (cause he jacks from me at least once a month ) He once said in an interview with the KC101 varsity team leader 현우씨 that he doesn't like to say the phrase "한국말 잘 못 해요". Why? because 1) he can speak it and 2) it shut down the conversation. Had he not said that, the speaker would have kept talking. Chalk one more experience of practicing your Korean!

I really like this advice. Even though I have a pretty distinct voice (read: bad central Texas accent) I have stopped saying 한국말 잘 못 해요 and sure enough I get more chances to speak Korean. Not only that, but the conversations last a bit longer each time. Imagine that?

[rooraa]

And now I shall intrude upon you all ㅎㅎ, how do you say "I am trying to learn korean" and if i wanted to say that after I said 한국말 잘 못 해요 could I add "하자만 to "I am trying to learn korean" so it would be ->

I can't speak korean well but I am trying to learn korean

[SiEd]

And now I shall intrude upon you all ㅎㅎ, how do you say "I am trying to learn korean" and if i wanted to say that after I said 한국말 잘 못 해요 could I add "하자만 to "I am trying to learn korean" so it would be ->

I can't speak korean well but I am trying to learn korean

My attempt:

한국어 잘 못 하지만 지금 배우고 있어요/있는데요.
"I can't speak Korean well but now I'm studying it/happen to be studying it."

"trying to learn X" - I have the impression that this is somewhat awkward to say in Korean. Can a native speaker confirm/refute this?

[manyakumi]

"trying to learn X" - I have the impression that this is somewhat awkward to say in Korean. Can a native speaker confirm/refute this?

It's okay. Not awkward to say.

배우려는 중이예요
배우려고 하는 중이예요
배우려고 노력하고 있어요
배우려고 노력하는 중이예요

[rooraa]

Whoa four different ways, you're too good 만야구미씨!
So how would you combine one of those with "한국말 잘 못 해요"?

[holdfast]

i am not sure (so someone please confirm) but i think you could say:

한국말 잘 못 하는데 배우려고 하는 중이예요
or
한국말 잘 못 하지만 배우려고 하는 중이예요

does that work?

[austinfd]

i am not sure (so someone please confirm) but i think you could say:

한국말 잘 못 하는데 배우려고 하는 중이예요
or
한국말 잘 못 하지만 배우려고 하는 중이예요

does that work?

I think that they are both corrct, but perhaps ~는데 is a little more commonly used. To me, ~지만 gives the impression of not only "but"; also "although" or "even so".

Whereas ~는데 indciates you want to say more information. And after asmitting that you can't speak Korean well, you proably want to explain yourself... so 는데 fits the bill...just my thoughts though!

[manyakumi]

Good job, Emily! (holdfast)

You did it perfectly. ^^
As Austin said, ~는데 is more used in spoken language.
but ~지만 is also right grammatically.