Japanese vs Korean: 5 Similarities & Differences

Introduction

If you're interested in East Asian languages, you've probably wondered: how similar are Japanese and Korean, really? They sound different, they look different, and they come from different language families. But once you start learning one, you'll notice some surprising overlaps.

Maybe you're trying to decide which language to learn first, or you're already studying one and curious about the other. Either way, understanding the real similarities and differences between Japanese and Korean helps you make smarter study decisions — and can even speed up your learning if you tackle both.

Quick Answer

Quick Answer: Japanese and Korean share remarkably similar grammar (SOV word order, particles, honorifics) and some shared vocabulary from Chinese. However, their writing systems are completely different, pronunciation has key differences, and they're not from the same language family. Neither is objectively "harder" — it depends on your native language and goals.

Grammar: Surprisingly Similar

This is where Japanese and Korean are most alike, and it shocks a lot of learners.

Shared grammar features:

1. SOV word order — Both languages put the verb at the end. English says "I eat sushi." Japanese says 私はすしを食べる (I-sushi-eat). Korean says 나는 초밥을 먹는다 (I-sushi-eat). Same structure.

2. Particles — Both use small words after nouns to mark their grammatical role. Japanese は/が/を/に map closely to Korean 는/가/를/에.

3. Honorific systems — Both languages have complex politeness levels built into the grammar. Japanese has です/ます forms; Korean has 합니다/해요 forms.

4. Verb conjugation patterns — Both conjugate verbs for tense, politeness, and mood by changing endings. The logic is similar even though the sounds are different.

5. Topic-comment structure — Both languages use a topic marker (は in Japanese, 는/은 in Korean) to set up "as for X..." sentences.

If you already know Japanese grammar basics, Korean grammar will feel familiar. The patterns transfer well, even though the vocabulary is completely different.

Writing Systems: Completely Different

This is the biggest visible difference between the two languages.

Japanese uses three scripts:

• Hiragana — 46 phonetic characters for native Japanese words
• Katakana — 46 phonetic characters for foreign words
• Kanji — Thousands of Chinese-origin characters with multiple readings

Korean uses one script:

• Hangul (한글) — An alphabet of 24 letters combined into syllable blocks

Here's the key difference: Hangul was designed to be logical and easy to learn. You can learn to read it in a few days. Japanese writing, with its three intertwined scripts and thousands of kanji, takes years to master.

However, Japanese kanji give you a hidden advantage. If you know Chinese characters, you can often guess the meaning of unfamiliar words. Korean abandoned most Chinese character use (한자, hanja) decades ago, so this visual shortcut is mostly gone in modern Korean.

Pronunciation: Different Roots

Despite geographic proximity, Japanese and Korean sound quite different.

Japanese pronunciation:

• 5 vowel sounds (a, i, u, e, o)
• No tones (but pitch accent matters)
• Mostly open syllables (consonant + vowel)
• Relatively simple for English speakers

Korean pronunciation:

• More vowel sounds (10+ basic vowels, plus diphthongs)
• No tones either
• Final consonants are common (syllable-ending consonants called 받침)
• Tense, aspirated, and plain consonant distinctions (ㄱ/ㅋ/ㄲ)

Most English speakers find Japanese pronunciation easier to start with. Korean has more sounds that don't exist in English, and the consonant distinctions take practice to hear and produce. Our YouTube lessons cover Japanese pronunciation in detail if you're getting started.

Shared Vocabulary from Chinese

Both Japanese and Korean borrowed heavily from Chinese over centuries. This creates a layer of shared vocabulary:

Notice how similar they sound? This isn't coincidence — both languages adapted the same Chinese words. If you know one language's Sino-vocabulary, you'll recognize words in the other.

About 60% of Korean vocabulary and 40–50% of Japanese vocabulary comes from Chinese origins. That's a significant overlap.

Which Language is Harder?

This is the question everyone asks, and the honest answer is: it depends.

Japanese might be harder because:

• Three writing systems to learn
• Thousands of kanji to memorize
• Multiple readings per kanji (on'yomi and kun'yomi)
• Pitch accent (subtle but important)

Korean might be harder because:

• More complex pronunciation (aspirated/tense consonants)
• Hangul letter combinations can be tricky
• Fewer English loanwords than Japanese
• Politeness levels are arguably more complex in daily use

The bottom line: If you're motivated, both are learnable. Japanese takes longer to read fluently (because of kanji), but Korean pronunciation takes longer to master. Grammar difficulty is roughly equal.

If you're starting with Japanese, our JLPT N5 Study Workbook gives you a structured path through the basics.

