Beginner
The Korean Alphabet (Hangul): Complete Beginner Guide
한글
Learn to read Korean in a few hours: all 14 basic consonants, 10 vowels, double consonants, compound vowels, batchim and a syllable builder with audio.
What is Hangul?
Hangul (한글) is the writing system of the Korean language. It was created in 1443 by King Sejong the Great and his scholars, and announced to the people in 1446 under the name Hunminjeongeum, "the correct sounds for teaching the people". Before Hangul, Koreans wrote with Chinese characters, which took years to learn. King Sejong wanted every person, not just the nobility, to be able to read and write.
That is why Hangul is one of the most logical alphabets in the world. The shapes of the consonants imitate the mouth and tongue when you pronounce them, and the vowels are built from three simple symbols: a dot for heaven, a flat line for earth and a vertical line for a person. Today Korea celebrates Hangul Day (한글날) every October 9.
How syllable blocks work
Korean letters are not written in a single line like English. Instead, they are grouped into square blocks, and each block is one syllable. Every block starts with a consonant and contains a vowel. If the vowel is tall (ㅏ, ㅓ, ㅣ…), it goes to the right of the consonant: ㄱ + ㅏ = 가. If the vowel is flat (ㅗ, ㅜ, ㅡ…), it goes underneath: ㄱ + ㅗ = 고. A third consonant, called batchim (받침), can sit at the bottom: ㄱ + ㅏ + ㅁ = 감.
When a syllable starts with a vowel sound, it uses the silent consonant ㅇ as a placeholder: 아, 오, 이. So the word 한국 (Korea) is ㅎ+ㅏ+ㄴ and ㄱ+ㅜ+ㄱ.
The 14 basic consonants
Some consonants change slightly depending on their position. For example, ㄱ sounds like a soft "g" at the start of a word and like "k" at the end of a syllable, and ㄹ is between "r" and "l". Tap a letter to hear it with the vowel ㅏ, and tap the example word to hear it in context.
The 10 basic vowels
Adding one extra short stroke to a vowel adds a "y" sound: ㅏ (a) becomes ㅑ (ya), ㅗ (o) becomes ㅛ (yo). The two vowels that are new for most learners are ㅓ (eo), a relaxed open "o" like the "u" in "fun" said with a rounder mouth, and ㅡ (eu), said with your lips spread flat as if smiling.
Double (tense) consonants
Five consonants can be doubled to make a tense sound with no puff of air: ㄲ, ㄸ, ㅃ, ㅆ, ㅉ. Compare 가 (ga), 카 (ka, with a strong puff of air) and 까 (kka, tight and sharp). Try holding a piece of paper in front of your mouth: it should move for 카 but stay still for 까.
Compound vowels
Compound vowels combine two basic vowels. ㅗ + ㅏ = ㅘ (wa), ㅜ + ㅓ = ㅝ (wo). In modern Seoul pronunciation, ㅐ (ae) and ㅔ (e) sound almost the same, so even Koreans sometimes check the spelling!
Batchim: final consonants
Many letters can appear at the bottom of a block, but they are pronounced as only seven sounds: k, n, t, l, m, p and ng. For example, 옷 (clothes) is written with ㅅ but pronounced "ot". Final sounds are not released: close your mouth or tongue in position and stop, without adding a vowel.
| Letter | Sound | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ㄱ ㄲ ㅋ | k | |
| ㄴ | n | |
| ㄷ ㅅ ㅆ ㅈ ㅊ ㅌ ㅎ | t | |
| ㄹ | l | |
| ㅁ | m | |
| ㅂ ㅍ | p | |
| ㅇ | ng |
Two sound rules you will hear everywhere
Linking (연음): when a syllable ends in a consonant and the next one starts with the silent ㅇ, the consonant moves forward. 한국어 is pronounced "han-gu-geo", and 음악 (music) is "eu-mak".
Nasalization: ㄱ, ㄷ and ㅂ become ㅇ, ㄴ and ㅁ before ㄴ or ㅁ. That is why 감사합니다 (thank you) sounds like "gam-sa-ham-ni-da" and 막내 (youngest) sounds like "mang-nae". You do not need to memorize every rule now — our romanization already shows the real pronunciation.
Try it: build your own syllable
Choose a consonant, a vowel and an optional final consonant. The block, its romanization and its sound update instantly.
What next?
Practice the letters with our Hangul flashcard deck for a few minutes every day, then move on to Lesson 1 to learn your first real Korean phrases.