🧠 Learn Korean Consonants and Vowels
The Simple Way to Master Hangul Sounds
Are you ready to read Korean?
The first step is understanding Hangul’s consonants and vowels. Don’t worry — the Korean alphabet is logical, phonetic, and easier than you think. Let’s break it down, step by step! 🇰🇷✍️
📘 What Is Hangul?
Hangul (한글) is the Korean writing system created in the 15th century by King Sejong.
It has 14 basic consonants and 10 basic vowels, with some combined versions.
Unlike English, each syllable is written in a block, like this:
-
안녕하세요 → 안 + 녕 + 하 + 세 + 요
Each block usually follows this pattern:
Consonant + Vowel (+ Optional Final Consonant)
🅰️ Korean Consonants (자음)
Here are the basic 14 consonants. These are the building blocks for Korean pronunciation.
| Hangul | Romanization | Sound |
|---|---|---|
| ㄱ | g/k | Like "g" in "go" |
| ㄴ | n | Like "n" in "no" |
| ㄷ | d/t | Like "d" in "dog" |
| ㄹ | r/l | Between "r" and "l" |
| ㅁ | m | Like "m" in "mom" |
| ㅂ | b/p | Like "b" in "boy" |
| ㅅ | s | Like "s" in "sun" |
| ㅇ | silent/ng | Silent at start, "ng" at end |
| ㅈ | j | Like "j" in "juice" |
| ㅊ | ch | Like "ch" in "chat" |
| ㅋ | k | Like "k" in "kite" |
| ㅌ | t | Like "t" in "top" |
| ㅍ | p | Like "p" in "pen" |
| ㅎ | h | Like "h" in "hat" |
🔤 Korean Vowels (모음)
These are the basic 10 vowels in Korean. Think of them like “a, e, i, o, u” — just different shapes!
| Hangul | Romanization | Sound |
|---|---|---|
| ㅏ | a | Like "a" in "father" |
| ㅓ | eo | Like "uh" in "sun" |
| ㅗ | o | Like "o" in "go" |
| ㅜ | u | Like "oo" in "boot" |
| ㅡ | eu | Like "oo" but with flat lips |
| ㅣ | i | Like "ee" in "see" |
| ㅐ | ae | Like "e" in "bed" |
| ㅔ | e | Also like "e" in "bed" |
| ㅚ | oe | Like "we" in "wet" |
| ㅟ | wi | Like "wee" in "week" |
🧱 How Syllables Are Built
Let’s make some syllables by combining consonants and vowels:
-
가 = ㄱ (g) + ㅏ (a) → "ga"
-
나 = ㄴ (n) + ㅏ (a) → "na"
-
다 = ㄷ (d) + ㅏ (a) → "da"
Just like LEGO blocks — mix and match!
🎯 Practice These Common Syllables
Try reading and sounding out the following words:
| Hangul | Romanization | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 바다 | ba-da | Sea |
| 하늘 | ha-neul | Sky |
| 엄마 | eom-ma | Mom |
| 아빠 | a-ppa | Dad |
| 학교 | hak-gyo | School |
Practice slowly, syllable by syllable — and don’t worry about mistakes!
🎓 Want to Learn Hangul Faster?
I offer beginner-friendly classes where we go step-by-step through Hangul.
You’ll learn how to read, write, and pronounce like a native!
👉 Book a class with me on italki
💬 Questions or Confused About a Sound?
Leave a comment — I’m here to help! 😊
Let’s make Hangul easy and fun, one syllable at a time.
