how to learn to write korean alphabet

Korean Alphabet – Learn the Hangul Letters and Character Sounds

Last modified: May 01, 2024 | 34 min read | By Joseph Gerocs

In this lesson, you’re going to learn the Korean alphabet in only 30 minutes using visual associations, mnemonics, and stories.

That means you will be able to read the Korean alphabet letters A to Z and start sounding out Korean words anytime you see them. You may be surprised how often you see Korean characters!

We’ve also got a Hangul chart below that has audio samples. If you already know the alphabet, you can skip directly to the chart and practice your pronunciation and listening. If you have decided to embark on your Korean learning journey, the best place to start is here!

Let’s get to it!

• 1.1 “Hangul” in Korean
• 1.2 Hangul Meaning
• 2 Korean Alphabet System
• 3 Korean Alphabet Pronunciation
• 4.1 Korean Consonants Chart
• 4.2 Korean Vowels Chart
• 5 Korean Alphabet A to Z
• 6 Korean Alphabet in Order
• 7 How many letters are in the Korean alphabet?
• 8.1 The Korean Consonants
• 8.2 The Korean Aspirated Consonants
• 8.3 The Korean Vowels
• 8.4 Reading Korean Words
• 8.5 Korean Double Consonants
• 8.6 Korean Double Consonants Pronunciation
• 8.7 Korean Vowel Combinations
• 8.8 Korean Alphabet Reading PDF Lesson
• 9 Names of the Korean Letters
• 10.1 How to Write Korean Letters
• 10.2 How to Write Korean Syllables
• 11 English to Korean alphabet
• 12.1 Hangul Writing System
• 12.2 Korean symbols
• 12.3 Korean Speakers Worldwide
• 13.1 Chinese Characters and Hangeul
• 14 Romanization of Korean Letters
• 15 What to do next

Hangeul – The Korean Alphabet

The official writing system for South Korea is Hangeul (한글), which is the name for the Korean Alphabet system . That means you can say “Hangeul” (also romanized as “Hangul” ) and “Korean alphabet” interchangeably since they mean the same thing.

Korean is the official language of South Korea, and it uses Hangul as its alphabet and writing system. The same writing system is used in North Korea, which is called Joseongeul (조선글). Both South Korea and North Korea use the writing system created by King Sejong the Great.

When it was invented in 1443, Hangeul used to be called 훈민정음 (Hunminjeongeum), which literally means: “The Correct Sounds for the Instruction of the People.”

“Hangul” in Korean

“Hangul” in Korean is 한글 (hangeul). Hangul is also written in English as “Hangeul.” There are two different ways of spelling the same word. “Hangul” is the most common way, and “Hangeul” is the newer way of writing it.

Hangul Meaning

The word Hangul comes from the Chinese character 韓㐎. “Han” means “Korean,” and “gul” means “letter.” Put them together, and you’ve got the term “Korean letter” or “Korean Alphabet.”

Korean Alphabet System

This alphabet system is mainly made up of Hangul characters. This is the system that’s widely and officially used in both North and South Korea.

However, there’s another system Koreans use for writing called Hanja. This system is made up of Chinese letters that are read with Korean pronunciation.

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Korean Alphabet Pronunciation

The Korean alphabet pronunciation shares a lot of similarities with the English alphabet. That makes it easy to learn because you can use the pronunciation of English letters to learn the Korean alphabet pronunciation.

The Hangul alphabet consists of consonants and vowels that form syllable blocks. These syllables can be sounded out just like words in English.

Korean Alphabet Chart (Hangul)

Below is a basic Korean Alphabet chart for basic vowels and consonants. The Korean Alphabet chart is also known as the Hangul chart.

Korean Consonants Chart

The first Hangul chart is the Korean consonants chart . Next to each of the consonants is the Romanized spelling for that particular consonant. The spelling changes depending on whether the consonants are positioned at the start or the end of the syllable.

The romanization is only used for the  spelling  of the Korean word in English letters. If you’re learning Korean or want to know the correct pronunciation, then you should use the associations later in this lesson and learn the correct pronunciation of the Korean consonants.

Korean Vowels Chart

The second Korean alphabet chart is the Korean vowels chart . Next to each of the vowels is the romanized spelling of each vowel. The spelling of the vowels is consistent and doesn’t change. However, keep in mind that some people may spell words in Korean in English letters using their own system.

To have a good pronunciation of the Hangul consonants and vowels, it’s best to use the associations below as a guide and learn how each letter is correctly pronounced.

Korean Alphabet A to Z

The Korean alphabet a to z, also known as Hangul, is a very scientific alphabet. It’s one of the best writing systems for beginners to learn who don’t know any Korean. It’s also quite easy to write in Hangul since the letters follow a basic order.

Did you know that there are fewer letters in the Korean alphabet than there are letters in the English alphabet?

Hangeul has 14 consonants and 10 vowels .

Unlike Japanese or Chinese, which have thousands of characters, and each can have 10, 15, or more strokes, the most complex Korean character in the alphabet can be written using only five strokes . That makes learning both Hangul and Korean quite easy.

On top of this, the Korean language has a grammar structure that can be mastered by understanding some basic rules.  This makes Korean a great language for learning quickly and easily .

It all starts with knowing the Hangul – the basic building blocks of the language.

Hangul is a very scientific writing system. It was developed with precision in mind about 500 years ago by King Sejong the Great. The Korean writing system before it was created used classical Chinese characters. Only those who are educated are able to read and write using the old Korean writing system. As a result, King Sejong wanted to give Koreans a practical way of reading and writing to promote literacy.

Throughout this page, we’ll use the terms Korean letter and Korean character interchangeably. People tend to use them both when they learn Hangul, so you can use either one.

Get Korean Alphabet Free PDF Lesson

Korean Alphabet in Order

The Korean alphabet order is called 가나다 순 (ganada sun). The alphabetical order of the letters separates the consonants and vowels. The consonant letters come first, then the vowel letters.

In South Korea, double consonant letters follow their single counterparts.

Below is a table for the Korean alphabet in order.

How many letters are in the Korean alphabet?

The Korean alphabet (Hangul) is made up of 24 basic letters . It has 14 consonants and 10 vowels. 

However, there are 40 letters in total in the Korean alphabet, including double consonants and vowel combinations.

How to Learn the Korean Alphabet

This Korean alphabet lesson makes use of psychological techniques to help make learning Hangul fun and easy. Namely, it uses associations and stories to help everything stick in your brain so you can’t forget it.

This lesson covers the Korean alphabet, A to Z, broken down and simplified so you can begin speaking right away . There is audio to help your pronunciation with Hangul . The audio looks like this: ㄱ

The Korean Consonants

Hangul (the Korean Alphabet) has both consonants and vowels just like English.

Let’s learn the consonants in the Korean alphabet to start.

First, let’s take a look at the English alphabet. Instead of looking at the actual letters, let’s just look at the sounds they make.

In doing so, we can find the closest equivalents in the Korean alphabet so that we can start to make associations to learn the Hangul letters.

In Korean, there are no F , R , V , or Z sounds, so let’s take them out.

The rest of the consonant sounds exist in the Korean language. However, the Q , W , X, and Y sounds must follow one of these two rules:

a) They only can be made by combining two or more sounds (ie., X = K+ S)

For example: The X sound can be made by combining the K and S sounds ( X = K + S ). Try it now!

b) They cannot be made without adding a vowel sound after (ie., “ya” or “yo”)

For example : In Korean, we can create the sounds ya or yo but not the standalone Y sound.

So let’s take these letters out, too.

Finally, let’s remove the English vowels since we are first focusing on consonant sounds.

How many are remaining in red?

But we can group C and K together since they make the same sound in English.

This leaves a total of 12 .

Let’s take a look at those 12 letters of the alphabet first. Since we’re learning a new language and have never seen these shapes before, it will be very difficult for us just to memorize them. Therefore, we need to “link” the characters to something already in our minds in order to create an association.

Let’s do this using a visual learning technique to associate the new letters with pictures and sounds we already know.

The first letter of the English word in the picture has the same sound as the corresponding letter.

This will help to start to create associations with Hangul characters.

The letter ㅂ , which sounds similar to B in English, looks like a bed with a post at either end. Look for a yellow speaker icon followed by the word, and click on the yellow speaker. Here’s an example:  ㄱ

Make this association in your mind. Write it down and commit it to memory.

Likewise, the Hangul letter ㄷ could seem like a doorframe or the panels on a door . Correspondingly, this letter makes the sound D .

The Korean consonant ㄱ has the appearance of a gun and sounds similar to an English G . This Hangul letter is especially easy to write since it’s only two lines.

The same goes for the Hangul letter ㅎ ( H ), which looks like a man with a hat . You can write this consonant as a circle with two lines above it.

And the consonant ㅈ ( J ) which could be seen as a jug with a spout at the top. You can write this Hangul letter a few different ways, so just become familiar with the overall shape of the letter.

Try creating the associations for these consonant letters now.

Next is the Hangul letter ㄹ , which is written using 5 basic strokes and could be compared to the rungs of a ladder . Its sound is most similar to an English L and can be made the same way by pressing down with your tongue. This is a fun letter to write!

Finally, there are the Hangul letters ㅁ , ㄴ , and ㅅ , which have the sounds M , N , and S, respectively.

The ㅁ is a square box like a message on a phone or a piece of mail . You can write this consonant like a rectangle.

The Hangul letter ㄴ points up and to the right like a compass pointing to the north (and the east at the same time). You can write this letter in two lines.

The consonant ㅅ is like a seashell or clam, having only two strokes that slightly overlap. There are two different ways to write this Hangul letter, so just get used to the overall shape. It’s basically just two lines.

The Korean Aspirated Consonants

Now, we’ll learn the aspirated consonants of the Korean alphabet. To do that, let’s take a look at four of the consonant sounds we just learned.

B , D , G , and J .

Make each of these sounds now. “B.” “D.” “G.” “J.”

What if we made these consonants stronger, aspirating as we spoke them? What sound would we then make?

For B , a more aspirated sound forcing out more air would make P sound.

How about D ? It would result in a T sound. “T.” Try it now.

And G ? A “K” sound, like a C or K . In English, these two sounds are very similar. Try saying, “I’ve got a cot,” five times.

The C is really just an aspirated G .

Finally, if you aspirated a J , it would result in a “ch” sound. Try saying “cheap Jeep” several times, and you’ll notice how similar the sounds are.

Let’s match up the non-aspirated English sounds with their aspirated sound pairings.

See how similar these sounds really are?

B — P  D — T  G — K  J — Ch

When we do the same in Korean, we’ll see some visual similarities in the letters, which can help greatly for the memorization of Hangul characters.

B ㅂ — ㅍ P D ㄷ — ㅌ T G ㄱ — ㅋ K J ㅈ — ㅊ Ch

It’s almost as if all we did was add a small line to each of those consonants to create the aspirated equivalent.

The next four letters are called aspirated consonants and are similar in sound to their non-aspirated counterparts.

Let’s make a visual association as well to really drill in these Hangul letters.

The ㅋ ( K ) could be compared to a key . You can write this Hangul letter using three lines.

And the Hangul letter ㅌ , which has a “ T ” sound, could be associated with teeth (like the ones in your mouth or the teeth of a fork). You can write this similar to the English letter “E.”

Remember math class? I hope so!

3.14159265359….

What’s that number? Pi! And the Korean letter with a similar sound to P looks very similar to the symbol for pi . That makes it easy to remember. If you know how to write pi, then you’re good to go with this letter of the Korean alphabet!

So there we have it. That’s how you learn Hangul!

But we said there were a total of 14 consonants in the Korean alphabet, so what are the last two Hangul letters?

One of the consonants is special because it doesn’t have a direct equivalent to an English letter. Instead, it represents a sound in English.

ㅊ , the character representing the “ch” sound in English (“ ch oose ”), looks like a church with a steeple at the top. We can associate this Hangul letter with a church. Alternatively, we can remember it as an aspirated J ( ㅈ ) and add an extra line.

Ok, so that’s 13 letters already! You’re more than halfway there.

The last consonant in Korean is really just a placeholder and makes no sound by itself when placed in front of another character. Nonetheless, it is considered a consonant.

Just like in math, where we use the number 0 as a placeholder , in Korean, the placeholder character ( ㅇ ) is a round shape that looks like a zero.

This is a very special character!

It acts as a placeholder and is silent most of the time. After you learn the Hangul vowels in the next part of this challenge and see them next to the placeholder character, you’ll know what sound to make based on the vowel.

However, if the placeholder character ends a particular syllable, it is pronounced “ng” like the “-i ng ” in English.

This is a very important rule to remember. Without it, we would be tempted just to skip over the consonant, assuming it had no sound.

This will be easier to understand later, so it’s best to just make a note of it for now.

The Korean Vowels

In Korean, there are ten basic Hangul vowels that you need to learn. They are the basic building blocks from which you can create all other sounds of the vowels.

But before we get into that, it will be helpful to do a basic review of English grammar.

In English, we have short and long vowel sounds.

All of these vowel sounds exist or can be made using Hangul letters except for the short I sound (this just doesn’t exist in Korean and so is very difficult for Koreans to pronounce).

The letters for the vowels are all pretty easy to learn. No complex shapes here, just good ol’ lines!

The first four Hangul vowels we’ll learn are horizontal or vertical lines with a perpendicular line in the middle facing in a particular direction. They look like this:

The only problem is that we need to remember which way the perpendicular line points and associate that character with the particular Hangul vowel sound.

Let’s use a little bit of psychology to learn this part of the Korean alphabet.

First, memorize the following acronym:

Old iPod, new iPad

A little fun fact: did you know the first iPod came out in 2001?

That makes it o ld.

The iPad came out in 2010, making it comparatively n ew .

Easy right?

Now, listen carefully to the vowel sound in each word.

o ld. Long O sound.iP o d. Short O sound.n ew . Long U sound.iP a d. Short A sound.

Great! Let’s go back to the acronym. We’ve placed it on a timeline to represent when each gadget was released.

Recite “ Old iPod, new iPad ” working counterclockwise around the circle.

Now, all we need to do is line up the Hangul vowel letters with the corresponding sounds.

The letter with the line pointing up is “ o ld ” and has the long O sound.

The letter pointing to the left has a short O sound like the O in “ iP o d ,” while the letter pointing to the right has a short A sound like the A in “ iP a d .”

Finally, the letter pointing down has a long U sound like the e-w in “ n ew .”

Not too bad so far, right? Commit these vowels to memory, and let’s keep the momentum going!

Remember how we added an extra line to some of the consonants to change the sound and make it aspirated? Well, we can also add a line to the four vowels we just learned to create new sounds!

You may recall back to the beginning of this challenge when we explained how we couldn’t create a Y sound on its own. But we did say we could if we added a vowel sound after it!

Well, we can do just that when we add a line to each of the first four vowels. That way, we can simply learn four more of the vowels!

The Hangul vowels we have learned so far are: ㅗ ㅓ ㅜ ㅏ o ld ip o d n ew ip a d “oh” “aw” “oo” “ah”

We can now create the following alphabet sounds by just adding a second line:

ㅛ ㅕ ㅠ ㅑ “yoh” “yaw” “yoo” “yah”

So, once you learn the first four vowels, the second four are really easy. All you need to do is double up the line and remember to add a Y sound in front.

Learn these characters and commit them to memory.

So, there are only ten Korean vowels, and we already know eight of them.

Luckily, we saved the easiest two for last. The last two Hangul vowels are just lines as well — one horizontal and the other vertical.

The hardest part is just remembering which of the Hangul letters makes which sound.

Luckily we’ve got some visual associations for that!

We love nature, and these two Hangul vowels do too.

The first one is the “ tree vowel.” It is so-called (at least by us) because it’s tall and straight!

Notice how the double e in “tree” creates the long E sound. The Korean character with the same sound ( ㅣ ) looks like a tree, making it easy to remember.

And the most picturesque landscapes are not complete without a brook . This next Hangul vowel is long and straight, just like a brook!

Also, notice the sound of the double o in “brook” makes. This is the same sound the final Korean vowel makes. This vowel ( ㅡ ) is just a horizontal line.

Reading Korean Words

Just like English, you read Korean left to right, top to bottom.

However, the Hangul letters stick together, existing within small invisible “boxes.” Each one of these boxes can have up to four letters.

Each little “box” is considered a Korean syllable. You can also think of them as syllable blocks.

Instead of reading Hangul straight across as we do in English, we read one Korean syllable (or syllable block) at a time. Within each syllable, we read using the rule left to right, top to bottom. Then, we move to the next syllable block. That’s all there is to it!

This is the Korean word for “ hello .” It has 5 syllable blocks, and each syllable block has 2 or 3 letters.

In the first two-syllable blocks, there are two Hangul letters on the top and one on the bottom. Following our rule of left to right, top to bottom, we would read in the order 1, 2, 3, as shown above.

The same goes for the second syllable. But remember, the placeholder character here is ending the syllable, so it would have to be pronounced “ng.”

The third, fourth, and fifth syllable blocks are more straightforward and are just read simply from left to right.

So, going syllable block by syllable block, could you determine which order we would read the characters in? Give it a try!

It would look like this if we wrote the numbers in . Now, if we use the associations we learned earlier, we can pronounce the word!

The word sounds like “an-nyeong-ha-se-yo” when you read it correctly.

If you’ve gotten the associations with the Hangul consonants and vowels down pat in the previous sections, you can start to read some Korean words on your own.

Let’s try it out. Give each one a try first, then check your answers below. Use the associations we made to help you out!

How would you pronounce the words written below? Try reading them aloud. We’ll write the pronunciations below using Romanization so you can check them afterward!

1. 카 2. 너 3. 바보

For the first two, we would just read left to right.

1. k for key + a as in iP a d = ka . This is the Korean word meaning “car.”

2. n for northeast + eo as in iP o d = neo . This means “you.”

Now, for the third one, we just read left to right for the first syllable, then top to bottom for the second syllable.

That would make it:

3. b for bed + a as in iP a d plus b for bed + o as in o ld = babo . This is the Korean word for “fool.” If you can read these words already, you are definitely not a 바보!

Great work!

Now, remember the placeholder character ㅇ that doesn’t make any sound if placed in front of a vowel? It exists for a special reason!

Syllables (or “boxes”) must always start with a consonant , and then have a vowel following it.

Let’s do a quick recap of the Hangul consonants and vowels:

Hangul base consonants: ㅂㅈㄷㄱㅅㅁㄴㅇㄹㅎㅋㅌㅊㅍ

Hangul base vowels: ㅗㅓㅜㅏㅛㅕㅠㅑㅡㅣ

The ㅇ is a consonant, so that means it can start a syllable. But remember that is silent when it does!

Let’s try reading some more difficult words, and we can practice this rule. If you get stuck, remember to ignore the placeholder if it exists before a vowel and just read top to bottom and left to right as you normally do!

Ready? Let’s go for Round 2! Look at the words written below. How would you pronounce the following?

4. 오늘 5. 미국 6. 커피

How did it go? Did you remember all of the Hangul letters from the associations we made before?

Let’s check.

4. Did you remember to ignore the placeholder? Good. For the first syllable, o as in o ld. Then n for northeast + eu as in br oo k + l for ladder . Romanized, it is written as oneul . 오늘 means “today.”

5. m for mail + i as in tr ee plus g for gun + u as in n ew + g for gun again. This word is written in romanized English as miguk , and is the Korean word for “U.S.A..”

6. k for key + eo as in iP o d plus p for pi + i as in tr ee = keopi , the Korean word for “ coffee .”

Congratulations! If you got these, then you are now able to read 6 Korean vocabulary words in Korean (and many more!).

Korean Double Consonants

In the alphabet, strong double consonants also exist. They are called the Korean double consonants .

But the good news is that there is no need to learn any new characters to incorporate them into our skillset!

When you see a double consonant, all you need to do is slightly change the way you pronounce it by making it stronger.

We’ve already associated an English consonant sound with each of the characters we’ve already learned, so with these, we just need to double that up.

There are only five of these tense double consonants, and here they are:

The ㄸ is the double ㄷ, so we’ll keep the door association. The D sound will be pronounced stronger, like DD.

The ㅉ will use the same J sound as the ㅈ, but it will be pronounced as a stronger JJ.

We’ll use the strong GG sound for ㄲ, as well as the gun association.

If you put two ㅂs next to each other, you’ll get ㅃ. We will use the bed association. It will be pronounced using the strong BB sound.

The ㅆ is like two seashells next to each other. The sound is pronounced similarly to a strong SS.

Korean Double Consonants Pronunciation

To pronounce double consonants correctly, all you need to do is tense up your tongue and pronounce the sound with a little more force. Just double it up!