Example Sentences

Common Mistakes

1. Assuming Japanese and Korean are related languages — They share grammar patterns and Chinese loanwords, but linguists classify them as separate language families. Similar grammar doesn't mean common ancestry.
2. Thinking kanji knowledge is useless for Korean — While modern Korean doesn't use hanja much, knowing kanji helps you understand Sino-Korean vocabulary roots. The connection is still useful.
3. Expecting identical grammar — The patterns are similar but not identical. Korean particles work differently in some cases, and verb conjugation rules aren't 1:1 translations.
4. Comparing difficulty without context — "Which is harder?" depends entirely on your native language, learning goals, and available resources. Don't let difficulty rankings determine your choice.

Tips for Speakers of Other Languages

Comparing Japanese and Korean feels different depending on your native language. Here are specific tips:

For Korean speakers (한국어 화자) You're uniquely positioned since this article is about your language! Use your grammar intuition as a springboard — particles, verb endings, and sentence structure transfer directly. Focus your energy on kanji and pronunciation, which are the areas where Korean won't help.

For Chinese speakers (中文母语者) Your kanji knowledge gives you a bridge to both languages' Sino-vocabulary. Words like 図書館 (toshokan) and 도서관 (doseogwan) both come from 圖書館. Learning Japanese first can actually help you understand Korean Hanja vocabulary later.

For Vietnamese speakers (Người nói tiếng Việt) Vietnamese Hán Việt vocabulary connects to both Japanese and Korean Sino-vocabulary through shared Chinese roots. For example, 학생/学生/học sinh all share the same origin. This triple connection can be a powerful memory tool.

For Spanish speakers (Hablantes de español) Both Japanese and Korean use SOV word order, which is very different from Spanish SVO. If you decide to learn both, mastering the SOV structure in one language will make the other easier. Japanese pronunciation is closer to Spanish than Korean is.

For Indonesian speakers (Penutur bahasa Indonesia) Both Japanese and Korean have complex honorific systems, which Indonesian also has to some degree (formal vs informal registers). Your familiarity with register-switching will help with both languages' politeness levels.

Real Learner Insights

Based on common patterns we see among Japanese learners:

• The "aha" moment: Learners who speak both Korean and Japanese often report that around the N3 level, they start recognizing Sino-vocabulary patterns across both languages automatically — hearing a Korean word and instantly knowing the Japanese equivalent.
• Common confusion point: It's completely normal to mix up Japanese and Korean particles when studying both languages simultaneously. Many bilingual learners keep them straight by associating each particle set with a specific visual cue or color.
• What works: Learners who focus on one language to intermediate level before starting the other tend to progress much faster than those who try both from zero simultaneously.

Practice Tips

1. Learn one first, then compare — Trying both simultaneously as a beginner usually leads to confusion. Pick one, reach an intermediate level, then start the other.
2. Use grammar parallels — If you know Japanese particles, map them to Korean particles. The conceptual framework transfers even when the words don't.
3. Build Sino-vocabulary bridges — When you learn a Chinese-origin word in Japanese, look up its Korean equivalent. They're often surprisingly similar.
4. Watch content in both languages — Dramas and YouTube content in both languages help your ear distinguish them. Check out our YouTube lessons for Japanese.
5. Don't compare speed — Progress in Korean reading will be faster (Hangul is simpler). Progress in Japanese speaking might be faster (pronunciation is simpler). That's normal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I speak Chinese — would learning Japanese or Korean be easier for me? Japanese is generally easier for Chinese speakers because of shared kanji. You can read Japanese text much earlier thanks to character recognition. Korean abandoned most Chinese characters, so that advantage doesn't transfer as directly, though Hanja vocabulary roots still help.

Q: Are there words that sound similar in both Japanese and Korean? Yes, many Sino-vocabulary words sound remarkably similar: 약속/yakusoku (promise), 가족/kazoku (family), 도서관/toshokan (library). If you know one language's Sino-vocabulary, you'll often recognize the other's.

Q: Can Japanese and Korean speakers understand each other? No, not without studying the other language. Despite grammar similarities, the vocabulary and pronunciation are too different for mutual intelligibility. It's like English and German — related patterns but not mutually understandable.

Q: Should I learn Japanese or Korean first? If you love anime, manga, or Japanese culture, start with Japanese. If you're into K-pop, K-dramas, or Korean culture, start with Korean. Motivation matters more than "which is easier." Both have excellent learning resources available.

Q: How long does it take to learn both? The US Foreign Service estimates 2,200 class hours for English speakers to reach proficiency in either language. However, knowing one genuinely helps with the other's grammar. A Japanese speaker learning Korean (or vice versa) will progress faster than starting from zero.

Q: Are Japanese and Korean in the same language family? No. Japanese is classified as Japonic, and Korean is classified as Koreanic (or sometimes as a language isolate). Some linguists have proposed an "Altaic" family connecting them, but this theory is not widely accepted in modern linguistics.

Related Resources

• Start learning Japanese with our YouTube lessons — Free video lessons for all levels
• JLPT N5 Study Workbook — Your first step into Japanese
• JLPT N4 Study Workbook — Continue building your Japanese foundation
• Get your Japanese writing corrected — Native speaker feedback on your writing

---