Common English mistakes Korean speakers make, and how to fix them
If your first language is Korean, your English mistakes follow Korean sounds, grammar, and Konglish loanwords. They're transfer, not carelessness — and each one has a clear fix.
The big ones. 1) /f/ as /p/ and /v/ as /b/: "coppee" for "coffee", "bery" for "very" — top teeth on the lower lip. 2) /z/ as /dʒ/ and /θ/ as /s/: "jeebra" for "zebra", "sink" for "think". 3) Added vowel after final consonants: "bus-uh", "good-uh" — stop on the consonant. 4) /r/ and /l/: "rice/lice", "collect/correct" — tongue tip up for /l/, not touching for /r/. 5) Missing articles and plurals: "I bought book" → "a book" / "books". 6) Dropped subjects: "Is very hot" → "It's very hot". 7) "Yes" to negative questions: "Aren't you coming?" — "Yes" (meaning no) → say "No, I'm not". 8) Konglish that isn't English: "hand phone" (mobile/cell phone), "eye shopping" (window shopping), "one-shot" (bottoms up), "service" (on the house), "skinship" (physical affection), "cunning" (cheating). 9) "Play with my friends" (놀다) → adults say "hang out with my friends"; "I have a promise" (약속) → "I have plans / an appointment". 10) "Borrow" and "lend" swapped (빌리다 covers both): you borrow from someone, they lend to you.
A list won't fix these; making them out loud and being corrected in the moment will. Airi is built for that: she hears the pattern, fixes the one mistake that matters in her reply, and keeps the conversation going. Speak with her daily and these stop being habits within a few weeks. Free to start, no card.
A quick example with Airi
How to get the most from it
Feel the /f/ and /v/
Coffee, very, five — top teeth on the lower lip. Airi hears the difference.
Stop on the consonant
Bus, good, book — no 'uh' after the final sound.
Swap Konglish for English
Hand phone → phone, promise → plans, play → hang out.
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