For example, let’s take the double consonant ㅃ. For a moment, imagine a bus was coming quickly, and your friend was standing in the middle of the street.

You might yell “BUS” really loudly to give your friend a warning!

That  b  sound when you  yell  the word would be more similar to the  bb  sound of the character ㅃ.

The same goes for the other tense  double  consonants. For example:

• 떡볶 이 (tteokbokki) –  rice cakes in sauce (a type of Korean street food )
• 빨 간색 (ppalgansaek) – the color “red”

The tough part is making the pronunciation distinction. The twin consonant is basically the same as the single consonant, except it’s said with emphasis. Here is a list of the single consonant sounds, their twin counterparts, and their pronunciation:

Pronunciation of the Korean letters ㅅ and ㅆ 

Above, we have gone over the Korean consonants and their double consonant counterpart, but it might be tricky to tell their difference at first.

Here’s a video that will teach you how to pronounce the Korean characters ㅅ and ㅆ to help you differentiate them easier.

If you were going to say the word “상” in Korean, then it would sound like “sang.”

If you were going to say the word “쌍” in Korean, then it would sound like “ssang.”

The difference is in the emphasis and the strength of the “s” sound. The twin consonants sound almost aggressive because they are so sharp.

Korean Vowel Combinations

If you followed the lesson above to learn Hangul, then you have learned the majority of the alphabet characters in Korean. You know the base consonants and vowels, which are the most important.

In addition to these Hangul letters, there are also 11 additional combinations. These are combinations of the base Hangul vowels you see above.

The Hangeul vowel combinations are:

The first Hangeul vowel is written as a combination ofㅓ(iP o d) + ㅣ (tr ee ) = ㅔ ( e gg). If you say the “o” sound from “iPod” and the “ee” sound from “tree” together very quickly, it becomes the “ e ” from e gg.

The combined ㅓ+ㅣ doesn’t exactly sound like e , but they are similar. Alternatively, you can skip the sound blending and try to remember this one as “ e gg”. Whatever works best for you!

The second Hangeul vowel combination is written the same as the first, except that we’re starting with ㅏ instead of ㅓ. Blend together “iP a d” and “tr ee, ” and you get e gg, the same sound as with ㅔ above.

Even though the pronunciation is the same, the romanization spelling is different. It is done that way, so if you see the spelling in English, you know which “ e gg” is used to spell the word in Korean.

How to differentiate the Korean letters ㅐand ㅔ

Before we head on to the rest of the Korean vowel combinations, you can watch the video below first for a more detailed explanation of the difference betweenㅐand ㅔ.

This next Hangeul vowel looks very similar to the ㅔ, except the first of the vowels is written as ㅕ. That means we’ll add the”y” sound to the beginning. This vowel combination sounds like the beginning of the word ye s.

The first part of this Hangeul vowel combination can be seen as the character ㅑ (“ ya ” sound) with the characterㅣ (“ ee ” sound in tr ee ) written after it. It also sounds like the beginning of ye s.

The Hangeul vowel ㅢ has roots in the ㅡ + ㅣ, so it’s quite fun to say. It’s a unique sound, and you need to pronounce it quickly to get it right.

Blend together the sound ㅡ (br oo k) + ㅣ (tr ee ), and you’ll get ㅢ (g ooey ). Imagine saying “chop s uey ” really fast.

For this Hangul vowel combination, the sound is “wa.” It is similar to the beginning of the word “ wa ffle.” It is written as a combination of the two Korean alphabet letters ㅗ and ㅏ.

This Hangeul vowel combination makes the sound that sounds like the beginning of the word “ we dding.” It is written by combining the two Korean alphabet letters ㅗ and ㅐ.

This Hangul vowel combination is pronounced the same as ㅙ, from above. It sounds like “ we dding”. It is written by putting together the Korean alphabet letters ㅗ and ㅣ.

If you combine the two Korean alphabet letters ㅜ and ㅣ, then you get ㅟ. This Hangul vowel combination sounds like the beginning of the word “ wee k”.

This combination of Hangul vowels makes a sound like the beginning of the word “ wo n.” It is written by combining the Korean alphabet letters ㅜ  and ㅓ.

When you combine the two Korean alphabet letters ㅜ + ㅔ, you get 웨. This Hangul vowel combination has a sound that is the same as the beginning of “ we dding.”

The pronunciation of some of the Korean vowel combinations is exactly the same. These vowel combinations can be tricky because they don’t follow patterns that are as structured as the rest of the consonants and vowels.

We recommend coming up with associations that resonate well with you. You may also want to try our Hangeul Made Easy course, which is included in 90 Day Korean membership . Inside the members’ area, we have a full step-by-step course on Hangul, as well as a structured online Korean course that will teach you how to have a 3-minute conversation in the first 90 days.

Korean Alphabet Reading PDF Lesson

It’s pretty amazing, isn’t it? You’re already well on your way toward learning the Korean Alphabet!

We wanted to make things super easy for you to print out and study, so we’ve created a downloadable Korean Alphabet Reading PDF lesson for you to continue the 90 Minute Challenge toward learning how to read in Korean. It also contains some written activities so you can practice what you’ve learned.

Get the free Hangul lesson here , and you’ll be reading Hangul everywhere you go!

Names of the Korean Letters

Each one of the Korean Alphabet consonants and vowels has a name. We’ll cover the names of the Korean letters here in this chart of the alphabet letters so you can learn them easily.

Below is a list of the letter names of the Korean consonants.

We’ve provided the English romanizations of the letters in the alphabet letter chart. However, they should only be used as a guide. Your pronunciation will be much more accurate if you learn the Hangul characters instead of relying on the romanized spelling.

The vowel names are the sounds they make. Below is the alphabet letter chart for vowels.

The names of the Korean alphabet letters (Korean vowels and consonants) are really useful when you want to spell out words or if someone is explaining the spelling of a word. If you’re not sure of the spelling, ask for the syllables to be read slowly, one by one. If you’re not sure about the spelling of a syllable, say the characters in the syllable one by one and ask for confirmation.

How to Write in Korean

Now that you know how to read Korean, let’s talk about how to write in Korean . You can put to use what you already learned with the Hangul writing system .

First, we’ll talk about how to write Korean letters individually.

Then, once you have some practice with the letters by themselves, we’ll go more into learning to write Korean words and sentences .

How to Write Korean Letters

Just like the English alphabet, the Hangul writing system also has a letter order (stroke order) . While you can get by without it, taking the time to practice will help speed up your Korean writing abilities. It’s also helpful to learn to write the Korean Alphabet letters if you’re going to travel to or live in Korea.

For example, here is how to learn the stroke order for ㄱ:

Try putting your skills to the test by writing Korean words that you hear in Hangeul. You can even practice writing your name in Hangeul by sounding it out!

How to Write Korean Syllables

If you want to get good at Korean writing, then you’ll need to know the syllable structure.

Each Korean syllable is made up of at least one consonant and one vowel. It’s possible to have multiple consonants as well. There will only be a single vowel, but that vowel may be one of the vowel combinations.

Korean syllable blocks can contain 2, 3, or 4 Korean letters. Here are the combinations:

Note that 3 and 4-letter syllable blocks have a final consonant or final consonants.

The vowel in the syllable block may be written to the right of, below, or to the right and below the initial consonant, depending on the vowels.

English to Korean alphabet

Below is a table that will show you the English letters with their Korean approximations. This means they’re not the exact equivalent so there can be many other letters that work too. It depends on the situation.

The Korean alphabet is unique in its own unique sounds. These are just approximations that can help you as you begin learning Korean.

We are giving you the 80/20. If you really want to spell a word properly in Korean, you should use a Korean dictionary to find the right word.

The Korean Language 

Here are a few pieces of useful info about the Korean Alphabet and language . Often, in the process of learning the language, you’ll learn about the culture and vice versa, in this case, the Korean culture.

For example, many people may hear about Korean dramas or movies and watch a few they like. Then, they decide they want to understand the phrases, expressions, and dialogues better without subtitles.

Another advantage as you learn Hangul is that you also learn the correct Korean pronunciation. You’ll be able to pronounce Korean words like a native Korean speaker.

Hangul Writing System

Hangul (Korean alphabet) is the official writing system used in both North Korea and South Korea. Hangul is called 조선글 (joseongeul) in North Korea.

They also both use Korean as the official language, but the variations are a bit different. The northern version of the language tends to use more Chinese loan words, whereas the southern version has more English loan words.

Korean symbols

Sometimes, the Hangul letters may be referred to as symbols. However, it’s easier to think of them as characters or letters.

One common Korean symbol is the ₩ for the Korean won , which is the currency in South Korea.

Korean Speakers Worldwide

There are about 77 million Korean speakers worldwide. According to the National Institute of Korean Language, Korean is the 13th most widely used language.

There are many Korean speakers worldwide. Here is the breakdown country by country.

If you want to find native speakers to talk to in Korean, then here are the top countries with overseas Koreans:

If you know any Japanese or Chinese , then you might recognize some similarities in the languages. Japanese and Korean share some grammar structures, while some Korean words have Chinese roots.

한자 (hanja) is the Korean name for Chinese characters. Hanja is also used to refer to Chinese characters that have been borrowed and used in the formation of the Korean language and pronunciation.

Chinese Characters and Hangeul

When reading sentences and signs written with Hangeul (Korean alphabet), you may notice these mixed in with the words. This is common in newspapers and some signs in stores. You don’t need to learn Chinese characters to know Korean, but it can be helpful.

Some Korean learners have said that knowing characters in Chinese has made it easier to learn the language. That is because many words in Korean have roots in Chinese. You may want to supplement your Korean learning with some basic Chinese characters, but it’s not necessary.

Romanization of Korean Letters

Writing Korean in English letters is called “ romanization .” Each letter in the Korean Alphabet has a corresponding letter or set of letters.

It’s not hard to learn , and it has some common practical uses. For example, you may need to write down an address or building name in Korea for someone who doesn’t know Hangul. In that case, you could write it in Romanized Hangul, which would be a good approximation.

There are some great tools that you can use for the Romanization of Hangul words.

In Korean language learning, we recommend learning Hangul as fast as possible. The Korean Alphabet will be far more precise compared to Romanization. It will greatly help your pronunciation and Korean language learning speed . You’ll be glad you did!

What to do next

If you reached this part of the post, you might already be able to read the Korean alphabet! 

Ready to learn more about the Korean language? You can check our Inner Circle Courses next . 

Just like how you learned the alphabet in a fun and easy way, these courses also provide you with a structure and roadmap in your learning journey. That will help you reach your goal of being able to speak in Korean. 

You’ll be able to have a 3-minute basic conversation in Korean in the first 90 days. Join the thousands of Korean learners who have seen the results themselves.

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1,256 thoughts on “Korean Alphabet – Learn the Hangul Letters and Character Sounds”

Its a great pleasure to get this website ,its just awesome,its helps me so much to learn korean in a easiest way by give example pronunciation with sound and etc , its appreciatable…. Keep it up, and thanks for your hard work, giving us such a big opportunity to learn

Glad to hear that, Humaira! Thanks a lot for your kind words. ^^

I’m glad that I found this article

That’s great to hear, Fairuz! I hope the article helped you in learning the Korean Alphabet. ^^

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Home » Articles » How to Learn the Korean Alphabet and Write in Korean [Step-by-Step Guide]

Full disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. ?

written by Shannon Kennedy

Language: Korean

Reading time: 7 minutes

Published: Jun 21, 2019

Updated: Apr 3, 2023

How to Learn the Korean Alphabet and Write in Korean [Step-by-Step Guide]

Are you learning Korean but still find yourself struggling with the Korean writing system? Well, here’s some good news: mastering the Korean alphabet may be easier than you think.

The Korean alphabet is often said to be one of the most logical and easy-to-learn writing systems. I agree with that assessment. I’d like to show you just how easy it can be to learn the Korean alphabet and master Korean writing.

This is Why the Korean Alphabet is So Easy to Learn (A Very Short History)

Before the present-day Korean alphabet, known as Hangul , the Korean language used Chinese characters. This changed in the 15th century when King Sejong the Great is said to have invented Hangul .

The Hangul system was created to be easy to learn, and easy to understand. That’s because it aimed to boost literacy among Korean speakers. All that’s good news for you as someone learning Korean.

The Korean Alphabet: Pronunciation

Like English, Korean has vowels and consonants. There are 19 consonants and 21 vowels in the modern Korean alphabet.

In Korean, the shape of each of the letters is a clue to how it sounds. Each of the strokes that make up a letter are said to show the position of the tongue in the mouth when pronouncing that letter. That’s pretty cool!

Let’s take a look, starting with consonants:

Korean Consonants

Many Korean consonants are similar in pronunciation to their English counterparts. That said, their position is in a word (beginning, middle, or end) can change how they’re pronounced. Here’s an overview:

ㄱ: “g” as in g o (may also be pronounced as “k” when in the final position) ㄴ: “n” as in n et ㄷ: “d” as in d og (may also be pronounced as “t” when in the final position) ㄹ: is somewhere in between “r” and “l” ㅁ: “m” as in m ama ㅂ: often “b” as in b ed but sometimes also an aspirated “p” as in p edal ㅅ: “s” as in s oon or sh as in sh ingle depending on the following vowel (it may also be pronounced as “t” in the final position) ㅇ: silent or “-ng” as in bri ng ㅈ: “j” as in j okester ㅊ: “ch” as in ch arge ㅋ: “k” as in k araoke ㅌ: “t” as in t iger ㅍ: “p” as in p our ㅎ: “h” as in h arness

Korean Double Consonants

ㄲ: “gg” as an initial sound but “kk” as a middle sound ㄸ: “dd” as an initial sound but “tt” as a middle sound ㅃ: “bb” as an initial sound but “pp” as a middle sound ㅆ: “ss” ㅉ: “jj”

Korean Vowels

ㅣ: “i” as in b ee ㅏ: “a” as in f a ther ㅓ: “eo” as in s o n ㅡ: “eu” as in p u t, said smiling ㅜ: “u” or “oo” as in b oo t ㅗ: “o” as in g o

Korean Diphthongs and Other Vowels

ㅑ: “ya” as in ya hoo ㅕ: “yeo” similar to you ng ㅠ: “yu” as in you ㅛ: “yo” as in yo ghurt ㅐ: “ae” as in l a nd ㅒ: “yae” as in ya nk ㅔ: “e” as in n e t ㅖ: “ye” as in ye llow ㅘ: “wa” as in w a nder ㅙ: “wae” as in wa g ㅚ: “oi” as though saying “n o e ntry” quickly ㅝ: “wo” as in wo nder ㅞ: “we” as in we t ㅟ: “wi” as in wee k ㅢ: “ui” as as s ue y

Korean Syllable Blocks

Korean letters don’t appear on their own, instead, they appear as a part of syllable blocks. Korean letters can be grouped in a number of ways but the first letter will always be a consonant (even if it’s just ㅇ functioning as a silent letter. The letter in the second position will always be a vowel. If there is a letter in the final position (this would be a third or fourth letter in a syllable block), it will also always be a consonant.

In short, at a minimum, a Korean syllable will always include a consonant (initial) followed by a vowel. It may also include one or two final consonants.

How a syllable block is formed will depend on the shape of the vowel. If it is a vertical vowel like ㅣorㅏ, the initial consonant is written on the left and the vowel on the right as in 나 or 니. When it’s a horizontal verb like ㅗ, the consonant is written above the vowel as in 노.

Here are a few of the ways Korean syllable blocks may look (C = Consonant, V = Vowel, F = Final Consonant(s)):

In Korean, a word may be made up of just one of these blocks like 저 ( cheo , “I”) or several as in 음악가 ( eumagga , “musician”). Like in English, Korean has a space between each word. “I am a musician” in Korean would therefore be: 저는 음악가입니다. ( cheo-neun eumagga-ibnida ).

Practice Makes Perfect: How to Memorize the Korean Alphabet

I’ve found that one of the best ways to learn the Korean alphabet is with spaced-repetition , using an app such as Anki . Getting regular exposure to the new letters, and then practicing reading syllable pairs (also through spaced-repetition) is one of the best ways to master reading and writing in Korean.

I also recommend doing writing practice when possible–even if it’s just writing English words using Korean letters.

In fact, there are lots of English loan words in Korean, and they make great writing practice. These are words like 케냐 ( ke-nya , “Kenya”), 쇼핑 ( sho-ping , “shopping”), 휴스턴 ( hyu-seu-teon , “Houston”), 컴퓨터 ( keom-pyu-teo , “computer”), 오랜지주스 ( o-raen-ji-ju-seu , “orange juice”), and so much more. These can be great practice when you’re just getting started.

Tools to Help You Learn the Korean Alphabet

If you’re still feeling unsure about how to go about learning the Korean alphabet, there are several tools available to help you master writing in Korean. Here are just a few of the resources that I used to learn the Korean alphabet:

• 90 Day Korean is an incredible resource for Korean learners. Not only does it teach you the basics of Korean, but it also teaches you the alphabet, pronunciation, and several helpful mnemonic techniques to aid your memorization. Plus, you’ll pick up tons of helpful vocabulary and grammar.
• Eggbun : This app is both adorable and educational. It’s also how I learned to type in Korean. With this app, you “chat” with a character who looks like an eggbun (hence the name), learning Korean bit by bit as your conversation progresses. It’s a freemium app, so the features you have access to are limited without upgrading.
• Scripts : Long gone are the days where you need to waste paper to practice writing characters or letters. When I first started learning Korean, I used grid paper to practice writing each letter. Now you can use Scripts to learn to write in Korean, getting digital writing practice while learning to recognize each letter.
• Anki : If you prefer the flashcard method of memorizing, Anki is a great tool. It uses spaced-repetition to teach you new information so that you’re sure to hang on to whatever you’re learning.

How to Type in Korean

Depending on the device that you’re using, there are different things you need to do to set up a Korean keyboard. You’ll likely want to get a keyboard overlay like this one for your computer, but I simply turn on the keyboard viewer on my computer and click to type.

90 Day Korean has a useful article on how to set up the Korean keyboard on your computer whether you’re using a Mac or PC.

On mobile devices, it’s simpler. You can go into your settings, add the Korean keyboard and then toggle to it when you need it to type.

And the best way to get comfortable typing? You’ve got it — practice. It’s normal to type frustratingly slow at the beginning but stick with it. It’ll come with time and practice.

Over to You

A different writing system doesn’t have to keep you from learning a new language. Learning the Korean alphabet and how to form syllable blocks isn’t as scary as it might first seem and I know you’ve got this! The Korean alphabet is incredibly intuitive and you’ll quickly pick it up.

What about you? How are you learning the Korean alphabet? I’d love to hear about your techniques and resources for learning to read and write in Korean in the comments below.

Shannon Kennedy

Language Encourager, Fluent in Months

Shannon is Head Coach for the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge . She is currently based in Southern California where she performs as a professional musician. Her passions are cooking, reading, traveling and sharing her adventures in language learning.

Speaks: English, French, Mandarin, Russian, Croatian, Japanese

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The Korean Alphabet | A Complete and Definitive Guide to Hangul 한글

• By LTL Team HQ
• Learn Korean
• March 28, 2024
• 95 Comments

The Korean Alphabet (Hangul 한글) ☀️ A Complete Beginner’s Guide

Today we are going to provide you with a definitive guide to the Korean Alphabet, known as Hangul 한글.

Chances are, you are here because you are interested in Korean and Korean culture? Maybe you have just binge-watched your favourite K-Drama, or you have just finished eating your take-out Bibimbap.

Maybe you just want to learn a new language for fun… but whatever your motive, the Korean Alphabet is an essential starting point for learning Korean.

So on that note, let’s start, shall we!

Korean Alphabet | The History Korean Alphabet | Hangul Today Korean Alphabet | Pronunciation Korean Alphabet | Consonants Korean Alphabet | Vowels Korean Alphabet | Double Consonants Korean Alphabet | Complex Vowels Korean Alphabet | Complex Consonants Korean Alphabet | Batchim “받침” Korean Alphabet | Summary of the Alphabet Korean Alphabet | FREE DOWNLOAD | THE ENTIRE ALPHABET Korean Alphabet | TEST YOURSELF | FREE QUIZ Korean Alphabet | FAQs

To be able to master the Korean language, you have to learn the alphabet called Hangul

Don’t worry, it might look intimidating at first, but you’re in luck.

According to King Sejong The Great, who was the inventor of Hangul…

“A wise man [could] acquaint himself with them before the morning [was] over; a stupid man [could] learn them in the space of ten days.”

