Alphabets › Korean
Korean · Hangul letters
Korean Alphabet
Korean is written in Hangul: 14 basic consonants, 5 doubled (tense) consonants and 21 vowels, grouped into square syllable blocks. Each block starts with a consonant (ㅇ is silent there), then a vowel to the right or below, and sometimes a final consonant (batchim) at the bottom. Sounds use Revised Romanization, as in the lessons.
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Basic consonants
ㄱg / kgiyeok · g between vowels, k at the start or end가방 (gabang) bag
ㄴnnieun · n나무 (namu) tree
ㄷd / tdigeut · d between vowels, t at the start or end다리 (dari) leg; bridge
ㄹr / lrieul · a light r between vowels, l at the end라면 (ramyeon) instant noodles
ㅁmmieum · m물 (mul) water
ㅂb / pbieup · b between vowels, p at the start or end바다 (bada) sea
ㅅssiot · s; sh before i사람 (saram) person
ㅇ(silent) / ngieung · silent at the start of a syllable, ng at the end아이 (ai) child · 강 (gang) river
ㅈjjieut · j, no puff of air자동차 (jadongcha) car
ㅊchchieut · ch with a puff of air차 (cha) tea; car
ㅋkkieuk · k with a puff of air커피 (keopi) coffee
ㅌttieut · t with a puff of air택시 (taeksi) taxi
ㅍppieup · p with a puff of air포도 (podo) grapes
ㅎhhieut · h하나 (hana) one
Tense (double) consonants
ㄲkkssanggiyeok · a tight k, no puff of air까치 (kkachi) magpie
ㄸttssangdigeut · a tight t, no puff of air딸기 (ttalgi) strawberry
ㅃppssangbieup · a tight p, no puff of air빵 (ppang) bread
ㅆssssangsiot · a strong, tight s쌀 (ssal) rice (uncooked)
ㅉjjssangjieut · a tight j짜다 (jjada) to be salty
Basic vowels
ㅏaa as in 'father'아버지 (abeoji) father
ㅑyaya as in 'yard'야구 (yagu) baseball
ㅓeolike the u in 'cup', lips open어머니 (eomeoni) mother
ㅕyeoy + eo여자 (yeoja) woman
ㅗoo as in 'go', lips rounded오이 (oi) cucumber
ㅛyoyo as in 'yoga'요리 (yori) cooking
ㅜuoo as in 'moon'우유 (uyu) milk
ㅠyuyou유리 (yuri) glass
ㅡeuoo with the lips spread flat, not rounded그림 (geurim) picture
ㅣiee as in 'see'이름 (ireum) name
Combined vowels
ㅐaee as in 'bed' (ㅏ + ㅣ)개 (gae) dog
ㅒyaeye as in 'yes' (ㅑ + ㅣ); rare얘기 (yaegi) talk, story
ㅔee as in 'bed'; today it sounds like ㅐ세 (se) three (in counting)
ㅖyeye as in 'yes'예 (ye) yes
ㅘwawa (ㅗ + ㅏ)과일 (gwail) fruit
ㅙwaewe as in 'wet' (ㅗ + ㅐ)왜 (wae) why
ㅚoewe as in 'wet' (ㅗ + ㅣ)회사 (hoesa) company
ㅝwowo as in 'wonder' (ㅜ + ㅓ)뭐 (mwo) what
ㅞwewe as in 'wet' (ㅜ + ㅔ)웨이터 (weiteo) waiter
ㅟwiwee (ㅜ + ㅣ)귀 (gwi) ear
ㅢuieu + i, said quickly의사 (uisa) doctor
Building syllables
가gaㄱ + ㅏ · a tall vowel goes to the right of the consonant가다 (gada) to go
고goㄱ + ㅗ · a flat vowel goes under the consonant고기 (gogi) meat
각gakㄱ + ㅏ + ㄱ · a final consonant (batchim) goes at the bottom각자 (gakja) each person
한hanㅎ + ㅏ + ㄴ한국 (Hanguk) Korea
글geulㄱ + ㅡ + ㄹ한글 (Hangeul) the Korean alphabet
꽃kkotㄲ + ㅗ + ㅊ · a final ㅊ is said t꽃 (kkot) flower
닭dakㄷ + ㅏ + ㄺ · two final consonants: usually only one is said닭 (dak) chicken
Final sounds (batchim)
밥bapㅂ or ㅍ at the end is said p, without releasing it밥 (bap) rice, meal
옷otㄷ ㅅ ㅆ ㅈ ㅊ ㅌ ㅎ at the end are all said t, without releasing it옷 (ot) clothes
부엌bueokㄱ ㅋ ㄲ at the end are said k, without releasing it부엌 (bueok) kitchen
산sanㄴ at the end is n산 (san) mountain
물mulㄹ at the end is l물 (mul) water
밤bamㅁ at the end is m밤 (bam) night
방bangㅇ at the end is ng방 (bang) room
Basic Korean phrases