The Korean Alphabet (Hangul)

Hangul has 24 basic letters: 14 consonants and 10 vowels. With 5 double consonants and 11 combined vowels, that makes 40. Letters are written together in one block per syllable: 한 = ㅎ + ㅏ + ㄴ. Tap any letter to hear its name and its sound.

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14 basic consonants

Tap any letter to hear its name and its sound.

g / k기역giyeokBetween g and k: a soft k at the start of a word, g between vowels, k at the end.
n니은nieunn as in “no”.
d / t디귿digeutBetween d and t: a soft t at the start of a word, d between vowels, t at the end.
r / l리을rieulA quick tap of the tongue between vowels (like the tt in American “water”); l at the end.
m미음mieumm as in “man”.
ㅂb / p비읍bieupBetween b and p: a soft p at the start of a word, b between vowels, p at the end.
s시옷siots as in “sun”; sh before i (시 = shi); t at the end of a syllable.
– / ng이응ieungSilent at the start of a syllable (it just holds the place before a vowel); ng as in “sing” at the end.
j지읒jieutBetween j and ch: like the j in “jam” between vowels; t at the end of a syllable.자
ch치읓chieutch as in “church”, with a puff of air; t at the end of a syllable.
k키읔kieukk with a strong puff of air.
t티읕tieutt with a strong puff of air.
p피읖pieupp with a strong puff of air.
h히읗hieuth as in “hat”; often almost silent between vowels.

5 double consonants

kk쌍기역ssanggiyeokA tense k: no puff of air and a tight throat, like the k in “sky”.
tt쌍디귿ssangdigeutA tense t: no puff of air, like the t in “stop”.
pp쌍비읍ssangbieupA tense p: no puff of air, like the p in “spin”.빠
ss쌍시옷ssangsiotA tense, sharper s.
jj쌍지읒ssangjieutA tense j: no puff of air, a tight “tch”.

10 basic vowels

aa as in “father”.
yaya as in “yard”.
eoAn open “aw” with relaxed lips, close to the o in British “hot”.
yeoy + ㅓ in one syllable: “yaw”.
oo as in “go”, with rounded lips and no glide.
yoyo as in “yoga”.
uoo as in “moon”.
yuyu as in “you”.
euLike the oo in “good”, but with the lips spread flat.
iee as in “see”.

11 combined vowels

aee as in “bed”; today it sounds the same as ㅔ.
yaeye as in “yes”; a rare letter.
ee as in “bed”.
yeye as in “yes”.
wawa as in “wand” (ㅗ + ㅏ).
waewe as in “wet” (ㅗ + ㅐ).
oeWritten ㅗ + ㅣ, but today usually said “we”, like ㅙ.
wowo as in “wonder” (ㅜ + ㅓ).
wewe as in “wet” (ㅜ + ㅔ).
wiwee as in “week” (ㅜ + ㅣ).
uiㅡ gliding into ㅣ in one syllable; in many words it is said just i.

How Hangul syllable blocks work

Every syllable is one square block: a first consonant, then a vowel, sometimes a final consonant (batchim) at the bottom. Tall vowels (ㅏ ㅓ ㅣ) stand to the right of the consonant, flat ones (ㅗ ㅜ ㅡ) go below it. A syllable that starts with a vowel uses the silent ㅇ: 아 = a.

hangeul
- 한 ㅎ ㅏ ㄴ (first consonant, vowel, final consonant)
- 글 ㄱ ㅡ ㄹ (first consonant, vowel, final consonant)
The name of the alphabet itself: 한 = ㅎ + ㅏ + ㄴ, 글 = ㄱ + ㅡ + ㄹ.
sagwa · apple
- 사 ㅅ ㅏ (first consonant, vowel)
- 과 ㄱ ㅘ (first consonant, vowel)
Two blocks with no final consonant. ㅏ stands to the right; ㅘ (ㅗ + ㅏ) wraps around ㄱ.
mul · water
- 물 ㅁ ㅜ ㄹ (first consonant, vowel, final consonant)
A flat vowel goes below the first consonant; the final ㄹ sits at the bottom and is said l.
kkot · flower
- 꽃 ㄲ ㅗ ㅊ (first consonant, vowel, final consonant)
A double consonant first. At the end of a syllable ㅊ is said t: 꽃 sounds like kkot.