Maybe King Sejong was a bit harsh, it did take me a little bit more than that to be totally familiar with the Korean alphabet, but we get his drift!

It might take a little work at the beginning but once you are familiar with Hangul it will be so much easier for you to continue working on your Korean skills.

Perhaps in this instance it’s better to disappoint King Sejong and take more than ten days to learn Hangul, than start learning Korean on a shaky basis.

Take your time, relax, make a game out of it and we will be there to guide you through the process.

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Korean Alphabet | A Quick History Lesson

Before the invention of Hangul, Koreans mostly used Classical Chinese but that was mostly for higher class Koreans.

Indeed, the difference between the Chinese characters ( Hanja ) and the pronunciation of Korean words were too different and it was difficult for many to be literate.

During the Joseon dynasty in 1443, King Sejong designed an alphabet that could be easily read and written by people from all classes.

The goal was to invent an alphabet that was closer to the Korean pronunciation and would mimic the movements the mouth makes when you talk the language.

At the beginning, this alphabet had to face the adversity of scholars (called yangbans). However, it became more and more widely used by women and lower class Koreans.

Whilst Hangul was still mocked by some intellectuals until the 20 th century, now Hanja letters are rarely in use anymore at all, with only a few exceptions (when writing letters for weddings or for New Year’s wishes for example).

Hangul has taken its revenge and is the one that remained in daily use.

Korean Alphabet | Hangul Today

In historical K-dramas, you might see Korean texts written and read top to bottom, right to left just like in Ancient China.

You can also find it today written that way for aesthetic purposes (in poetry for example).

However, these days it is written from left to right and uses western punctuation.

Hangul used to be composed of 28 basic letters, but over the passage of time 4 letters were lost.

Therefore, today only 24 of these remain in Hangul, the Korean Alphabet. 14 consonant letters and 10 vowels.

However, there is more.

After the basic letters of Hangul you will find two different sets of complex consonants (5 double consonants and 11 complex consonants) and one set of 11 complex vowels , making a total of 27 complex letters.

So just to summarise that:

• 14 consonant letters
• 10 vowel letters

5 tense consonant letters

11 complex consonant letters

11 complex vowel letters

Korean Alphabet | Pronunciation

If you are quite new to the Korean Alphabet and maybe not familiar with the transcription of phonetics, it might be difficult to get a grasp on the pronunciation at first.

And that’s OK by the way, the sounds are likely nothing like ones that you know.

That’s why in this article we will break down each letter with the phonetics but also with examples of words in English containing that sound, so that it will be easier for you to learn it. 

Korean Consonants | All 14 Of Them

OK, let’s learn the Korean Alphabet together!

Korean Consonant #1 is ㄱ 

ㄱ “giyeok” g/k [k/] makes the same sound as the g in g ood. 가방 is pronounced k abang which means bag .

Korean Consonant #2 is ㄴ 

ㄴ “nien” n [n] makes the same sound as the n in n ose. 노래 is pronounced n orae which means song .

Korean Consonant #3 is ㄷ 

ㄷ “diget” d/t [t/d] makes the same sound as the d in d ay. 대한민국 is pronounced d ae han min guk  which means South Korea .

Korean Consonant #4 is ㄹ

ㄹ “riel” l/r [l/r] makes the same sound as the l in l amp. 라면 is pronounced r a myeon which means ramen .

Korean Consonant #5 is ㅁ

ㅁ “miem” m [m] makes the same sound as the m in m oon. 엄마 is pronounced  eo m ma  which means mum .

Korean Consonant #6 is ㅂ

ㅂ “biep p/b [p/b] makes the same sound as the b in b anana. 밥 is pronounced b ap  which means rice .

Korean Consonant #7 is ㅅ 

ㅅ “shiot” s [s] makes the same sound as the s in s poon. 사과 is pronounced s a gwa which means apple .

Korean Consonant #8 is ㅇ 

ㅇ “ieng” silent/ng [ŋ] silent sound or ng sound like in ya ng . 방 is pronounced ba ng which means room .

Korean Consonant #9 is ㅈ 

ㅈ “jiet” j [ts] makes the same sound as the j in j elly. 지도 is pronounced j ido map which means map .

Korean Consonant #10 is ㅊ

ㅊ “chiet” ch [sʰ] makes the same sound as the ch in ch air. 친구 is pronounced as ch ingu which means friend .

Korean Consonant #11 is ㅋ 

ㅋ “kiuek” k [kʰ] makes the same sound as the k in k iwi. 커피 is pronounced as k opi which means coffee .

Korean Consonant #12 is ㅌ

ㅌ “tiet” t [tʰ] makes the same sound as the t in t able. 토마토 is pronounced t omato which is the same word in English, tomato ! This one is easy!

Korean Consonant #13 is ㅍ 

ㅍ “piep” p [pʰ] makes the same sound as the p in p anda. 팔 is pronounced p al which means arm .

Korean Consonant #14 is ㅎ 

“hiet” h [h] makes the same sound as the h in h at. 하늘 is pronounced h aneul which means sky .

Korean Vowels | All 10 Of Them

OK first rule to understand with vowels in Korean.

You will never see a vowel written on its own. It is always preceded by “ㅇ” for example “아”, the “ㅇ” being silent. We only pronounce the last letter, which is the vowel.

For convenience, during this lesson, we learn without the “ㅇ”. Just be aware of it when reading the example words we give.

Korean Vowel #1 isㅏ

ㅏ a [a] makes the same sound as the a at the end of sant a . 차 is pronounced ch a which means car .

Korean Vowel #2 isㅑ

ㅑ ya [ja] makes the same sound as the ya in ya hoo. 약속 is pronounced ya k sok  which means promise .

Korean Vowel #3 isㅓ

ㅓ eo [ʌ] makes the same sound as o in s o ng without the ng sound. 버스 is pronounced b o sseu  which means bus .

Korean Vowel #4 is ㅕ

ㅕ yeo [jʌ] makes the same sound as the yo in you ng without the ng sound. 여자 is pronounced yo ja which means woman .

Korean Vowel #5 is ㅗ 

ㅗ o [o] makes the same sound as the o in d o ll. 봄 is pronounced b o m which means spring .

Korean Vowel #6 is ㅛ

ㅛ yo [yo] makes the same sound as the yo in yo ga. 요리사 is pronounced yo li sa which means cook/chef .

Korean Vowel #7 is ㅜ 

ㅜ u [u] makes the same sound as the u in u nicorn. 문 is pronounced m u n which means door .

Korean Vowel #8 is ㅠ 

ㅠ yu [yu] makes the same sound as the you in you th. 휴가 is pronounced h yu ga which means holidays .

Korean Vowel #9 is ㅡ

ㅡ eu [ɨ] This sound does not exist in English. The best comparison of this sound is when you are confused with something… “ uh ?”.

아이스크림 pronounced ah e s eu k eu lim . This one is also quite easy as it means… ice cream ! Read the Korean again, see how similar they are!

Korean Vowel #10 is ㅣ

ㅣ i [i] makes the same sound as the y in bab y . 아이 is pronounced a e which means child .

Korean Double Consonants | All 5 Of Them

Korean double consonant #1 is ㄲ.

ㄲ “ssang giyeok” kk [k*] makes the same sound as the k in s k i. 꿀 is pronounced kk ul  which means honey . 

Korean Double Consonant #2 is ㄸ

ㄸ “ssang diget” tt [t*] makes the same sound as the t in ki tt en. 딸 is pronounced dd al which means daughter .

Korean Double Consonant #3 is ㅃ 

ㅃ “ssang biep” p [p*] makes the same sound as the p in a p artment. 아빠 is pronounced appa which means dad .

Korean Double Consonant #4 is ㅆ 

ㅆ “ssang shiot” ss [s*] makes the same sound as the sh in su sh i. 쑥 is pronounced ssuk which means mugwort ( a traditional plant in Korea used in medicine and cosmetics ).

Korean Double Consonant #5 is ㅉ 

ㅉ “ssang jiet” [tsʰ] is also a bit tricky because there is no equivalent in the English language.

It is a mix between the J in J im and the Ch in Ch ina.

짜장면 pronounced jj a jang myeon which means black bean noodles (a staple of Korean food).

Korean Complex Vowels | All 11 Of Them

Korean complex vowel #1 is ㅐ.

ㅐ ae [æ] makes the same sound as the a in r a re. 개미 is pronounced k ae -mi which means ant .

Korean Complex Vowel #2 is ㅒ

ㅒ yae [yæ] makes the same sound as the ya in ya k. 얘기 is pronounced yae -gi which means story . 

Korean Complex Vowel #3 is ㅔ

ㅔ e [e] makes the same sound as the e in h e lp. 가게 is pronounced ka -ge which means store .

Korean Complex Vowel #4 is ㅖ 

ㅖ ye [ye] makes the same sound as the ye in ye t. 시계 is pronounced si-g ye which means watch .

Korean Complex Vowel #5 is ㅘ  

ㅘ wa [wa] makes the same sound as the wo in wo w, so a little bit closer to a wa sound.

사과 pronounced sa-g wa which means apple .

Korean Complex Vowel #6 is ㅙ

ㅙ wae [wae] makes the same sound as the we in we dding. 돼지 is pronounced  d wae -ji which means pork .

Korean Complex Vowel #7 is ㅚ  

ㅚ oe [we] makes the same sound as the wha in wha le. 괴물 is pronounced g oe -mul which means monster .

Korean Complex Vowel #8 is ㅝ

ㅝ weo [wʌ] makes the same sound as the who in who lesome. 고마워 is pronounced go-ma- weo and is an informal way of saying thank you .

Korean Complex Vowel #9 is ㅞ 

ㅞ wae [wae] makes the same sound as the we in we b. It is very similar to the sound ㅙ 

Oddly enough even native Korean speakers have difficulties telling them apart.

웨삼촌 is pronounced wae sam-tchun which means maternal uncle .

Korean Complex Vowel #10 is ㅟ

ㅟ wi [wi] makes the same sound as the pronoun we . 귀 is pronounced g wi which means ear . 

Korean Complex Vowel #11 is ㅢ

ㅢ ui [ɨj] makes the same sound as the wi in wi llow. 의사 is pronounced oe -sa which means doctor .  

Korean Complex Consonants | All 11 Of Them

Complex Consonants in Korean are a little bit tricky. Why?

Because we have two consonants combined, but we only hear one sound.

There are not many tips and tricks you need to take on board here. It’s simply a case of getting familiar with them, using them and memorising them. The more you use them, the more familiar it becomes. Don’t worry it gets easier with time.

Once you learn a few words containing complex consonants also called a cluster of consonants, you will get used to them quicker than you might imagine!

Korean Complex Consonants | Batchim “받침”

We cannot finish this article without mentioning the dreaded Batchim.

This word sends a shiver down the spine of all Korean natives and Korean learners!

Batchim is a very difficult concept to understand when you’re not Korean. If that makes you feel better, even native Korean get them wrong quite often. 

In essence – Batchim is a consonant placed at the bottom and pronounced at the end in a Korean syllable block. It makes Korean writing system very unique.

The actual word Batchim “받침” means to support, which is effectively what it does in a grammatical sense also. It supports others letters from below.

This is something we’ll talk about more in future articles but here’s a quick example:

깊이 and 기피 are both romanized as ‘gi pi’.

When spoken they are both also the same ‘gi pi’.

BUT –

• 깊이 means deep or depth
• 기피 means to avoid or evade

As they sound the same, and are romanized the same the Batchim allows us to differentiate the word.

Don’t worry, as we are at the early stages of learning Korean, we don’t need to worry too much about this just yet!

Korean Alphabet | Summary of the Alphabet

OK, we appreciate that was a lot to take it, but let’s take a step back… and take a deep breath!

Hangul is actually not so difficult to pick up.

Once you know it, you know it – like with the English alphabet.

Now whilst that sounds obvious, take a language like Mandarin for example.

DID YOU KNOW – there is no Chinese Alphabet at all !

Chinese is a serious of pictograms and characters that you need to memorise!

That makes learning the Japanese and Korean Alphabets seem a lot less daunting, especially when you consider Chinese has tens of thousands of characters!

Anyway, back to Korean. We wanted to summarise the alphabet in one simple table with their relevant sounds, so here it is.

This is Hangul:

Then to complete the line-up the Complex Consonants:

• ㄳ gs [g] – We only pronounce the [g] sound
• ㄵ nj [nj] – We pronounce it as [nj]
• ㄶ nh [nh] – We pronounce it as [nh]
• ㄺ lg [g] – We only pronounce the [g] sound
• ㄻ lm [m] – We only pronounce the [m] sound
• ㄼ lb [b] – We only pronounce the [b] sound
• ㄽ ls [s] – We only pronounce the [s] sound
• ㄾ lt [t] – We only pronounce the [t] sound
• ㄿ lp [p] – We only pronounce the [p] sound
• ㅀ lh [h] – We only pronounce the [h] sound
• ㅄ ps [p] – We only pronounce the [p] sound

FREE DOWNLOAD | Our Korean Alphabet PDF

Hopefully you’ve seen by now when we discuss and teach topics, we don’t brush over the details and leave you to do the rest, we dig deep!

We take great pride in providing content like few others can compete with.

Sure we’ve taught you the Korean Alphabet, but who else would spend all this time creating graphics, PDF’s and quizzes for you to utilise also?

That’s where we come in!

So, to summarise everything you’ve read up until now, here is a super useful PDF with all the Korean letters in a handy PDF.

Print it, review is, share it, download it – do what you want! We hope it’s useful.

Once you feel ready to tackle Korean further… our quiz below awaits!

Need to practice your handwriting as well?

Check out our Handwriting Practice Worksheets, all ready to print:

DID YOU KNOW – Japanese has three alphabets! Don’t worry though, we wrote a super guide to make it all very easy to understand! Check it out here – the guide to Japan’s 3 Alphabets . We’ve also provided extensive articles about the Chinese Alphabet (or lack of) , Russian Cyrillic Alphabet and the Vietnamese Alphabet as well.

TEST YOURSELF | OUR KOREAN ALPHABET QUIZ

Now then… ready to test yourself?

Don’t worry, all answers to the 20 questions are in the blog you’ve already finished reading so it shouldn’t prove too hard!

There’s a mixture of vowel and consonant recognition along with a few of the words we mentioned above.

Good luck, and do share your scores below !

Welcome to our Korean Alphabet quiz! Enter your first name and email to begin. Don't worry you can unsubscribe at any time!

Time is Up!

Korean Alphabet | FAQs

Today there are 24 letters in Hangul , the Korean Alphabet.

14 consonant letters and 10 vowels.

The Korean Alphabet is known as Hangul 한글 in Korean.

There are 10 vowels in the Korean Alphabet.

There are 14 consonants in the Korean Alphabet.

There are 27 complex letters formed by combining the basic letters.

During the Joseon dynasty in 1443 , King Sejong decided to create an alphabet that could be easily read and written by people from all classes.

Thus Hangul, the Korean Alphabet as we know it today, was formed.

There are 5 double consonants in total which are:

A good place to start would be learning Hangul – the Korean alphabet.

After that, you’ll want to get speaking to a native speaker, Flexi Classes is the perfect place to do that.

We even offer a 7 day free trial.

Want More From LTL?

FANCY LEARNING KOREAN?  Check out our online Korean courses here.

We offer a 7-day free trial to all online students where you can study Korean 24/7.

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Loving the graphics

Thanks Craig 🙂

i want to learn more,

This is really helpful and I took a lot of notes now I still have to pronunciation and how to write sentences but I really enjoyed this website

Hi Caitlyn - thanks a lot for comment, we are really pleased you enjoyed the article and our website 🙂

Thanks for guidance. I'm a new learner in Korean language and your slide is really help me a lot. Again, Thank you very much

Hello Jennie, thank you very much for your comment, we are very happy to see our blog could help you with your Korean studies! Make sure to come back from time to time as we regularly post new content. Keep up the good work!

thanks, a lot of this opportunity. Annyeong haseyo.

Most beautiful alphabet in the world, don't @ me otherwise

Hard to disagree!

Hi there, just noticing a mistake

In your table for 밥 you’ve put the English translation as banana instead of rice/meal (or maybe it’s that you’ve put 밥 instead of 바나나)

Thanks for noticing Astra but we meant the sound is like the B in Banana, and you can see the sentence then shows Rice just after 🙂

Hope that clears it up.

"ㅂ “biep p/b [p/b] makes the same sound as the b in banana. 밥 is pronounced bap which means rice."

I got full marks in the quiz, thanks for setting that up. it's really good

That's excellent, well done Dex

hangul genuinely took me a day to learn, piece of cake !

Good man, that's a sound effort!

I learnt it within a week, really not hard and really lovely to read

That's great work!

Batchim does my head right in!!

Definitely not the first person to say that sentence!!

hard,but trying

You got this!

16 correct and 4 incorrect 🥺❤️

Very nice effort!

I Am 작시 , and actually I am self taught learner ,i am so blessed to have this lesson , i got to know a lot about hangeul history n all stuff , thanku so much for this amazing content ❣️

Our pleasure 작시

I got 20 points.. yahooo

I learnt 한글 in about 3 days. It's really quite easy!

That's great, well done Gabe. It's not that hard at all is it! The King wasn't wrong 😅

I keep putting Korean off, time to get started

That's the attitude, we are here to help!

I learnt 한 국 in 2 days and it was fun to learn and it's easy to learn if you really want to learn Korean and I'm so glad that this lesson was really blessed for me Thank you very much that I learnt a lot from this and will learn.Anyone who wants to learn Korean keep going and 화이팅........

Thanks so much Shruti, we're really pleased we could help encourage you to make progress. Keep it up, welcome to take some Flexi Classes with us too 🙂

Hello @marine am being honest to you and your site to give best ever teachings in foreign languages, am being very helpful by you

Thank you so much!

100% in the quiz!!

GO ON PAM!!

Such a beautiful alphabet. I love it and it's so easy to learn

Absolutely right on both fronts Harry!

[…] + 여기서 자세히 보기 […]

I got 18 correct and 1 incorrect. Thankyou

Nice score, you certainly know how to curse in Korean now. Just hope you never need to use them!

ITS first step of learning korean and it helps me a lot and I have to do my best because I have to go to South Korea after 2 years and I hope it will help me .

Good luck and hope to see you in Korea soon!

Hey I got full marks. I want good teacher to teach me KOREAN . Iam really interested in the language. Thanks

Brilliant work Jessica! If you want a teacher come and try our Flexi Classes, we've got plenty of Korean teachers waiting for you - https://flexiclasses.com/flexi-registration

Best learning platform for people who want to learn Korean. I really wanted to learn Korean fluently and I was thinking that basic is so complecated but its very easy to understand.

slay max hobbs yaaas get it

[…] After the basic letters of Hangul you will find two different sets of complex consonants (5 double c… […]

i hope there is an android app for this website for free

This is definitely helpful for korean learners and beginners.

Very happy to hear it Manisha 🙂

i like it.. i realy to learn reading and writing korean language.. thanks for guide . keep it up 👏👏

Thanks Jay, glad you enjoyed

I got 18 and 2 incorrect, I'm so happy I'm improving in learning hangul with you

Well done, that's a great score

Thanks for your comment 🙂

I have always like watching kdrama and listen to korean song. Recently I have returned from my first trip to Korea and it makes me really want to start learning. Thus, have chance upon your website and it is really a great platform for a starter to learn them. Thank you.

We are very happy to read your kind words, and welcome in the Korean language learning sphere! Have you checked our Flexi Classes platform yet? You can study any level of Korean 24/7 by choosing when and what to study, we also have a 7 Day Free Trial available. Let us know if you have any questions, Marine

really want to learn korean cos am travelling there

Welcome to study with Flexi Classes 🙂

SIGN UP HERE || https://flexiclasses.com/flexi-registration/

I've wanted to work for some of my favorite south korean publishing companies! I decided to pick up learning so maybe one day, I can try applying to them. Wish me luck!

Good luck Joselyn! You got this, we'll be here to help whenever you need.

[…] https://flexiclasses.com/korean/alphabet/#chapter-10 […]

yeay got full marks! loving the websites! thank you!

Yay!! Well done Ann, really glad you are enjoying the website

I have 18 right and i failed in 2 quastions

i'm so happy for this experience

Super work Janet, well done

Didnt expect that

I got 14 correct and 6 wrong but I'm proud of myself.

That's a great effort Daya, keep on learning 🙂

[…] Korean Alphabet 한글 ☀️ Beginners Guide (+ Free Quiz … […]

Very Informative Website. Colourful charts. : )

Thanks Alan, we do our very best!

[…] Korean Alphabet 한글 || (+ Free Flashcards + Quiz) […]

I got 20 over 20.😊😊😊

I enjoyed answering the quiz. Got a perfect score!😁

Wooo, you know your Hangul Krislee! Well done

very encouraging and a fast learning way of the korean language. I am like wow!! i will get to the end period!!!!

You say Hangul is an alphabet, but it's technically a featural writing system. It's like calling the Arabic script a syllabary. Speaking of syllabaries, you also call Japanese an alphabet, even though Japanese doesn't even have one singular writing system. Even if you were talking about all three at once, none of them are alphabets. There are two syllabaries and a logographic writing system. Notice how I didn't say there was an alphabet. You also say Mandarin when talking about Mandarin (good so far) but then call it Chinese twice after that. You can say Mandarin Chinese or just Mandarin, but not just Chinese. Chinese are the people, not the language.

Sorry, I just felt like you were calling any writing system an alphabet. It's very English-centric.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts 🙂

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Korean Alphabet Made Easy: Free Beginner’s Crash Course

Did you feel like learning the magnificent Korean alphabet(Hangul) is frying your brain? (like Korean numbers )

Well,  welcome to the club, my friend,

Those squiggly lines, strange shapes, and mind-boggling pronunciation can leave anyone feeling like a deer caught in the headlights.  

You might have thought, “Do I really need to dive into the depths of Hangul?” The answer is YES

First off, It’s on street signs, billboards, restaurant menus, your ramen packet instructions, and K-drama subtitles. Korean kids learn it in school like we learn ABCs.

We’ll walk you through Hangul’s history, tackle those consonants and vowels with memorable mnemonics, free printable flashcards, and a practice workbook to flex your Hangul muscles. 

because who doesn’t love some colorful, portable learning?

Plus, we’ve got audio to fine-tune your pronunciation, the stroke order of the 40 Hangeul letters, and how letters are combined into syllables. So you’ll be saying “안녕하세요” (hello) to Hangul in no time!  

Alright world,  it’s time to grab your kimchi, and dive in!!!

“Claim your Free Korean alphabet Flashcards & Worksheet Bundle Now!”

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at anytime.

Table of Contents

History of hangul | why is king sejong so awesome.

The story of the Korean writing system (hangul) is pretty interesting. 

It was created by King Sejong during the Joseon Dynasty. It is often called the easiest alphabet to learn in the world.

Once upon a time, in the Land of Morning Calm , there lived a wise and forward-thinking king named Sejong the Great. This guy wasn’t your average monarch.

he had an itch to make knowledge accessible to all, and he knew just how to scratch it cutely. 

So, in the 15th century, he set off on an adventure to create something magical, something that would change the course of history – the Korean alphabet, Hangul!

Now, let’s talk about the writing system King Sejong had to deal with before creating the Korean alphabet. 

It was called Hanja, and it was a real headache. 

Hanja used Chinese characters, and if you’ve ever tried to decipher Chinese characters, you’d know it’s no walk in the park. It was complicated, it was elitist, and the commoner had to says goodbye to literacy.

But King Sejong, being the people’s king, had a vision. He put his best scholars to work, and after much brainstorming and tea-sipping, they unveiled Hangul in 1443.

So, Hangul was born.

 It had 14 consonants, 10 vowels, five double consonants, 11 compound vowels, and 11 consonant clusters – a total of 40 letters.

 But here’s the kicker: these letters were like building blocks, basic geometric shapes that you could put together to form words. Suddenly, commoners and folks all welcome the power of literacy.

Hangul’s brilliance lies in its design. 

The characters were crafted to mimic the shapes our mouths make when we speak them . King Sejong and his team literally thought, “If we say it this way, we should write it that way.” 

Voilà! Hangul was all about logic and accessibility makes Women , writers, and just about anyone who wanted to express themselves could do so without needing a fancy education.

But of course, every great innovation faces its share of haters. 

In this case, it was the Yangban class, the educated elite of Korea. They thought Hangul was beneath them, too simple, too “made-up.” They loved their Hanja, and they didn’t want to share the writing stage with this newcomer.

In 1504, the Yangban class managed to ban Hangul. So, Hangul was sent into exile, but it wasn’t down for the count.

In the late 16th century, thanks to writers who decided to give Hangu l a second chance . They started using it to create popular stories, and boy, did it catch on! Hangul was like the cool kid on the block, and it wasn’t going away without a fight.

Fast forward to the 1890s, and Korea was facing some serious issues – corruption, illiteracy, and a dash of Western influence. King Kojong had had enough and initiated the Gabo Reform.

 It abolished social classes, promoted merit-based education, and declared that all official government documents should be written in Hangul.

Then came the Japanese colonization in 1910, and things got complicated. The Japanese declared their language as the official one, and they even banned Korean literature. 

But they weren’t all bad – they allowed Koreans to teach and study Hangul. That’s right, the rebels within the system!

The 1930s saw a tougher stance from the Japanese, but Koreans were resilient. Groups like the Korean Language Society fought for Hangul’s survival. In 1946, when the Japanese empire finally fell in Korea, Hangul was back in business, baby!

Even during the Korean War and the division of North and South Korea, both sides declared Hangul as their official language. North Korea even added a few extra letters to the Hangul alphabet – talk about a makeover!

Today, South Korea celebrates Hangul Day on October 9, while North Korea has its Chosŏn’gŭl Day on January 15.

The Hangul Revolution: Hangul wasn’t an overnight sensation, but its simplicity and elegance eventually won the hearts of the Korean people. 

Fast forward to today, and you’ll find Hangul everywhere in modern Korea. It’s on street signs, billboards, restaurant menus, and, of course, in the heart of every K-drama subtitle

How Does Hangul Look Like?

Basic Concepts of Hangul

There are only 40 letters in the Korean alphabet: 14 consonants, 10 vowels,11 combined vowels, and 5 double vowels.

The consonants and vowels are combined together to sound out words, just like they are in English.

Korean vowels

In addition to the consonants, Hangul also has a set of 10 basic vowels. Here they are along with their approximate English sounds:

• ㅏ (a): Similar to ‘a’ in “car”.
• ㅑ (ya): Similar to ‘ya’ in “yard”.
• ㅓ (eo): Similar to ‘u’ in “hurt”.
• ㅕ (yeo): Similar to ‘yo’ in “yoga”.
• ㅗ (o): Similar to ‘o’ in “core”.
• ㅛ (yo): Similar to ‘yo’ in “yo-yo”.
• ㅜ (u): Similar to ‘oo’ in “look”.
• ㅠ (yu): Similar to ‘you’.
• ㅡ (eu): Similar to ‘eu’ in “deux” (French).
• ㅣ (i): Similar to ‘ee’ in “see”.

These basic vowels, along with the basic and double consonants, form the building blocks of the Korean language. With a good grasp of these elements, you’re on your way to reading and writing in Korean.

가다 (gada): to go

자다 (jada): to sleep

바나나 (banana): banana

사랑 (sarang): love

야구 (yagu): baseball

야자 (yaja): palm tree

야간 (yagan): night-time

야외 (yaoe): outdoors

버스 (beoseu): bus

서울 (Seoul): Seoul

복숭아 (boksunga): peach

커피 (keopi): coffee

여우 (yeou): fox

여행 (yeohaeng): travel

연필 (yeonpil): pencil

여름 (yeoreum): summer

소 (so): cow

오렌지 (orenji): orange

포도 (podo): grape

골목 (golmok): alley

요일 (yoil): day of the week

요구르트 (yogureuteu): yogurt

요리 (yori): cooking

요새 (yosae): recently

숙제 (sukje): homework

눈 (nun): eye

부산 (Busan): Busan

북 (buk): drum

유리 (yuri): glass

유물 (yumul): relic

유명 (yumyeong): Famous

유치원 (yuchiwon): kindergarten

음악 (eumak): music

은행 (eunhaeng): bank

의자 (uija): chair

음식 (eumsik): food

이다 (ida): to be

키스 (kiseu): kiss

리본 (ribon): ribbon

지하철 (jihacheol): subway

11 Complex Vowels (made up of two basic vowels)

In addition to the basic vowels, Hangul also consists of complex vowels that are created by combining two or more basic vowels. Here are those complex vowels along with their approximate English sounds:

• ㅐ (ae): Similar to ‘a’ in “cat”.
• ㅒ (yae): Similar to ‘ya’ in “yard” but shorter.
• ㅔ (e): Similar to ‘e’ in “bed”.
• ㅖ (ye): Similar to ‘ye’ in “yet”.
• ㅘ (wa): Similar to ‘wa’ in “water”.
• ㅙ (wae): Similar to ‘we’ in “wet”.
• ㅚ (oe): Similar to ‘we’ in “we”.
• ㅝ (wo): Similar to ‘wo’ in “won”.

ㅞ (we): Similar to ‘we’ in “wet” but with rounded lips.

• ㅟ (wi): Similar to ‘wi’ in “wiki”.
• ㅢ (ui): Similar to ‘ui’ in “suite” but without a clear ‘y’ sound.

개 (gae): dog

새 (sae): bird

내일 (naeil): tomorrow

해변 (haebyeon): beach

냬 (yaell): very old or archaic term

애냬 (aeyaell): very old or archaic term

( it’s very old. This vowel isn’t commonly used in the modern Korean language)

메뉴 (menyu): menu

베개 (begae): pillow

세상 (sesang): world

게임 (geim): game

혜성 (hyeseong): comet

혜지 (hyeji): a female name

(This vowel isn’t commonly used in the modern Korean language)

와이파이 (waipai): Wi-Fi

와우 (wau): wow

와장창 (wajangchang): Bathroom

와인 (wain): wine

왜나무 (waenamu): elm tree

회색 (hoesaek): gray color

회사 (hoesa): Company

회전 (hoejeon): rotation

회의 (hoeui): meeting

워터파크 (woteopakeu): water park

웨딩드레스 (weddingdeureseu): wedding dress

위성 (wiseong): satellite

위험 (wiheom): danger

위기 (wigye): crisis

위원회 (wiwonhoe): committee

의사 (uisa): doctor

의미 (uimi): meaning

의식 (uisik): Consciousness

Korean consonants

Sure! Let’s learn the basic Hangul consonants and their respective English approximations:

ㄹ (Rieul): This sound is a bit unique and falls between “l” and “r” but closer to “r.”

• ㄱ (g/k): Similar to ‘g’ in “get” or ‘k’ in “kick”.
• ㄴ (n): Similar to ‘n’ in “net”.
• ㄷ (d/t): Similar to ‘d’ in “dog” or ‘t’ in “top”.
• ㄹ (r/l): A unique sound, somewhere between ‘r’ and ‘l’.
• ㅁ (m): Similar to ‘m’ in “meet”.
• ㅂ (b/p): Similar to ‘b’ in “bat” or ‘p’ in “pat”.
• ㅅ (s): Similar to ‘s’ in “sit”.
• ㅇ (ng): Similar to ‘ng’ in “song”. At the start of a syllable, it’s silent.
• ㅈ (j): Similar to ‘j’ in “jet”.
• ㅊ (ch): Similar to ‘ch’ in “chat”.
• ㅋ (k): A stronger ‘k’ sound, like in “kite”.
• ㅌ (t): A stronger ‘t’ sound, like in “top”.
• ㅍ (p): A stronger ‘p’ sound, like in “pop”.
• ㅎ (h): Similar to ‘h’ in “hat”.

ㄱ (g/k)

ㄱ (Giyeok): Similar to the “g” sound in “good.”

강 (gang): river

국 (guk): soup

고기 (gogi): meat

김 (kim): seaweed

ㄴ (n)

ㄴ (Nieun): Similar to the “n” sound in “nice.”

나무 (namu): tree

남자 (namja): man

눈 (nun): eye

냉면 (naengmyeon): cold noodles

ㄷ (d/t)

ㄷ (Digeut): Similar to the “d” sound in “dog.”

도서관 (doseogwan): library

달 (dal): moon

대학교 (daehakgyo): university

동물 (dongmul): animal

ㄹ (r/l)

라면 (ramyeon): ramen

리모콘 (rimokon): remote control

로봇 (robot): robot

립스틱 (ripseutik): lipstick

ㅁ (m)

맥주 (maekju): beer

말 (mal): horse/word

멍멍 (meongmeong): woof (dog sound)

모자 (moja): hat

ㅂ (b/p)

배 (bae): pear/boat/belly

밥 (bap): rice

부엌 (bu-eok): kitchen

비행기 (bihaenggi): airplane

ㅅ (s)

사과 (sagwa): apple

소 (so): cow

색깔 (saekkkal): color

신발 (sinbal): shoes

ㅇ (ng)

옥수수 (oksusu): corn

영화 (yeonghwa): movie

양배추 (yangbaechu): cabbage

우유 (uyu): milk

ㅈ (j)

자전거 (jajeongeo): bicycle

좌석 (jwaseok): seat

집 (jip): house

잠자리 (jamjari): bed

ㅊ (ch)

차 (cha): car/tea

체스 (che-seu): chess

추석 (chuseok): Korean harvest festival

치즈 (chijeu): cheese

ㅋ (k)

커피 (keopi): coffee

코끼리 (kokkiri): elephant

크레파스 (keurepas): crayon

클럽 (keulleop): club

ㅌ (t)

토마토 (tomato): tomato

텔레비전 (tellebijeon): television

트럭 (teureok): truck

타이타닉 (taitanik): Titanic

ㅍ (p)

파티 (pati): party

팬케이크 (paenkeikeu): pancake

피자 (pija): Pizza

포도 (podo): grape

ㅎ (h)

하늘 (haneul): sky

핸드폰 (haendeupon): cell phone

호텔 (hotel): Hotel

헬리콥터 (helli-kopteo): helicopter

Korean double consonants

In addition to the basic consonants, Hangul has a set of double or ‘tensed’ consonants. 

These consonants are represented by double the symbol of their respective basic consonant. Here they are along with their approximate English sounds.

• ㄲ – a hard “g” that almost sounds almost like a “k”
• ㄸ – a hard “d” that almost sounds almost like a “t”
• ㅃ – a hard “b” that almost sounds like a “p”
• ㅆ – a hard “s” almost sounds like a hiss
• ㅉ – a hard “j” that almost sounds like a “ch”

까다롭다 (kkadaropda): to be fastidious or picky

까만 (kkaman): black or dark

까치 (kkachi): magpie

깎다 (kkakda): to carve or to cut

딸기 (ttalgi): strawberry

딸래미 (ttallaemi): daughter

뚫다 (ttulda): to pierce or to penetrate

똑같다 (ttokkatda): to be identical or the same

빼다 (ppaeda): to subtract or to remove

빼빼로 (ppaeppaero): Pepero (a brand of Korean snack food)

빨다 (ppalda): to wash or to launder

빵빵 (ppangppang): the sound of a horn or a bang

쌀 (ssal): rice

쌓다 (ssada): to pile up or to accumulate

씨름 (ssireum): Korean traditional wrestling

쌍둥이 (ssangdungi): twins

짝짝이 (jjakjjagi): mismatch

짬뽕 (jjambbong): Jjamppong (Korean spicy noodle soup)

짜증 (jjajeung): irritation or annoyance

짠짠이 (jjanjjani): tightwad or stingy person

Hangul Chart: Consonant + Vowel

Certainly! Here’s a table that pairs each consonant with each vowel to show all possible consonant + vowel combinations in Hangul:

This table displays all the consonant + vowel combinations in Hangul, providing a comprehensive reference for learning to read and write in Korean.

Korean Alphabet Syllable blocks 

Certainly! Here are the nine different types of Korean syllable blocks with examples and their translations:

1. Consonant + Vertical Vowel:

This type of syllable block consists of an initial consonant followed by a vertical vowel.

가 (ga) – “family”

네 (ne) – “yes”

다 (da) – “big”

보 (bo) – “watch”

소 (so) – “small”

2. Consonant + Horizontal Vowel:

These syllable blocks have an initial consonant followed by a horizontal vowel.

고 (go) – “high”

너 (neo) – “you”

도 (do) – “road”

무 (mu) – “nothing”

소 (so) – “cow”

3. Consonant + Compound Vowel:

Compound vowels are formed when an initial consonant combines with a compound vowel, creating a unique sound.

개 (gae) – “dog”

미 (mi) – “beauty”

새 (sae) – “bird”

키 (ki) – “key”

길 (gil) – “road”

4. Consonant + Vertical Vowel + Final Consonant:

These syllables contain an initial consonant, a vertical vowel, and a final consonant.

갈 (gal) – “go”

놀 (nol) – “play”

달 (dal) – “moon”

볼 (bol) – “see”

실 (sil) – “thread”

5. Consonant + Horizontal Vowel + Final Consonant:

These blocks consist of an initial consonant, a horizontal vowel, and a final consonant

곳 (got) – “place”

낫 (nat) – “sickle”

돕 (dop) – “help”

볶 (bok) – “stir-fry”

쇳 (swot) – “lead”

6. Consonant + Compound Vowel + Final Consonant:

These syllables involve an initial consonant, a compound vowel, and a final consonant.

개티 (gaeti) – “plank”

미치 (michi) – “road”

새끼 (saeggi) – “young one”

키스 (kiseu) – “kiss”

길들 (gildeul) – “tame”

7. Consonant + Vertical Vowel + (Final Consonant + Final Consonant):

This type includes an initial consonant, a vertical vowel, and two final consonants.

같다 (gatda) – “to be the same”

닫다 (datda) – “to close”

핥다 (halgda) – “to lick”

씻다 (ssitda) – “to wash”

꼭두 (kkokdu) – “turtle”

8. Consonant + Horizontal Vowel + (Final Consonant + Final Consonant):

These blocks contain an initial consonant, a horizontal vowel, and two final consonants.

겟다 (getda) – “to get”

믿다 (mitda) – “to believe”

코치 (kochi) – “coach”

줍다 (jupda) – “to pick up”

죄송 (joesong) – “sorry”

9. Consonant + Compound Vowel + (Final Consonant + Final Consonant):

This type combines an initial consonant, a compound vowel, and two final consonants.

반드시 (bandeusi) – “definitely”

귀엽다 (gwiyeopda) – “cute”

식탁 (siktak) – “dining table”

닭고기 (dakgogi) – “chicken meat”

작다 (jakda) – “small”

These examples illustrate the various ways in which Korean syllable blocks can be formed, demonstrating the flexibility and richness of the Hangul writing system.

These various syllable blocks showcase the versatility of the Korean writing system, Hangul, which allows for the representation of a wide range of sounds and words in a straightforward and logical manner.

Hangul Stroke Order

To form Consonant + Vowel combinations in Hangul (Korean script), follow these steps:

Start with a Consonant: Begin by selecting a consonant character. There are 14 basic consonants in Hangul, such as ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄷ, and so on.

Add a Vowel: After choosing a consonant, combine it with one of the 10 basic vowel characters. Vowels in Hangul include ㅏ, ㅓ, ㅗ, and more.

Arrange them Left-to-Right or Top-to-Bottom: Depending on the shape of the characters, you may arrange them either left-to-right or top-to-bottom. Some consonants are horizontally oriented, while others are vertically oriented.

Form the Syllable: The combination of the selected consonant and vowel forms a syllable. This syllable can represent a complete sound or be part of a larger word.

Here are some examples of Consonant + Vowel combinations:

ㅂ (b) + ㅏ (a) = 바 (ba) – This combination forms the syllable “ba.”

ㄴ (n) + ㅓ (eo) = 너 (neo) – This combination creates the syllable “neo.”

ㄷ (d) + ㅣ (i) = 디 (di) – This combination results in the syllable “di.”

ㅈ (j) + ㅗ (o) = 조 (jo) – Combining these characters gives you the syllable “jo.”

ㄱ (g) + ㅜ (u) = 구 (gu) – This combination forms the syllable “gu.”

These are just a few examples, and there are many more possible Consonant + Vowel combinations in Hangul. These combinations are the building blocks of the Korean writing system, and by mastering them, you can start reading and writing in Korean.

How to Read and Write Korean

Korean writing, known as Hangul, is an alphabetic script that’s relatively easy to learn. It consists of characters formed by combining consonants and vowels. Here’s how to read and write in Korean:

Consonants (자음 – Ja-eum): Korean has 14 basic consonants. They are written vertically or horizontally, depending on the character. Examples include ㄱ (g), ㄴ (n), and ㅁ (m).

Vowels (모음 – Mo-eum): There are 10 basic vowels in Korean. They can be written vertically or horizontally as well. Examples include ㅏ (a), ㅓ (eo), and ㅣ (i).

Consonant + Vowel Combination: Most Korean characters are formed by combining consonants and vowels. For example, 강 (gang) combines ㄱ (g) and ㅏ (a). The order in which you write these components matters.

Syllables (음절 – Eum-jeol): Korean words are typically made up of one or more syllables, each containing a combination of consonants and vowels.

Word Formation: Words are formed by arranging these syllables, with the first syllable usually representing the root meaning of the word.

Korean pronunciation rules

Korean pronunciation can be a bit of a rollercoaster. 

You see, words don’t always play by the spelling rules.

To master Korean pronunciation, you’ve got to be in on the game, and that’s where these six main pronunciation change rules come into play. 

But hey, before we dive headfirst into these rules, let’s take a quick peek at the major pronunciation changes for Hangul characters.

Carry Over: 

Imagine this – if a Patchim consonant meets a vowel in the next syllable, it’s like they’re holding hands and strolling into the next syllable together. They combine forces, and the Patchim character replaces the ㅇ character in the next syllable.

책이 (chaeg-i) → 채기 (chaegi)

밥을 (bap-eul) → 바블 (babeul)

잎이 (ip-i) → 이피 (ipi)

Nasalization: In the world of Korean sounds, ㄴ and ㅁ are the nasal champs. When they team up with ㄱ, ㅋ, ㄷ, ㅅ, ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅌ, or ㅎ, they assimilate and become nasal sounds themselves.

국물 (guk-mul) → 궁물 (gung-mul)

갑니다 (gam-ni-da) → 감니다 (gam-ni-da)

낱말 (nat-mal) → 난말 (nan-mal)

Aspiration: Picture this – when a consonant in the Patchim has a little chat with ㅎ [h], they get all aspirated and change into their aspirated buddies.

좋다 (jota) → 조타 (jota)

생각하다 (saeng-gak-ha-da) → 생가카다 (saeng-ga-ka-da)

노랗다 (no-ra-ta) → 노라타 (no-ra-ta)

Palatalization: When a syllable ending in ㄷ (d) or ㅌ (t) meets a syllable that starts with a “y” sounding vowel like ㅑ, ㅕ, ㅛ, ㅠ, or the vowel ㅣ (ee), ㄷ and ㅌ turn into ㅈ (j) and ㅊ (ch), respectively.

맏이 (mat-i) → 마지 (ma-ji)

굳이 (gu-ji) → 구지 (gu-ji)

같이 (ga-chi) → 가치 (ga-chi)

Liquidation: When ㄴ (n) in the Patchim meets ㄹ (l), they blend their sounds and become ㄹ (ll).

신라 (sin-la) → 실라 (sil-la)

신림 (sin-lim) → 실림 (sil-lim)

Tensification: Brace yourself for the intensity! When a consonant with strong vibes like ㄲ, ㄸ, ㅃ, or ㅉ sits in the Patchim spot and faces ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ, ㅅ, or ㅈ, the latter bunch toughens up their pronunciation game.

먹다 (meok-da) → 먹따 (meok-tta)

맥주 (maek-ju) → 맥쭈 (maek-jju)

받고 (bat-go) → 바꼬 (bak-ko)

없다 (eop-da) → 업따 (eop-tta)

I know, I know, these rules seem like a lot to digest right now. But here’s the deal – you don’t need to memorize them all at once. Just wrap your head around the concepts, and you’ll pick them up as you go through this course. These rules are like little helpers for your tongue, making Korean pronunciation a breeze.

In the next lesson, we’ll put these rules to the test with some common Korean words borrowed from foreign languages. After that, we’ll venture into Korean grammar and sentence construction. Stick around, it’s going to be a language adventure!

Common Uses of Hangul

Hangul is used extensively in South Korea and North Korea for various purposes:

Writing: Hangul is the primary script used for writing in Korean. It’s used in newspapers, books, signage, and everyday communication.

Education: It’s the script used in schools to teach the Korean language to both native speakers and learners.

Computing: Hangul has a dedicated keyboard layout, making it easy for Koreans to type on computers and smartphones.

Entertainment: Hangul is used in subtitles for Korean movies and TV shows, making it essential for international audiences.

Tips for Learning Hangul

Learning Hangul can be a rewarding experience. Here are some tips to help you on your journey:

Start with the Basics: Begin with the 14 consonants and 10 vowels. Practice writing and pronouncing them until you’re comfortable.

Combine Characters: Learn how to combine consonants and vowels to create syllables and words.

Use Resources: Utilize online courses, language apps, or textbooks designed for learning Korean.

Practice Reading: Read Korean texts, even if you don’t understand them at first. This will help improve your reading fluency.

Speak Aloud: Pronounce words and phrases to develop your speaking skills alongside your reading and writing.

Immerse Yourself: If possible, immerse yourself in Korean-speaking environments to reinforce your learning.

Be Patient: Learning a new script takes time, so don’t get discouraged if progress is slow.

How to practice the Korean alphabet easily and never forget it?

I know saying “Korean alphabet” is a bit confusing and so many ways make it even harder to remember. 

but with practice and time, you can be as good as native Korean speakers.

After all, when it comes to fluency, practice is the key.

Here’s how I did it.

I hope these resources will help you master the hangul in no time.

Anki Isn’t The Only Game In Town. sing a song

Did you know you can sing a song and master the Korean alphabet without lifting a finger?

Well, what could be better than that?

Here is how Koreans do it all the time (now you can do it too!!!)

Use flashcards and Test

Maybe the song is not your thing. What about flashcards?

I know it’s an old thing(you might be using Anki too)

But When it comes to mastering Korean letters, you will never regret using these fellas. 

Here is the list 

https://quizlet.com/1735019/hangul-alphabet-flash-cards/

https://quizlet.com/1489913/korean-alphabet-flash-cards/

https://www.cram.com/flashcards/korean-alphabet-10796649

Other resources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hangul

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hangul-Korean-alphabet

https://aminoapps.com/c/k-pop/page/item/korean-alphabet/JqIM_IPgVWkV3EX0WgrdwaP1qK2rPz

So, dear readers, as we wrap up.

remember this: learning the Korean alphabet might seem daunting, but with Hangul, it’s as delightful as finding out your favorite K-pop group just dropped a surprise album. 

Hangul, the Korean script, is a beautiful and efficient writing system. Learning Hangul is a gateway to understanding Korean culture, language, and communication. 

By following stroke order guidelines and practicing consistently, you can become proficient in reading and writing Hangul. 

Remember that patience and dedication are key to mastering this script.

Now, go out there, impress your friends and family with some Korean characters, and maybe even plan a future trip to Seoul. And who knows, you might just find yourself conversing with locals over some delicious kimchi and soju while your favorite K-drama plays in the background. 

Learning Hangul opens up a whole new world of culture and communication, and we can’t wait to see where it takes you. 

Good luck, and annyeong (that’s “goodbye” in Korean ) for now!

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Korean Alphabet (Hangul) - A Beginner's Guide

The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul, is a unique and phonetic writing system developed during the 15th century under the

Introduction: The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul, is a unique and phonetic writing system developed during the 15th century under the reign of King Sejong the Great. Hangul consists of 14 consonants and 10 vowels, which are combined to form syllables. This lesson will provide a basic understanding of the Korean alphabet and its pronunciation.

Consonants: a. Pronunciation:

• ㄱ (giyeok): Pronounced like "g" as in "go".
• ㄴ (nieun): Pronounced like "n" as in "no".
• ㄷ (digeut): Pronounced like "d" as in "dog".
• ㄹ (rieul): Pronounced like "r" as in "run".
• ㅁ (mieum): Pronounced like "m" as in "mother".
• ㅂ (bieup): Pronounced like "b" as in "boy".
• ㅅ (siot): Pronounced like "s" as in "sun".
• ㅇ (ieung): When it appears at the beginning of a syllable, it is silent. When it appears at the end, it takes on the sound of the following vowel.
• ㅈ (jieut): Pronounced like "j" as in "jump".
• ㅊ (chieut): Pronounced like "ch" as in "chair".
• ㅋ (kieuk): Pronounced like "k" as in "key".
• ㅌ (tieut): Pronounced like "t" as in "top".
• ㅍ (pieup): Pronounced like "p" as in "park".
• ㅎ (hieut): Pronounced like "h" as in "help".

Vowels: a. Pronunciation:

• ㅏ (a): Pronounced like "a" as in "father".
• ㅓ (eo): Pronounced like "eo" as in "hello".
• ㅗ (o): Pronounced like "o" as in "boat".
• ㅜ (u): Pronounced like "u" as in "rule".
• ㅡ (eu): Pronounced like "eu" as in "book".
• ㅣ (i): Pronounced like "ee" as in "bee".
• ㅐ (ae): Pronounced like "ae" as in "apple".
• ㅔ (e): Pronounced like "e" as in "bed".
• ㅚ (oe): Pronounced like "we" as in "wet".
• ㅟ (wi): Pronounced like "wi" as in "witch".

Syllables: a. Combining Consonants and Vowels:

• Syllables are formed by combining consonants and vowels in a block-like structure.
• For example: ㄱ + ㅏ = 가 (ga), ㄴ + ㅓ = 너 (neo).

Additional Characters: a. Double Consonants:

• Some consonants can be doubled to indicate a stronger pronunciation.
• For example: ㄲ (gg), ㄸ (dd), ㅃ (bb).

b. Double Vowels:

• Vowels can also be doubled to emphasize the sound.
• For example: ㅏ + ㅏ = 아
• (Continued)
• Practice Words: a. Start with simple words that use the basic consonants and vowels you have learned.
• 가 (ga) - meaning "family"
• 노래 (norae) - meaning "song"
• 사랑 (sarang) - meaning "love"
• 물 (mul) - meaning "water"
• 학교 (hakgyo) - meaning "school"

Reading Practice: a. Read simple sentences to practice your pronunciation.

• 가방이 빨갛아요. (Gabangi ppalgatayo.) - meaning "The bag is red."
• 나는 한국 음식을 좋아해요. (Naneun hanguk eumsigeul johahaeyo.) - meaning "I like Korean food."
• 저는 영화를 보러 갈 거예요. (Jeoneun yeonghwaleul boreo gal geoyeyo.) - meaning "I will go to watch a movie."
• Congratulations on completing this introductory lesson on the Korean alphabet (Hangul). Remember to practice the pronunciation of the consonants and vowels regularly and gradually expand your vocabulary. With time and practice, you will become more comfortable with reading and pronouncing Korean words. Keep exploring the fascinating world of the Korean language!

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Korean Alphabet Guide for Beginner Learners (Pronunciation Included)

Want to learn the Korean alphabet a.k.a hangul?

Well, here’s the guide that will help you nail down all the Hangul characters.

First, read through to get an understanding of how the letters and pronunciation work. Then, I’ll give you a printable PDF Hangul worksheet to practice with. Cool? Cool.

PART 1: All About the Korean Alphabet: Hangul (Hangeul)

Hangul (Hangeul) is the Korean alphabet or writing system made by King Sejeong the great in 1443. Before the creation of Hangeul, the majority of people such as farmers, fishers, hunters, and others could not read or write. Only those of the highest class were literate. So, King Sejeong decided to make simple letters that anyone can learn to help  people regardless of their status in life.

Enter the Korean alphabet…

There are also 27 complex letters, also called “double consonants” and “double vowels”, formed by combining the basic letters.

So, today you’ll learn all about the Korean alphabet from a to z.

First, let’s learn the consonants.

PART 2: Korean Consonants

So, Hangul consists of 14 basic consonants (single consonants) and 5 double consonants.

The single consonants are as follows:

These letters are sometimes a bit tricky to pronounce and it takes a lot of practice to be able to pronounce them properly, especially because Korean pronunciation is significantly different from how English letters are pronounced.

• Important: There are three classifications on how to pronounce these letters: plain , aspirated , and tensed .

(Note: ㄴ , ㅁ , and ㅎ were not included in any of these classifications, as they are just pronounced normally as their respective sounds. While ㄹ and ㅇ have special cases also which will be discussed as this lesson progresses.)

A) Basic/Plain Consonants

B) aspirated consonants.

Aspirated consonants are pronounced with an extra puff of air from your mouth. You can check this if you try to pronounce these words with a hand in front of your mouth. You should feel the air touches your hand.

Note: The small ‘h’ beside the corresponding sounds represents the aspirated sound of each letter. This is not to confuse with ‘t h ’ or ‘p h ’ which might be mistaken as ‘th’ (thing) or ‘ph’ (phone).

C) Tensed Consonants

Tensed consonants are the double consonants that are formed by combining the basic vowels. These are:

There is more emphasis on pronouncing these letters. While the basic vowels sound more relaxed and soft, these letters sound sharper.

• Special cases of consonant usage

– It is pronounced sort of like a half ‘r’ and half ‘l’ sound.

– Pronounced as ‘l’ but a bit different from the usual English pronunciation when your tongue touches the teeth. This ‘l’ sound is a bit shorter and your tongue should only touch behind your teeth. (Example: 라면 = ‘la-myeon’ which means ramen)

– When there are two consecutive ‘ ㄹ ’ in a word such as 몰라 , it is also read as ‘l’ (mol-la).

– When ‘ ㄹ ’ is in between two vowels, it is pronounced as ‘r’ such as 사람 (sa-ram). Take note that this ‘r’ sound is different from the usual English pronunciation because this ‘r’ doesn’t have the rolling ‘r’ sound.

– When used as the first consonant, it is actually forming a vowel. Every vowel requires a ‘ ㅇ ’ at the beginning of each word, so basically there is no corresponding sound to it but the vowel itself.

– When used as the final consonant, it is pronounced as ‘ng’. (Example: 방 = ‘bang’ which means room)

PART 3: Korean Vowels

In Hangul, there are 10 basic vowels and 11 double vowels. Vowels always include the character ㅇ in front of each letter. The basic vowels consist of the following:

As you notice with the vowels ㅏ , ㅓ , ㅗ , and ㅜ , when added with another line, it adds a ‘y’ on its corresponding sound and you just need to remember that to memorize it easier.

Now let’s look at the double vowels or vowels which are formed by combining the basic vowels.

Let’s see how they are pronounced.

PART 4: The Hangul Chart

To wrap it all up, here’s a hangul chart for you to save and review.

On Learning the Korean Alphabet/Hangul

Now, you should be fairly acquainted with the Korean alphabet and the pronunciation.

If you want to start practicing, check out my guide here:

• How To Learn Hangul In Under An Hour

If you want a Korean Hangul PDF worksheet, then check out this Worksheet from KoreanClass101:

Final tip: Do not rely on the English romanizations when you’re learning Hangul, but just learn the language as it is and focus more on listening to the pronunciation sounds. There are lots of resources that you can find online. Have fun and enjoy learning the Korean language!

– The Main Junkie

The journey is the reward

A Complete Guide to Hangul – How to Learn them Fast and Easily

Is Hangul the first thing to learn if you’re an absolute beginner to Korean? The answer is a definite yes! As the Korean alphabet, Hangul is one of the easiest writing systems in the world. After learning Hangul, you will be able to read anything written in Korean.

Doesn’t that sound magical? So why still use romanization that only hinders your Korean learning? Let’s learn Hangul, which is guaranteed to be an effective, cheerful, and motivational start to your Korean learning journey!

Table of Contents

Korean Alphabet Hangul

What is hangul.

Hangul (한글) is the official writing system for South Korea. The term Hangul can be used interchangeably with the Korean Alphabet.

Hangul consists of 14 consonants and 10 vowels. To form Korean characters, Hangul letters are grouped into syllabic blocks , which is explained in more detail in  LingoDeer’s hangul lesson . In this article, we will focus only on the basics of hangul: Korean consonants and vowels.

Korean Consonant

The above image shows all 19 Korean consonants and how to easily remember them with English mnemonics. Note that the English letters in red are only very similar to, but not 100% the same as, the pronunciation of these Korean letters. For example, the letter ㄹ actually has no English counterpart. It sounds like but is not exactly the same as l or r in English.

In order to fully grasp the pronunciation of Korean letters, we suggest using tools like LingoDeer which has native speaker audio and pronunciation guide to learn more comprehensively. Give it a try for free here.

Korean Vowels

The 21 Korean vowels are divided into two categories: simple vowels and complex vowels. Single vowels are easy to pronounce as they are produced with a single articular movement. Complex vowels are formed by 2 single vowels. The trick to complesx vowels in Korean is to glide from one single vowel to another without any breaks.

Hangul Pronunciation

Hangul history, when and how was hangul invented.

The Korean alphabet (Hangul or Hangeul) was invented by King Sejong in 1443. Before the invention of Hangul, Korean language was hugely influenced by Chinese, using classical Chinese characters (Hanja) as their main way of writing. The inconsistency between their spoken and written languages caused a high rate of illiteracy amongst Korean people. Thankfully, King Sejong’s introduction of Hangul has enabled Koreans to have the freedom to write in their own language and significantly improved the literacy rate. 

Hangul is similar to the English alphabet in the sense that words in both languages are spelled out with individual letters. With its simple visualization and the organized syllables, Korean Hangul is a scientific writing system that is easy and efficient to read and write with, which secured Korean language as one of the most popular languages to learn in the world today.

Why is Hangul Day Important

Every year on October 9, Hangul Day is observed in South Korea in order to celebrate the invention and proclamation of Hangul. Nowadays, in the minds of Korean people, Hangul Day is very important for remembering the invention and tough history of Hangul.

Hangul was once almost erased from history. During World War II, when Japan occupied Korea, Korean people were forbidden to speak Korean, and the publication of all books about Korean was hindered. However, resilient Korean people made dialects and spoke Korean in secret for long and difficult years until Korea succeeded in gaining independence.

On Hangul Day , various events are held throughout Korea to promote the history of the Korean language and traditional culture. Many people visit the King Sejong museum in Seoul to celebrate this day. 

How to Learn Hangul – A Step-to-Step Guide

Now you have got an overview of hangul, let’s see how to remember them easily. In this part, we have grouped all Hangul letters into some fun categories with images. You can also practice Hangul writing and learn more Korean with LingoDeer app anytime, anywhere!

Step 1: Getting to Know Some Basic Vowels in Hangul

The first step is to get to know some basic vowels in Korean. They will be introduced in groups, according to their appearance or sound for better memorization. 

Group 1: A stick with one twig

The first group has four vowels, and each one looks like a wooden stick with a twig. The only difference between them is the direction they face. This group includes the basic single vowels in Korean. 

Group 2: A stick with two twigs 

Remember the sounds of the four sticks in Group one? Well, the vowels in Group 2 look very similar to the first four, but they appear as wooden sticks with two twigs. The extra twig adds a y /j/ sound before the four original single vowels. Do you get it?

Group 3: A straight stick 

There are also two straight wooden sticks in the Korean alphabet: one vertical and one horizontal. They are also basic single vowels. 

Group 4: Burgers….and with extra ingredients 

The first two of this group look like two types of burgers rotated for 180 degrees – /ae/ with cheese and /e/ with an olive on top. The latter two are upgraded versions of the first two. The extra ingredients have the same function as the extra twig in Group 2 does – adding the sound y /j/ before the basic vowels. 

Step 2: Getting to Know the Consonants in Hangul

Group 5: Start with some easy ones

Consonants in this group are not related to one another, but they are tough, independent individuals who contribute nasals and liquids to the Korean language.

**N asals are consonants produced by releasing air through the nose instead of the mouth. On the other hand, liquids are consonants in which air is released through the mouth, but involves more tongue movement and positioning. 

Group 6: Three brothers in the same family but with different tempers 

Consonants in this group have family relations. Almost each family has three brothers. The elder brothers in each family are the strongest, they are produced intensely with an expulsion of air. The middle brothers require no aspiration, but are still intense sounds. Lastly, the little brothers are the weakest: they are not tense, nor are they produced with aspiration. 

Step 3: Getting to Know Complex Vowels in Hangul

Group 8: /w/ + simple vowel 

Vowels in this group are all made up of two vowels introduced in Step 1. These complex vowels all start with a /w/ sound. 

Group 9: A versatile one 

This vowel forms a group on its own because it is very versatile and plays different roles depending on the occasion. When it is by itself, it is pronounced as /ui/. When it functions as a possessive marker, it is pronounced as /e/. When there is a consonant, it is pronounced as /i/. 

You can also find audio practice and more tips on how to learn Hangul here in Lingodeer’s free course.

Step 4: Building Syllable Blocks with Two Bricks of Hangul (Minimum)

From Step 4, we will start building syllable blocks, also known as Korean characters. The smallest syllable consists of two bricks: a consonant and a vowel. 

Left + right 

The two bricks can be placed in a left + right structure, with the consonant on the left and the vowel on the right. 

ㅂ + ㅏ = 바  

ㅎ + ㅣ = 히  

The two bricks can also be placed in an up+down structure, with the consonant on the top and the vowel at the bottom. 

ㅋ + ㅜ = 쿠  

ㅈ + ㅛ = 죠  

Left + right (complex)  

In a left + right structure, if the vowel is a complex vowel, then the consonant only takes the upper left quarter of the syllable block. 

ㅈ + ㅟ = 쥐   

Step 5: Building syllable blocks with three bricks of Hangul

A fancier syllable block is built with three bricks: it has a foundation now. 

Left + right + bottom  

Left + right structure in Step 4 can be built on top of a final consonant at the bottom. 

ㅂ + ㅏ + ㄴ = 반  

Up + down + bottom 

Similarly, the up + down structure can also be built on top of a final consonant. 

ㅂ + ㅗ + ㄴ = 본

Left + right (complex) + bottom

What if the vowel on the right is a complex vowel? The final consonant does not interfere with the part above it at all. 

ㄱ + ㅟ + ㄴ = 귄 

A member we almost missed! ㅇ with a cloak of invisibility

We almost missed a consonant member, because this naughty little one carries a cloak of invisibility! When it serves as the initial in building a syllable block, it remains absolutely silent. When it serves as the final in building a syllable block, it’s pronounced as the nasal /ng/. 

ㅇ + ㅔ = 에 e   

ㅁ + ㅏ + ㅇ = 망 mang   

Step 6: Building Syllable Blocks with Four Bricks of Hangul (Maximum)

Level up! Now we are trying to build syllable blocks with four bricks, the maximum number of letters a syllable block can accommodate. 

Left + right + left bottom + right bottom 

One step forward: building the foundation with two final consonants. 

ㅁ + ㅏ + ㄴ + ㅎ = 많

Not any possible combination of two consonants can serve as the final consonants, and there are only 7 possible pronunciations for the 27 possible final consonants. 

Step 7: Trying to Read Hangul

After becoming familiar with the letters and the construction of syllable blocks, now we can try to read Korean words and phrases. The rule is: in a word or phrase, read character by character, and one character at a time. Within one character, read from left to right, from top to bottom. The following image illustrates how to read 안녕하세요 letter by letter. It’s the most common greeting phrase in Korean and I bet you’ve heard of it.

Step 8: Trying to Write/Type Hangul

The next step, after being able to read, is to attempt to write or type Korean characters. If you try to write a Korean character, you need to know the correct sequence of letters and strokes. The rule on the character level is the same as in reading: from left to right, from top to bottom. When we zoom in on the letters, you also need to know how many strokes each letter consists of and the order to write the strokes. For example, ㄱ is written with only one stroke as shown in the following picture.

The following image illustrates the stroke order to write all the basic vowels and consonants.

If you try to type out Korean on your computer or phone, knowing the Korean keyboard layout is indispensable. After getting familiar with the Korean keyboard layout, you can try to type out letters just in the order just like how you would write them.

Step 9: Practice Makes Perfect

You might take one or two more weeks to memorize the entire set of Hangul. During this period, we have a few tips for you.

First, stop relying on Romanization! It might be slow to try to read things directly in Hangul, but do not take the easy way or you will never learn.

Second, use flashcards to strengthen your memory and test yourself the ones which are especially hard for you.

Third, keep reading and learning new words. Memorizing the alphabet and new words simultaneously is way more efficient. 

Try to read the following words:

Level 1: 이, 거리, 아버지, 어머니, 여자 

Level 2: 줘, 왜, 사귀다, 사과, 퀴즈

Level 3: 여관, 습관, 상상, 형, 일기, 은행 

Level 4: 괜찮다, 읽다, 귀찮다, 없다, 값 

Beyond the Alphabet

As you familiarize yourself with the Korean alphabet, they are a few more things that will be helpful to your learning. 

A Couple of Important Phonological Rules in How to Learn Hangul

You can basically read almost anything in Korean by knowing Hangul, but here are a couple of important phonological rules that can help you read particular words correctly. 

Plosive sounds [ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ] are unreleased at a final position. Your mouth needs to be prepared to produce the plosive finals but never actually released to make the sounds audible. Try to pronounce the following words. 

Syllable contact law : the end of the previous syllable cannot be more sonorant than the beginning of the following syllable. Usually, when the former syllable ends with a final ㅋ, ㄲ,  ㄱ and the following syllable starts with a nasal, the previous final consonant will be nasalized as a /ng/. See the following examples. 

국민 -> 궁민 

닉네임 -> 닝네임 

Younger brothers in the families (step 3), also known as plain/lax Korean plosives, are voiced in intervocalic positions. Try to pronounce the following words. 

Chinese Characters Popping Up?

If you try to learn Korean through news reports or TV shows, you are probably surprised to see some Chinese characters popping up in Korean texts every now and then. Here are a few examples of commonly used Chinese characters in Korean, known as Hanja. 

北 North. Typically used to represent North Korea. 

南 South. Typically used to represent South Korea.

無 Nothing, non-existent.   

中 Center, middle. Typically used to represent China.

This is likely to be a lot of information for you as a beginner to process. Don’t worry if you cannot pronounce words perfectly at this stage!

Wondering what the next step in learning Korean is? Common greeting and phrases? Grammatical rules? Which app is better for learning Korean? Keep following our blog and getting useful tips about everything you need to know in learning Korean.

Click here for the most detailed Korean study guide

• 8 Best Korean Textbooks for Beginners 2023
• 10 Best Korean Movies to Watch and Learn Korean in 2023

Published by Jina Yang

Linguistics student based in Europe. Passionate about natural language for how it is encoded in our humanity and how it can be integrated with technologies to brighten our future. View all posts by Jina Yang

Leave a comment Cancel reply

This article was so helpful! Thank you so much! I have tried learning Hangul before, but it was never explained so well. I am glad to have found this website! 😀

[…] writing, and many Korean words, such as numbers, were influenced by the Chinese language. After Hangul was born, Koreans have developed two number systems with distinct usage over the […]

good.But I can t join bricks..in this manner i think i can make bricks left to right and top to bottom.so my question is like example i think to write annyeonghaseyo so in this way i can make bricks i think..

amazing article with great visualizations – i can tell just how much time you must have spent writing this. hangul is a lot easier than i thought!

[…] LingoDeer’s “Complete Guide to Hangul” […]

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StoryLearning

Learn A Language Through Stories

How To Learn The Korean Alphabet Fast: A Quickstart Guide for Beginners

Learning Korean? No wonder!

We all remember when the song “Gangnam Style” exploded onto the world stage. It became the first YouTube video to reach one billion views.

Since then, we’ve all been riding the K-wave (Korean Wave). From kimchi to K-drama and BTS and everything else we now see everyday, you can now find bits of Korean culture everywhere.

What ties all of these fantastic things together? The Korean language. And though Asian languages are generally considered some trickiest for English speakers, Korean has a hidden secret.

Unlike Japanese and Chinese, which have thousands of characters you have to memorize, Korean has a simple alphabet called Hangul (prounced “Hahn” “Gul”).

Hangul consists of just 24 letters—two fewer than the English alphabet. That means, even if you don’t understand what things mean, you can learn to read it easily. Some people even master it in just a few hours!

In this post, you’re going to discover the delightfully simple Korean alphabet. Forget the stress and get ready to read and write the Korean alphabet like a pro in no time.

By the way, if you want to learn Korean fast and have fun while doing it, my top recommendation is  Korean Uncovered  which teaches you through my fun, unique and effective StoryLearning® method.

If you’re ready to get started,  click here for a 7-day FREE trial.  

A Little Background On The Korean Alphabet

“A wise man can acquaint himself with them before the morning is over; even a stupid man can learn them in the space of ten days.” -a common saying about Hangul

Before Hangul, the Korean alphabet used Chinese characters . That meant only a small portion of the Korean population could learn to read and write.

But in 1446, King Sejong the Great personally invented Hangul so that everybody could learn these vital skills. And it worked!

Korea became one of the most literate countries in the world. In fact, it’s so effective that it’s now used to preserve other languages that had formerly only been spoken.

“Hangul” literally translates as “Korean Letter” coming from the words “Han” (Korean) and “Gul” (Letter).

Basic Facts About The Korean Alphabet

One of the things you’ll appreciate most about Korean is that the letters all have a distinct sound. None of them have multiple pronunciations like they do in English.

What does that mean? Think about the letter “C” in English. It can sound like “CAT” or “CEREAL” And that’s just the beginning. You can probably think of ten other letters or words that don’t make sense right off the top of your head. What’s up with “G”? G for “Giraffe” and “Golf.” It’s enough to make your head spin!

In Korean, on the other hand, each letter of the alphabet represents a single sound . So, for example, Korean has one letter for S (as in Swim) – “ㅅ” – and anytime you see this letter it will always represent the same sound! Easy, right?!

The same goes with every other Korean letter. Anytime you see it, you can always expect to for it to make the same sound.

To help you become more familiar with the Korean alphabet and how it sounds, we’re going to takes look at the first three letters. In the same way, we say “ABC,” to refer to the English alphabet, Koreans say “ga,” “na,” “da.”

• ㄱ “g” as gold.
• ㄴ “n” as in “nancy.”
• ㄷ “d” as in “dog”

Not so hard, right? You do need to keep in mind the way we translate between the Korean alphabet and English letters isn’t perfect.

Think of it more as a guide than a perfect representation. Be sure to listen carefully as there are subtleties in how you pronounce each letter.

Korean Consonants

You might be wondering why do Koreans say “Ga, Na, Da,” even though the letters just have a “G,” “N,” and “D” sound. That’s because you cannot write a consonant by itself in Korean.

Consonants always need a vowel pair. That’s why the alphabet goes “Ga,” “Na,” “Da” because you add the vowel “ㅏ” (a as in “ah”) to the consonant making it “가나다” or “Ga, Na, Da.”

Let’s practice a few times. What sounds do these make? (Remember: G = ㄱ, N = ㄴ, D = ㄷ and “ah” = ㅏ).

Here are the answers:

• G as in “gold”
• N as “Nancy”

Before moving on, practice this a few times until you get the hang of it. Pay attention to how the letters look. It can be a little tricky at first, but you’ll master it in no time!

There’s one more thing you should know about Korean right from the start. Unlike Chinese, Thai , and many other Asian languages, Korean is NOT tonal . That means it’s much more forgiving with pronunciation.

It’s yet another way Korean is one of the easiest Asian languages to learn .

How Many Letters Are There?

Korean has 24 letters in total:

14 consonant letters (ㄱ ㄴ ㄷ ㄹ ㅁ ㅂ ㅅ ㅇ ㅈ ㅊ ㅋ ㅌ ㅍ ㅎ) 10 vowel letters (ㅏ ㅑ ㅓ ㅕ ㅗ ㅛ ㅜ ㅠ ㅡ ㅣ)

Keep These Additional Letters On Your Radar

Korean really does have 24 letters. But it has a few bonus ones that come from combining certain letters together into one.

These are double consonants and mixed vowels which you’ll come across as you start reading more words. But they’re not difficult at all. In fact, the more you become familiar with the Korean alphabet, the more you’ll see just how much they all make sense.

Korean Double Consonants

All double consonants make a strong consonants sound. All you do is put extra emphasis on the original consonant. Think of it like “BAnk” instead of “bank.” As your practice, you’ll hear the subtle difference between single and double consonants.

• ㄲ = strong g like “gate” or “go”
• ㄸ = strong d like “dog” or “day”
• ㅃ= strong b like “bank”
• ㅆ= strong s like “snake”
• ㅉ= strong j like j “John”

One famous word with a double consonant you might even know already is “Jjajang myeon” (pronounced JAH-jang myeon). It’s a very popular Korean noodle dish.

Mixed Vowels & Consonants In Korean

Korean also has some mixed vowels and consonants. These form when you put certain sounds together. Say everything very slowly to yourself and you’ll hear how the sounds come together.

• With ㅐ, you combine ㅏ(a) plus ㅣ(e) to make ㅐ(ae).
• With ㅐ, you combine ㅑ(ya) plus ㅣ(e) to make yae.
• With ㅔ, you combine ㅓ(eo) plus ㅣ(e) to make ae.
• With ㅖ, you combine ㅕ (yeo) plus ㅣ(e) to make yae.
• With ㅚ, you combine ㅗ (o) plus plus ㅣ to make we
• With ㅙ, you combine ㅗ (o) plus plus ㅐ(ae) to make way
• With ㅟ, you combine ㅜ (oo) plus ㅣ(e) to make we
• With ㅞ, you combine ㅜ (oo) plus ㅔ (ae) to make way
• With ㅟ, ou combine ㅡ (eu) plus ㅣ (e) to make oo we
• With ㅝ, you combine ㅜ (oo) plus ㅓ(eo) to make wuh

Don’t worry about memorizing all these letters just yet. We’re going to keep it simple with a few of the letters so you can see how Korean works first. Then I’ll break everything down into digestible bits and walk you through the alphabet step-by-step.

How To Arrange Letters In Korean

You might have noticed the Korean alphabet looks a little like the game Tetris. That’s because it’s always written in one syllable blocks. Each block always follows one of these four rules:

This diagram shows the four different ways you can arrange letters to make one syllable in Korean. “C” equals Consonant and “V” equals vowel.

You can have:

• a consonant on top of a vowel.
• two consonants with a vowel in between them like a sandwich.
• a consonant and a vowel side-by-side.
• a consonant and a vowel together with a consonant underneath both of them.

Remember, you can never have a consonant by itself. It must have a vowel pair.

Practising Syllables In Korean

Let’s practice syllables with a word you probably already know: “kimchi” (a traditional Korean food). We’re going to just do this in English for now.

Kimchi has two syllables, the first is “kim” and the second is “chi.” This means you would write “kim” in one block and “chi” in the second when writing in Korean.

Now we’ll practice a few more common Korean words. Draw a line between the syllables.

• Bulgogi (barbeque beef)
• Kpop (Korean pop music)
• Soju (a type of Korean alcohol)
• Gochujang (Korean chili paste)

Where did you draw the lines? It should look something like this:

Bul * go * gi K * pop So * ju Go * ju * jang

Don’t worry if this seems like a lot to take in at one time. To make it easy, just remember for now that consonants always come first and must have a vowel.

One more thing: Korean vowels are never written by themselves. If you want to make an “a” sound, you have to write it with the placeholder consonant “ㅇ.” To read and write “ah,” you then write “아.”

The easiest way to remember it is that the placeholder looks like the number zero, so it makes no sound.

Putting Together Some Simple Korean Words

Now that you have a sense of what the Korean alphabet looks like and how to arrange letters to make words, let’s see practicing putting some letters together:

Do you remember these four letters?

What sounds do they make? That’s right it’s:

• ㄱ =g (g as in “gold”)
• ㄴ =n (n as in “nancy”)
• ㄷ = d (d as in “dog”)
• 아 =a (a as in “ah”)

So now we can put these together to make some basic sounds and words.

• 간 = gan which means “go” in English.

How did we assemble these? Remember our rules from above. In this case it was rule 4: you can put together a consonant and vowel with a consonant underneath them.

So we took 가 which is ㄱ + 아 and added ㄴ underneath it. To make 간 or “gan.”

Let’s do another. But we’re going to add a new consonant first. This one is a b as in “boy” sound.

Now try this word that shows you how easy it is to read the Korean language.

• 바나나 = ba na na or “banana”

This one is really simple. Each syllable follows rule 3: you can have a consonant and vowel next to each other.

Banana is just one of many ‘Konglish’ (Korea + English) words you’ll often hear in Korean.

More Practice

Let’s try another one to make one of the most popular Korean words.

• 밥= bab which means rice in Korean.

Notice how it follows the stacking rules from above. Can you identify which rule it is? Notice you have a consonant then a vowel then a consonant underneath. That right is Rule 4.

* Rice is so important in Korean culture that another way to say “hello” is “have you eaten rice today?”

Here’s an easy one. This time try to put it together by yourself.

Did you get it? It’s 가다 (ga da), which means “to go.” Which rule is this? You have a consonant and vowel. So it has to be Rule 1.

Another helpful thing you’ll learn about Korean is that all verbs end in “다” in their basic form, so it’s really easy to recognize them.

Practice reading these words and identify which rule they follow. Over time, you’ll be able to do this unconsciously.

Another Korean Vowel

Before we get started, we have to introduce you to one more vowel so you can see all the different ways to arrange syllables. It’s time you meet “ㅗ” which makes an “O” sound.

• ㅗ = o as in “oh”

Don’t forget we can never leave vowels by themself. So you’ll see it written like this:

While we’re practicing, do you remember this one “아.” That’s right it’s “ah”

Now you’re ready. Read the syllables and identify which rule it follows:

Here’s what they should sound like:

• Goh (Rule 1)
• Kahn (Rule 4)
• Ba Na Na (Rule 3)
• Bohb (Rule 2)
• Ka da (Rule 3)
• Bo bo (Rule 1)
• Gahg (Rule 4)

Now, take the letters you learned so far and practice writing them on your own:

Don’t worry; the words don’t have to mean anything. Just get the hang of how to arrange them in the right order.

When Should You Learn The Korean Alphabet?

As soon as possible! As I always say: learn the script from the start. The sooner you learn the alphabet, the sooner you’ll be able to start writing and reading sentences on your own.

But that’s not the only reason. You’ve probably seen “romanizations” of Korean or Korean written in English letters. Although it might seem easier to read Korean like this, it’s actually much harder.

Remember why Korean is so great—because all letters and vowels sound like they should, with no confusing letter like “c,” “g,” and all the other tricky ways we write in English.

For that reason, there is no perfect direct translation between sounds in Korean and English letters. What you get are words that don’t make much sense.

Let’s go back to the hit song “Gangnam” Style. If you read this in English, you might think it sounds like “Gang” as in the English word “Gang”, when really it’s more like “Gahng” to make it “Gangnam” Style.

And this is not the only world like this. Almost every Korean word sounds different when written in Korean. And if you want other people to understand you in Korean as well as to understand what Korean sounds like , you’ll need to know how the letters really sound.

When written in Korean, Gangnam is much simpler to pronounce correctly. :

• 강 kahng = river
• 남 : nahm = south
• 강남= South river (a district in Seoul).

Gangnam refers to the trendy area south of the Han River, which divides Seoul in half. This district and its flashy and often silly ways are what Psy is singing about in Gangnam Style.

Do yourself a favor and start learning the alphabet asap. You can then begin to read things in Korean — even if you don’t know what all the words mean just yet.

5 Tips To Learn The Korean Alphabet Like a Pro

We’re not going to lie. Even with such an amazingly easy script, Korean is still a tricky language to learn. But compared to other Asian languages like Japanese, Chinese, or Thai, this gives you such a helpful boost when you are getting started.

1. Practice The Script As Much As Possible Right Away

You might not remember it all in one morning as the famous quote says, but the more often you practice it, the easier it will get.

Make flashcards with all the letters and then start putting basic words together even if they don’t mean anything.

2. Texting Will Get You There

Did you know Korea has its own extremely popular messaging app called Kakao Talk? Nowadays, you can easily get a Korean keyboard on your smartphone.

If you’re a little confused about all the stacking and arranging, you don’t have to worry. Your smartphone will put things in the right order for you. Pay attention, and you’ll get the hang of it in no time!

3. Hangul Wasn’t Built In A Day

Hangul took King Sejong and his team years to create. It then took many more years for it to catch on with the masses. Don’t strain yourself trying to remember all 24 letters on the first day.

Break it up into manageable pieces. After a few weeks, you’ll be impressed by just how far you’ve come.

4. Menus, Menus, Menus

Looking at menus is a great way to practice, especially if you already know the names of your favorite Korean dishes. And, since many menus include pictures, it will help you to remember some useful vocabulary.

5. There Is Konglish Everywhere In Korean

We talked about “바나나” or “banana” early. Keep an eye out for more Konglish because you can see everywhere. Common Konglish words include “피자” or “Pizza” (pronounced “Pee Jah”) or “콜라” which is “Kola” as in Coca-cola and other sodas.

How To Learn The Korean Alphabet: The Bottom Line

Learning a foreign language may seem daunting—especially one as different from English as Korean. As you’ve worked through this lesson, however, you’ve seen it really isn’t that difficult after all!

Thanks to Hangul, it’s actually really easy to read and write the Korean language. You’ve already practiced 4 consonants and 2 vowels out of 24 letters in total or about 25% of the written language in total!

Did you realize when you started that you’d get this far so quickly?

Keep breaking it down into these manageable chunks and you’ll have it mastered in no time.

This won’t only help your comprehension but your pronunciation too. From here, you can start building sentences and practicing conversation skills.

Whether you want to sing like your favorite idols, act like you're in a K-drama, or dive into the amazing history and culture of Korea, there’s no better way to begin than by learning the Korean alphabet, Hangul.

So stick with it and you’ll achieve your Korean language goals in no time!

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The Korean Alphabet | Learn How To Read Hangul (한글)

If you want to learn Korean, you must first learn how to read the Korean alphabet. Luckily, Hangul is relatively easy to learn, and many can learn to read Korean characters in as little as 24 hours. In the lesson below, you’ll learn how to read and pronounce all the Korean letters of the alphabet and how to read Korean words. Already learned how to read Korean? Then get started with our free online Korean language course .

Related: Free Korean Alphabet Worksheets / Free Korean Alphabet Flashcards

Korean Alphabet: Basic Consonants

First, let’s learn how to read Korean basic consonants. There are 14 basic consonants in the Korean alphabet. These are ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄷ, ㄹ, ㅁ, ㅂ, ㅅ,ㅇ, ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅋ, ㅌ, ㅍ,ㅎ . Let’s learn the sounds of each of these Korean consonants one by one. Look at the pictures and try to remember the consonant sounds. Then click on the audio to hear a native Korean speaker pronounce these Korean consonants.

The Korean character ㄱ sounds like the ‘ g ’ in g un.

The Korean character ㄴ sounds like the ‘ n ’ in n ose.

The Korean character ㄷ sounds like the ‘ d ’ in d oor.

The Korean character ㄹ sounds similar to the ‘ l ’ in l adder.

The Korean character ㅁ sounds like the ‘ m ’ in m onitor.

The Korean character ㅂ sounds like the ‘ b ’ in b eer.

The Korean character ㅅ sounds like the ‘ s ’ in s lide.

The Korean character ㅈ sounds like the ‘ j ’ in j ellyfish.

The Korean character ㅊ sounds like the ‘ ch ’ in ch urch.

The Korean character ㅋ sounds like the ‘ k ’ in k ey.

The Korean character ㅌ sounds like the ‘ t ’ in t eeth.

The Korean character ㅍ sounds like the ‘ p ’ in p illar.

The Korean character ㅎ sounds like the ‘ h ’ in h at.

The Korean character ㅇ sounds like the ‘ ng ’ in ri ng . * ㅇ only makes a sound when it is at the end of the syllable . At the start, it is silent .

Korean Alphabet: Basic Vowels

Next, you will learn how to read Korean basic vowels. There are 10 basic vowels in the Korean alphabet which are ㅏ, ㅑ, ㅓ, ㅕ, ㅗ, ㅛ, ㅜ, ㅠ, ㅡ, ㅣ . Look at the Korean vowels below and read the instructions on how to pronounce them. Then, click on the audio to the sound these Korean characters make.

ㅏ = a The Korean vowel ㅏ sounds like the short ‘ a ‘ vowel sound in English. ㅏ sounds like the ‘ a ‘ in a pple.

ㅑ= ya The Korean vowel ㅑ makes the sound ‘ ya ’. Notice how it is similar to the previous vowel but with an extra line? The extra line changes the ‘ a ’ sound into ‘ ya ’.

ㅓ = eo The Korean vowel ㅓ sounds like the short o vowel sound in English. It sounds like the ‘ o ’ in the words p o d, m o p, j o b, etc.

ㅕ= yeo The Korean vowel ㅕ makes the sound ‘ yeo ’. Again, it is similar to the previous vowel but with an extra line, right? The extra line changes the ‘ eo ’ sound into ‘ yeo ’.

ㅗ = o The Korean vowel ㅗ sounds like the long o vowel sound in English. It sounds like the ‘ o ’ in the words b o ne, st on e, c oa t, etc.

ㅛ = yo The Korean vowel ㅛ makes the sound ‘ yo ’. Again, the extra line changes the ‘ o ’ sound into ‘ yo ’. ㅛ sounds like the ‘ yo ‘ in the word ‘ yo-yo ’.

ㅜ = u The Korean vowel ㅜ sounds like the long u vowel sound in English. It sounds like the ‘ u ’ sound in the words m u le, t u ne, bl ue , etc.

ㅠ = yu The Korean vowel ㅠ makes the sound ‘ yu ’. The extra line changes the ‘ u ’ sound into ‘ yu ’. ㅠ sounds like the word ‘ you ’ in English.

ㅡ = eu The Korean vowel ㅡ sounds similar to the short u vowel sound in the English words u mbrella, p u t, m u d, etc. However, it is slightly different and requires a unique mouth position.

ㅣ= i The Korean vowel ㅣ sounds like the long e sound in English. ㅣ sounds like the ‘ ee ’ in the words m ee t, f ee t, tr ee , etc.

Korean Alphabet: Combined Vowels

Next, let’s take a look at how to read Korean combined vowels. These are made up by combining two simple vowels. The combined vowels you will learn are:  ㅐ , ㅒ , ㅔ , ㅖ , ㅘ , ㅙ , ㅚ , ㅝ , ㅞ , ㅟ , ㅢ . Read the instructions below, and try to pronounce these vowels. Then, click on the audio to listen to a native Korean speaker say these Korean characters.

ㅐ = ae This combined vowel is ㅏ + ㅣ . Together they make ㅐ which sounds like the ‘ e ‘ in e gg and e lephant.

ㅒ = yae This combined vowel is ㅑ + ㅣ . Together they make ㅒ which sounds like the ‘ ye ‘ in ye s and ye sterday.

ㅔ = e This combined vowel is ㅓ + ㅣ . Together they make ㅔ which again sounds like the ‘ e ‘ in e gg and e lephant. * ㅐ and ㅔ are different sounds in theory, but people pronounce them the same and even native Korean speakers often cannot differentiate between the two.

ㅖ = ye This combined vowel is ㅕ + ㅣ . Together they make ㅖ which again sounds like the ‘ ye ‘ in ye s and ye sterday. Again, ㅒ and ㅖ are technically different sounds but in reality, they are pronounced the same.

ㅘ = wa This combined vowel is ㅗ + ㅏ . Together they make ㅘ which makes the sound ‘ wa ‘. To make this sound, begin by shaping your mouth to make the ㅗ sound. Then start to say the ㅗ sound and then quickly say the ㅏ sound. The resulting sound is ㅘ (wa).

ㅙ = wae This compound vowel is ㅗ + ㅐ . Together they make ㅙ . To make this sound begin by shaping your mouth to make the ㅗ sound. Then start to say the ㅗ sound and then quickly say the ㅐ sound. The resulting sound is ㅙ (wae) as in ‘ we dding’. * ㅙ , ㅚ , ㅞ all sound the same.

ㅝ= weo This compound vowel is ㅜ + ㅓ . Together they make ㅝ . To make this sound begin by shaping your mouth to make the ㅜ sound. Start to say the ㅜ sound and then quickly say the ㅓ sound. The resulting sound is ㅝ which is similar to the ‘ wa ‘ in wa lk.

ㅞ= we This combined vowel is ㅜ + ㅔ . Together they make ㅞ . To make this sound begin by shaping your mouth to make the ㅜ sound. Then start to say the ㅜ sound and then quickly say the ㅔ sound. The resulting sound is ㅞ (we). Again this sounds like the ‘ we ‘ in we dding. * ㅙ , ㅚ , ㅞ all sound the same.

ㅚ= oe This combined vowel is ㅗ + ㅣ . Together they make ㅚ . To make this sound begin by shaping your mouth to make the ㅗ sound. Then start to say the ㅗ sound and then quickly say the ㅣ sound. The resulting sound is ㅚ (oe) which also sounds like the ‘ we ‘ in ‘ we dding’. * ㅙ , ㅚ, ㅞ all sound the same.

ㅟ= wi This compound vowel is ㅜ + ㅣ . Together they make ㅟ . To make this sound begin by shaping your mouth to make the ㅜ sound. Then start to say the ㅜ sound and then quickly say the ㅣ sound. The resulting sound is ㅟ (wi) which sounds like the ‘ wee ‘ in the word wee k.

ㅢ = ui This last compound vowel is ㅡ + ㅣ . Together they make ㅢ . To make this sound begin by shaping your mouth to make the ㅡ sound. Start to say the ㅡ sound and then quickly say the ㅣ sound. The resulting sound is ㅢ . *

How To Read Korean Words

Now that you have learned the basic Korean letters, it’s time to learn how to read Korean words. Korean, just like English, is read left to right and top to bottom . Korean words are made up of ‘syllable blocks’ and each syllable block has a minimum of 2 letters and a maximum of 4 letters . See the below examples.

In Korean, syllables must always start with a consonant . For this reason, Korean words that start with a vowel sound must include a silent consonant before the vowel.  This silent consonant is ㅇ.  As we learned earlier, ㅇ sounds like the ‘ ng ‘ in the word ri ng . However, when ㅇ is the first letter in a syllable block it is always silent . See the picture below.

In the above picture, the first syllable block is 안 (an). You’ll notice that the first Korean letter is ㅇ . In this position, it is always silent. Because all syllables must start with a consonant, when writing words that start with a vowel sound, we must start the syllable with the silent consonant ㅇ . The second syllable block in the picture above is 녕 (nyeong). As you can see ㅇ is the final consonant in that syllable block. In this position , ㅇ is pronounced as ‘ ng ‘.

Let’s try to read some simple Korean words. Look at the words below and try to read them out loud. If you’re not sure what a particular letter should sound like, scroll up the page to review that letter’s sound. After reading each word, play the audio to check if you were right.

오이 = cucumber

구두 = dress shoes

나라 = country

바나나 = banana

Korean Alphabet: Double Consonants

Next, let’s learn how to read Korean double consonants . Korean double consonants are a little difficult to pronounce if you are new to studying the Korean alphabet. But with a little practice, you will be saying Korean double consonants in no time. The Korean double consonants we will learn are:  ㅃ , ㅉ , ㄸ , ㄲ , ㅆ

If they look familiar it’s because these double consonants are just a single Korean consonant twice. Double consonants are pronounced the same as single consonants but are stressed with more emphasis. Watch the video below to listen to the difference between single and double consonant sounds in Korean.

Batchim Sounds (Final Consonant)

So far you have learned how to read Korean basic consonants, basic vowels, combined vowels, and double consonants. The last thing you need to learn is about Korean final consonants known as ‘ Batchim ‘ ( 받침 ). When consonants are in the final syllable position, they make a different sound. Keep reading to learn the Korean Batchim rules.

Final Consonants ㅌ, ㄷ , ㅅ,ㅎ, ㅆ, ㅈ, ㅊ

These 7 consonants are all pronounced the same when in the final consonant (받침) position. So, to learn how to pronounce these consonants as a batchim, we just need to learn one. Let’s look at how to pronounce ㅌ as a final consonant. As we learned earlier ㅌ sounds like the ‘ t ‘ in ‘ t eeth’. However, when ㅌ is in the final position in the syllable it is pronounced slightly differently. 

To help you understand how to pronounce ㅌ as a batchim , first I want you to place your hand in front of your mouth and say the word ‘ bat ‘ as you normally would in English. When you pronounce the ‘ t ‘ sound you will notice there is a small expulsion of air. Now, say ‘ bat ‘ again but this time stop yourself from making this expulsion of air when you say the ‘ t ‘ sound. This second way of saying ‘ t ‘ without the expulsion of air is how you pronounce ㅌ when it is in the final syllable consonant position. 

The consonants ㅌ , ㄷ , ㅅ , ㅎ , ㅆ , ㅈ , and ㅊ all make this sound when in the final consonant (받침) position. Listen to the example words below to hear how these letters sound as a batchim (받침).

Example Word: 밑

Example Word: 걷

Example Word: 옷

Example Word: 낳

Example Word: 있

Example Word: 낮

Example Word: 꽃

Final Consonants ㄱ, ㅋ, and ㄲ

Next let’s look at the final consonants ㄱ , ㅋ , and ㄲ . As we learned earlier, ㄱ sounds like the ‘ g ‘ in g un, ㅋ sounds like the ‘ k ‘ in k ey, and ㄲ sounds like ㄱ but with more stress/emphasis. However, as a final syllable consonant, ㄱ , ㅋ and ㄲ all sound the same.

To understand how these are pronounced, again place your hand in front of your mouth and say the word ‘ dog ‘ as you would normally in English. When you say the ‘ g ‘ sound you’ll notice a puff of air is expelled. Now say ‘ dog ‘ again but this time do not let any air out when you say ‘ g ‘. This is the sound of ㄱ , ㅋ , and ㄲ when they are in the batchim position. Listen to the example words below to hear how these letters sound as a batchim (받침).

Example Word: 죽

Example Word: 부엌

Example Word: 밖

Final Consonants ㅂ and ㅍ

As a batchim, both ㅂ and ㅍ make a ‘ b ‘ sound. Again, there is no expulsion of air when you say these sounds. Listen to the examples below.

Example Word: 입

Example Word: 앞

Final Consonants ㄴ, ㄹ, ㅁ, and ㅇ

The last final consonants to learn are the easiest to learn because they don’t change their sound when they are in the final consonant position. These are ㄴ , ㄹ , ㅁ , and ㅇ . Listen to the example words below to hear how these letters sound as a batchim (받침).

Example Word: 눈

Example Word: 발

Example Word: 봄

Example Word: 강

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

You have now learned everything you need to know to read Korean and start Korean Korean words and sentences. Don’t worry if you cannot read Korean words very fast just yet. As you learn more and more Korean, reading in Korean will become second nature. Now that you can read Korean, practice writing the Korean alphabet with our free Korean alphabet worksheets , or start our free online Korean course .

Let’s Learn Hangul!

Learn to read Hangul, the simple, beautiful Korean alphabet.

It only takes about an hour. Really.

The Hangul: How to Read (and Correctly Pronounce) the Korean Alphabet

Hangul, the Korean alphabet, is your gateway to learning the Korean language.

With roots stretching back to the 15th Century, Hangul is still the official writing system of modern-day Korea. In this article, we'll quickly cover its origins and then teach you the more practical stuff: all of the letters, how they're pronounced, and some finer nuances that will help bring your accent to the next level.

We've included romanized versions of each letter of the Korean alphabet to help you get an idea of how it sounds, but you should try to get the hang of reading Hangul as soon as possible. Korean content doesn't come with romanization, and neither do the majority of Korean learning resources beyond the beginner level. If you don’t know the Hangul, you lose out on a lot of great content and resources!

(Note: Skip to the end of the article for a downloadable cheat sheet showing how to pronounce each letter of the Hangul alphabet.)

Why the Hangul were invented

Whereas as our alphabet passed through multiple languages and evolved slowly over the centuries , Korea's Hangul was intentionally created in the 15th century with a very specific goal in mind. Korean had been written with Chinese characters for nearly a thousand years, and this arrangement frankly wasn't working very well:

• Many Koreans were illiterate. It was difficult to learn Chinese, and there were thousands of characters.
• Chinese words (and characters) are immutable blocks and their sounds virtually never change. This made it impossible for them to adequately represent Korean words, which have many different forms.

King Sejong the Great wanted to create a new writing system that could adequately represent the Korean language and — more importantly — improve the country's literacy rate. He succeeded. Whereas it took years to learn the Hanja, this was said of the Hangul:

"A wise man can acquaint himself with them before the morning is over; even a stupid man can learn them in the space of ten days." — excerpt from the Hunminjeongeum Haerye

The Hangul were suppressed, banned, revived, and reformed many times before being declared Korean's official alphabet in 1946, after the country achieved independence from Japan. Nevertheless, the success and influence of the Hangul is clearly evident in modern times, as it's still the official writing system of both South and North Korea.

How Hangul work, in a nutshell

While Hangul quickly become very intuitive to use (I promise!), they do involve a lot of moving parts and can be difficult to wrap your head around at first. We'll cover all of these parts one-by-one down below.

For now, keep these three things in mind as you work through the below sections:

• Individual letters : Just like our alphabet, Hangul also consists of simple individual characters that represent specific sounds: when you seeㅏ, it is referring to the ahhh sound.
• Combine to make blocks : Hangul characters do not exist in isolation, but rather they get combined into "syllable blocks" — whereas we say hangul in English, in Korean, it's more like "Han" "Gul".
• Pronunciations can shift : Virtually all of Hangul's consonants can be pronounced in multiple (similar) ways. Which pronunciation you should use depends on what letters are nearby.

Here's that information in a visible format:

(In this case, ㄱ is pronounced as /g/ because it comes after ㄴ, and ㄹ is pronounced as /l/ because it ends a word.)

Korean consonants:

Korean consonants consist of:

• 10 plain consonants: ㄱㄴㄷㄹㅁㅂㅅㅇㅈㅎ
• 4 aspirated consonants: ㅊㅋㅌㅍ
• 5 tense consonants: ㄲㅆㄸㅃㅉ

The exact sound these letters make can depends on if they:

• Begin a syllable block
• End a syllable block
• Come before/after certain sounds

You'll correctly make many of these sound shifts naturally and unconsciously due to the physical reality how your tongue moves from one letter to another. That in mind, while it's good to understand what your tongue is doing, you can build that understanding over time as you listen to people speaking/singing Korean.

Plain Consonants:

Note: ROM is short for romanization , which is a loose English approximation of how a consonant sounds. IPA is short for international phonetic alphabet , which is a specialized alphabet that can correctly represent the sounds of all languages.)

Advanced pronunciation notes:

• " below a letter — the letter is pronounced as a tense consonant. See the doubled/tense consonant section below for more information.
• Superscript h — the letter is pronounced as an aspirated consonant. See the aspirated consonant section below for more information.
• The ㄹ sound — /ɾ/ , the flapped T,  is the "tt" sound in the US pronunciation of butter / bottle ; /ɭ/ is a retroflex L sound (say L as in love , but curl the tip of your tongue back towards the middle of the roof of your mouth).
• Superscript  ̚ — this letter is pronounced without "releasing" the consonant (say top of and top priority. The P in top is "released" in top of but "unreleased" in top priority. To make an unreleased consonant, you make the correct mouth shape, but you don't make the "puff" that would realize/complete the sound. It's kind of like saying wan' intead of want [compare want to vs want a... these two phrases have the same rhythm because, in want to , the first t is "unreleased" and "merges" into the second t .])
• /ɕ/ , /tɕ/ , and /dʑ/ — these sounds do not exist in English, so they'll be a bit tricky. They're similar to our sh ( sh e) , tch (ca tch ) , and j ( j ump ) sounds. The key difference is that, in English , these sounds are made with the tip of the tongue placed near your alveolar ridge (the gummy bump just above your upper row of teeth [ see chart ]); in Korean , these sounds are made by (a) raising the middle of your tongue toward the roof of your mouth/your post-alveolar ridge ( see chart ) and (b) placing the tip of your tongue by the gums just below the inside of your bottom row of teeth. The result is a slightly higher-pitched sound that has more hiss.
• The letter ㅎ — When following a T / D / P / B consonant, it forces that consonant to become aspirated (see below section); when it comes after a N, M, or NG sound, it changes from a "silent" H to the "raspy" H sound as in lo ch

Aspirated Consonants:

Theㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ, ㅈ come in three sets: plain, aspirated, and tense. In each case you're dealing with the same "base" sound, but are realizing it in a slightly different way. To make the aspirated consonants, you just need to let out a little puff of air (aspiration) when you say them.

Advanced pronunciation notes

You can actually make this distinction perfectly fine if you’re a native English speaker. Try holding your hand or a piece of paper in front of your mouth, then say the following two words very slowly:

• King (this K is aspirated, like ㅋ)
• Sky (this K is unaspirated, and more similar to ㄱ)

You should notice that there’s a puff of air hitting your hand when you say say the K in king , but not when you say the K in sky . If you can put your finger on this distinction, then you've got this set of sounds down! There is a tiny bit of aspiration with plain consonants, but it's much less prominent than with the aspirated consonants.

Double (or “tense”) consonants:

The second variation a of the ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ, ㅈ sounds is known as the doubled/"tense" consonants. This variation is easy to recognize upon sight, as it's just a pair of identical (“doubled”) consonant letters: ㄱ becomes ㄲ.  Unfortunately, the difference between the plain and tense consonants isn't as easy to hear. (Having said that, it's super obvious to Koreans, and they might be confused if you say ㄱ when you should have asid ㄲ.)

In simple terms, these sounds called “tense” sounds because you tense/tighten certain muscles in your speech organ when pronouncing them.

It’s hard to put what "tense certain muscles in your speech organ" means into words, exactly. For starters, watch this great video from Talk To Me In Korean:

Then, here's a more hands-on way to learn to feel the difference between plain and tense sounds:

• - Say the word duck neutrally, as in I see a duck . - Now, imagine that you’re screaming at someone to get down: duck! - Go back and forth between the two sounds. Notice how when you say duck! your tongue and the area above your Adam’s apple feel kind of tight? This is tenseness. - If you can't feel the tightness, try slowing things down, as if the scene is dramatic and happening in slow motion
• - Say the word sit and now say the word seat . - Now isolate the vowel: ihh vs ea . - Try to notice what changes in your mouth when you move from the ihh sound to the ea sound. It's subtle. - You also might try simply preparing the mouth position to say each sound, but not actually making a sound. When I say ea , the area above my Adam's apple feels a bit tighter than it does whhen I say ihh .

And here are the concrete cues I listen for to differentiate plain and tense consonants by ear:

• Unlike their plain and aspirated counterparts, tense consonants are not aspirated at all
• The vowel following a tense consonant will be of a slightly higher pitch than normal (notice this in the popular BLACKPINK song DDU-DU DDU-DU : the u sound following the tense consonant ㄸ(dd) is higher in pitch than the one following the plain consonant ㄷ (d))
• Tensed consonants have a very low voice-onset time . This means that there is virtually no time/gap between when the consonant ends and when the following vowel begins. Say king very slowly : you should notice that there is the K sound, a puff of air, and then the ing sound. In other words, there is a gap between the consonant and the vowel. When you say Korean's tense consonants, try to minimize this gap as much as possible.

They're a little more difficult to say than basic consonants. However, once you use them more in word blocks, you will soon get the hang of the correct Korean pronunciation.

Korean Vowels:

Korean vowels consist of:

• 10 basic vowels
• 11 double vowels

Basic Korean Vowels:

The ten basic vowels in the Korean alphabet are:

Smooshing vowels : Many native English speakers struggle with these “basic” vowels because, in English, we tend to double up our vowels.

• Say the word no very slowly in front of a mirror.
• You should notice your lips move/change shape: they start off as a sort of horizontal line for the N sound, become an oval for the O sound, and then, at the end of the word, they begin closing into an u sound.
• In other words, while no is spelled with two letters, it's actually pronounced with three sounds: /noʊ/

Got it? Great. Don’t smoosh your vowels together in Korean. When you say ㅗ, your lips make a little circlar shape. This shape shouldn't change until you begin making the next sound. ㅗ is one sound in Korean, not two.

A new sound : The trickiest sound for native Engish speakers here is ㅡ, as it's one that we don't have. The best way I've heard to describe the sound is that it's the sound you make when you suddenly get punched in the stomach: euhhh. Try listening to it on Forvo .

Double vowels or "diphthongs"

If you look closely, you’ll notice that these vowels literally consist of two vowels smooshed together. For example, ㅘ is a combination of ㅗ and ㅏ .

To pronounce these doubled sounds, simply pronounce the first character and then pronounce the second character. They should flow together, and you’ll notice your lips moving from the first sound to the second sound (except for ㅐandㅔ).

Whileㅐandㅔare technically different sounds, the distinction has largely been lost in modern standard Korean. To pronounce it:

• Say the word hey very slowly
• Notice that ey is another situation where English has smooshed two vowels together: there is an ehh sound that turns into an ee sound
• Isolate that first ehh sound; this is the sound ofㅐandㅔ
• Try listening to it on Forvo

Syllable structure

The Korean writing system is built around blocks of syllables. While the Korean alphabet does feature solo letters, they never actually appear alone in words. Rather, you combine them into syllable “blocks.” Every single Korean word is built with a number of these syllable blocks.

As shown above, the word hangul in Korean consists of two syllable blocks: one for han and one for gul .

There are a few rules governing how to create these syllable blocks:

• Syllable block = 2+ letters : Each syllable block needs at least two letters, which together form one syllable.
• Syllable blocks must start with a consonant . In circumstances where a vowel is the first syllable of a word, the letter "ㅇ" is used as a silent placeholder for a consonant. This "ㅇ" is a dummy letter and its only purpose is to fulfill the above "syllable block = 2+ letters" rule. For example, baby is written not as ❌ㅏ기 but instead as  ✅ 아기 (agi).
• Vertial vs horizontal syllable blocks : Last but not least, the placement of a vowel within a syllable block is very important. Ask yourself, is it a vertical vowel or a horizontal vowel?

Vertical vowels include ㅣ , ㅓ , and ㅏ . Place these beside the consonant:

• 세수 (sesu – wash your face)
• 네 (ne – yes)

Horizontal vowels include ㅗ , ㅜ , and ㅡ . Place these below the consonant:

• 크다 (keuda - to be big)
• 보통 (botong – usually)

Sound changes/shifts

As highlighted in the above consonant and vowel sections, each Korean letter has its own distinct sound. However, the pronunciation of most letters can change, depending on where it appears in a syllable block and the letters that appear around it. This is a bit intimidating at first, but a lot of the changes are very natural/ergonomic and simply make words easier to pronounce. You might even find yourself making the adjustments unconsciously, especially as you hear more Korean and learn more vocabulary words.

Wikipedia has a nice overview of all these changes , but it really just comes down to two main factors:

• What letter comes before or after [letter that changes sounds]

For example, ㅂ is generally pronounced as b/p. However, if it's followed by ㄴ (n), it is pronounced instead as an ㅁ (m). An example of this would be 죄송합니다 (sorry), which is pronounced "jwesongha m nida," not "jwesongha b nida." Again — this sounds complicated, but try saying ha b nida ten times fast. Chances are, unless you’re really trying to be strict with your pronunciation, that b sound will naturally become an m sound.

2. The placement of [letter that changes sounds] within a word

For example, ㅅ is generally pronounced as s, but it becomes an unreleased /t ̚ / when it appears at the end of the word. An example of this change can be seen in 옷 (clothes). Here, ㅅ is at the end of the word, so it's pronounced as ot, not os .

Bonus: Vowel lengthening:

Before Hangul was adopted, the Korean language had tones similar to the ones you hear in Chinese languages. While the tones have disappeared from modern standard Korean, they still actually have some (very, very limited) relevance to modern Korean pronunciation. This is noticeable with homonyms, words that are spelled the same but have different meanings.

For example, 눈 is how you write both snow and eye. However, the ㅜ vowel is pronounced a bit longer when 눈 means snow and a bit shorter when it means eye .

See this great video form GO! Billy on the topic:

See this as being more of a fun fact than anything. It's absolutely not something you have to be concerned about right now. Even if you had no idea that this phenonemon existed (and most learners don't), people would still find it easy enough to understand what you were saying because of context. You're hardly going to book an appointment with an optician to check on the snow, after all!

Hangul sure is a unique and interesting alphabet system to learn, and its simplistic design based on phonetics makes it much easier to learn than you may think at first glance. You could confidently be reading Korean in no time, and getting to grips with reading Hangul is vital.

Now that you've got a good idea of its alphabet, are you keen to take your Korean language skills further? Here's a few more articles that you might be interested in:

• The Top 10 Mistakes Made by Korean Learners
• How to Tell the Difference Between Chinese, Japanese, and Korean
• What “Squid Game” Can Teach Us about the Art of (Korean) Translation
• Follow us on YouTube / Instagram / Facebook / Twitter

And here's that cheat sheet for you!

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Korean Alphabet

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Alphabet English is the first thing learners face when learning this language. Knowing letter names and their sounds is essential for the further development of speaking,  reading , listening, and writing skills. In today’s article, you’ll explore all the details and nuances of the great and mighty English alphabet.

English Alphabet A to Z

Letter Combinations and Digraphs in English Alphabet Pronunciation

The are 5 vowels and 21 consonants among English alphabet letters. However, each letter can be pronounced in a few different ways, creating over 40 distinct sounds. There are various combinations and sequences of English letters and sounds. 

Consonant Clusters and Digraphs

Consonant clusters are sequences of two or more consonant sounds that appear together in a word without any vowel sounds between them. They can occur at a word’s beginning, middle, or end. Let’s look at some common examples:

at the beginning: 

  spl ash,

  str ong,

  thr ee,

  scr atch,

  spr ead,

  sph ere;

in the middle:

i nstr ument, 

i nscr ibe, 

wre stl e, 

mo nst er, 

pro mptly , 

ca tch er, 

he lpl ess;  

at the end: 

wo rld , 

te mpt , 

lu nch , 

mo nths , 

fi rst , 

Some of the consonant clusters often create  digraphs – combinations of two letters that create a single sound. 

• ch – /tʃ/ – cheese, chair, church, charm.
• sh – /ʃ/ – ship, sheet, shape, shoe.
• th – /θ/ (pronuonced like “s” with a tongue between teeth) – thin, teeth, health, thanks.
• th - /ð/ (pronounced like “z” with a tongue between teeth) - these, although, that,
• ph – /f/ – phone, photo, philosophy, pharmacy. 

It’s important to note that the pronunciation of consonant clusters can vary in different languages and dialects. These examples represent common patterns in the English alphabet, but other tongues may have different digraphs or consonant clusters.

Vowel Combinations

Just like consonants,  vowels also produce plenty of sounds. Combining two of the same letters can create entirely different pronunciations. Look at these examples:

• ea – /iː/ in “seat” or “beat,” /ɛ/ in “bread” or “dead.”
• ie – /aɪ/ in “pie” or “tie,” but /iː/ in “yield” or “believe.”
• ou – /aʊ/ in “house” or “mouse,” but /uː/ in “through” or “trough.”
• ei – /eɪ/ in “vein,” but /aɪ/ in “height.”
• oo – /uː/ in “pool” or “school,” but /ʊ/ in “good” or “book.”

These are only a few vowel combinations, but there are many more. It is also important to note that the pronunciation of the same vowel sounds may differ in some English accents.

Silent Letters

English language might be challenging for many language-learners. Sometimes, when you write the word down, it has more letters than when you pronounce it. That’s because of the silent letters – the ones that are present in the written version of the term but are omitted when said out loud. Almost every vowel and consonant in the English alphabet can be silent. 

• b – thumb /θʌm/, comb /koʊm/, lamb /læm/;
• c – muscle /ˈmʌsəl/;
• d – Wednesday /ˈwɛnzdeɪ/;
• e – come /kʌm/, give /ɡɪv/;
• g – gnaw /nɔː/, sign /saɪn/, reign /reɪn/;
• h – honest /ˈɒnɪst/, ghost /ɡoʊst/;
• k – knee /niː/, knife /naɪf/, know /noʊ/;
• l – calf /kæf/, salmon /ˈsæmən/;
• n – hymn /hɪm/, autumn /ˈɔːtəm/;
• p – pneumonia /njuːˈmoʊniə/, psychology /saɪˈkɒlədʒi/;
• t – castle /ˈkæsəl/, ballet /bæˈleɪ/;
• w – wraith /reɪθ/, wrinkle /ˈrɪŋkəl/;
• x – faux /foʊ/.

Tricky silent letters can appear anytime you learn the English alphabet. Yet, they are still very important. Such letters help us distinguish homophones (for example, night and knight) and provide the information about the etymology and origins of particular words.

Learn English Alphabets with Promova

If you want to understand how to use all these English letters in words and sentences, turn to Promova – your one-stop solution for successful language learning. No matter your fluency level and current studying goals, we have plenty of resources that meet different needs. 

At Promova, we take language learning to the next level by offering personalized and group lessons led by our  professional tutors . Whether you prefer one-on-one instruction or the dynamic interaction of a group setting, our experienced mentors are here to guide you every step of the way.

To get acquainted with Promova, we offer a free trial lesson, allowing you to experience our teaching methods, communicate with our tutors, and get a taste of our language learning environment. Take advantage of this opportunity to gauge our approach!

For your convenience, Promova offers a user-friendly application. Accessible from your smartphone or tablet, our app allows you to learn on the go, ensuring that you can study anytime and anywhere. Seamlessly sync your progress across devices and access a wide range of interactive lessons, exercises, and resources with just a few taps.

If you decide to learn the English alphabet from scratch, this article will be your ultimate guide. Today, you’ve not only learned all the letters and sounds but also dived into nuances of its usage.

Make your next step to fluency with Promova

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How to Learn a New Alphabet in a Foreign Language

Learning an alphabet is an exciting and crucial step in your path to learning a new language.

But it’s okay to be nervous about learning a completely foreign-looking script. Even familiar-looking languages that use Latin letters can be intimidating!

However, learning a new alphabet doesn’t have to be overwhelming.

You don’t even need your colorful kindergarten classroom or shiny reward stickers to make it fun.

Here are six tips and tricks for how to learn a new alphabet to make it as easy as ABC!

1. Study a Few Letters at a Time

2. use mnemonic devices for letter shapes, 3. practice writing with familiar words, 4. listen to the alphabet song, 5. memorize and visualize the characters, 6. write the letters down, why and where to learn a new alphabet, and one more thing....

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Whether you’re learning Korean , Spanish or something else, trying to study a whole new alphabet at once might be biting off more than you can chew. If you break it down into small chunks, though, it’s easily digestible.

There are two main ways you might do this:

• Learn in order. Start at the beginning of the alphabet and learn the first three or four letters. The next time you study, work on the next three or four letters. Continue doing this until you’ve learned the whole alphabet.

Regardless of how you break the letters into groups, focusing on just a few letters at a time is an easy and painless way to start learning a new alphabet without getting totally overwhelmed.

If your target language is something like Japanese or Russian and uses a script you’re unfamiliar with, memorizing the alphabet can be exceptionally hard.

Luckily, using mnemonic devices to learn letter shapes is a fun, easy way to memorize even the most challenging alphabets.

A mnemonic device is any technique or trick you use to remember something. For instance, ROYGBIV helps you remember the order of colors within rainbows.

Similarly, mnemonic devices can be used to help you learn a new alphabet.

One helpful way to learn letters in an unfamiliar script is to associate those letters with images . If you consider the letter a tiny drawing, you’ll have an easier time recognizing it when you see it again. For instance, the Russian letter  ю has always reminded me of a tiny fish.

What do letters in your target language look like to you?

Think of words you know in your native language . Then, sound those words out using letters in your target language.

I wouldn’t recommend this as a long-term study method, but it’s a really quick and simple way to get used to a new alphabet when you’re first learning it.

Not only will this practice help you associate the letters with the sounds they make , it will also make you feel like a spy preparing a secret message. Just try not to do an unnecessary backwards somersault to exit the room after.

Perhaps there’s a well-known alphabet song in your target language, like there is in English .

But even if there isn’t, chances are strong that someone has made up an alphabet song. Listening to such songs is incredibly useful because it’s often easier to remember material that’s put to music . That’s why you still know all the lyrics to “Call Me Maybe.”

Luckily, you can use this phenomenon for more than just karaoke. It can help you learn a new alphabet quickly and efficiently.

And when it comes to alphabet songs, YouTube is a treasure trove of options. You might try:

• An Arabic alphabet song
• A Chinese pinyin song
• A Japanese alphabet song
• A Korean alphabet song
• A Russian alphabet song

And there are countless others. Simply searching your target language and “alphabet song” will likely produce several options for you to choose from. You might even try listening to a few different ones so you can hear all the letters in different contexts.

Let’s be real. The more you learn, the less likely you are to need to know the alphabet in order. After all, no one is going to come up to you on the street and insist you recite the French alphabet .

While having a general idea of alphabetical order will certainly help you look up words in a dictionary, knowing the exact order isn’t always essential.

That being said, when you’re first learning the alphabet, it’s incredibly helpful to memorize it in order .

You can easily practice by repeating it to yourself on your way to work or school, in the shower or while waiting in line somewhere.

Another great tip is to visualize the letters as you go through the alphabet . This helps you reinforce your ability to identify the written letter, your ability to associate the letter name with the letter and your ability to connect sounds to letters.

That’s a lot of extra studying you can pack into any spare minute!

In the internet era, it can be easy to overlook the value of writing down information.

However, the act of writing down letters can help you remember them better . One study suggests that taking notes on a laptop rather than on paper actually hinders retention.

Writing out your new alphabet by hand, however, means you’re actively using and interacting with the language , which is generally more useful for learning any material than simply reading it.

It also helps that there are plenty of ways to practice writing letters.

For instance, when you first learn the alphabet, you can create your own handy guide by writing down all the letters along with the sounds they make. Then, whenever you have a few extra minutes, you can use your guide to rewrite the letters as further practice.

You might find your new alphabet cropping up on scraps of paper all over the place, or you can keep a notebook strictly for writing practice . If you’re learning a few letters at a time, be sure to jot down each set after you’ve studied them. The more you write them, the better, so aim for 15 to 20 repetitions each time.

Once you’ve learned the whole alphabet, try writing it down in its entirety every day or two as you say the letters aloud. This is a great way to reinforce what you’ve learned and help you connect the written and spoken forms.

There are a lot of resources out there that aim to teach students a new language without the hassle of using that language’s alphabet. This is done through transliterations and/or exclusively oral language practice.

However, learning a new alphabet is valuable. Knowing the alphabet of your target language:

• Makes pronunciation easier. Transliterations are sometimes difficult to interpret. The native alphabet makes it easier to determine the pronunciation by simply looking at a word.
• Allows you to read. Even with very basic knowledge of the alphabet and very little vocabulary, you can start sounding out words. Eventually, if you stick with it, you’ll even be able to consume native content.
• Enables you to use a dictionary. You need to know the letters and their order for this, which makes learning new vocabulary much simpler.

So even if it seems intimidating, knowing the foundations of your target language’s script is incredibly rewarding—and probably easier than you think!

Though I mentioned some already, you can learn the alphabets of many major languages at the following links:

Once you’ve sort of got the basics down, I highly recommend adding in some guided practice with your target language itself , perhaps with a program such as FluentU .

FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.

You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.

P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

Try FluentU for FREE!

With these tips and tricks on how to learn a new alphabet, you’ll soon find that foreign script looking as simple as ABC.

So, go ahead and master that language’s alphabet—kindergarten style!

If you dig the idea of learning on your own time from the comfort of your smart device with real-life authentic language content, you'll love using FluentU .

With FluentU, you'll learn real languages—as they're spoken by native speakers. FluentU has a wide variety of videos as you can see here:

FluentU App Browse Screen.

FluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.

Didn't catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover your mouse over the subtitles to instantly view definitions.

Interactive, dual-language subtitles.

You can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentU's "learn mode." Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you’re learning.

FluentU Has Quizzes for Every Video

And FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It gives you extra practice with difficult words—and reminds you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned. You get a truly personalized experience.

Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

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Korean Alphabet Trace & Learn 4+

Designed for ipad, screenshots, description.

Discover the joy of learning to write the Korean alphabet (Hangul) and Numbers! Kids are very sensitive and emotional and their sensitivity always keeps them cute. The design of Korean Alphabet Trace & Learn ensures to keep your kids happy and entertained while fostering effortless learning of the Korean alphabet (Hangul). Korean Alphabet Trace & Learn is an engaging game for your children who are in preschools and kindergarteners to learn the Korean alphabet (Hangul). It helps your kids to understand the shape of the letters and sounds with proper meaning. Touch and slide features of the game make it easy to make alphabet letters and help your kids easily recognize each of them. The most important part of the game is that it makes your kids feel joyful and close to the space world with the mascot of an astronaut. Korean Alphabet Trace & Learn is a kid's savvy game that makes your kids more powerful to understand the Korean alphabet (Hangul). The game is suited for preschool kids who are over 2 years old. This will help your kids to focus on the writing hangul in the right way. Key Features of the Korean Alphabet Trace & Learn: - Easy to learn the Korean alphabet (Hangul) - Familiarization with the letter shapes - Engaging Astronaut character - Kids-friendly color pallet - Phonic sound facility for all the alphabet letters - Simple to follow trace mechanics - Suitable for kids above 2 years - The game is free for everyone Being a parent, we always look for simple and easy games to teach our children without harming their emotions. At this age, kids always love to play and learn; Korean Alphabet Trace & Learn is a game for all the kids who can learn alphabet letters before going to school in a very easy and joyous way. Let's enjoy the Korean Alphabet Trace & Learn game with your kids and enjoy the simple and fast learning game.

Version 2.0.0

- New numbers module, now kids can learn to write numbers in their native tongue. - General graphical improvements. - Other bug fixes

App Privacy

The developer, w3villa , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Not Collected

The developer does not collect any data from this app.

Privacy practices may vary based on, for example, the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

• App Support
• Privacy Policy

More By This Developer

Arabic Alphabet Trace & Learn

Malayalam Trace & Learn

Bengali Alphabet Trace & Learn

Tamil Alphabet Trace & Learn

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