Vowels : - | ||||
ㅏ | ㅑ | ㅓ | ㅕ | ㅗ |
"a" | "ya" | "eo" | "yeo" | "o" |
ㅛ | ㅜ | ㅠ | ㅡ | ㅣ |
"yo" | "oo" or "u" | "yoo" or "yu" | "eu" | "i" |
Consonants : - | ||||
ㄱ | ㄴ | ㄷ | ㄹ | ㅁ |
"g" or "k" | "n" | "d" or "t" | " r " or " l " | "m" |
ㅂ | ㅅ | ㅇ | ㅈ | ㅊ |
"b" or "p" | "s" | - | " ch " | " ch' " |
ㅋ | ㅌ | ㅍ | ㅎ | |
" g' " or " k' " | " d' " | " p' " | " h " | |
Note that " ' " means the letter is aspirated, i.e a sharp sound. |
ㅎ + | ㅏ + | ㄴ = | 한 | han | |
h | a | n | |||
ㄱ + | ㅜ + | ㄱ = | 국 | guk | |
g | u | k | 한국 pronounced HanGuk meaning Korea |
Lesson 2 Double Vowels (모음)
ㅐ | ㅒ | ㅔ | ㅖ | ㅘ | ㅙ | ㅝ | ㅞ | |
eir | yeir | ere | yere | wa | where | wo | weo | |
ㅟ | ㅢ | |||||||
weou | wei |
Lesson 3 Use of Consonants (자음) and Vowels (모음)
가 = ka | 거 = keo | 겨 = kyeo |
갸 = kya | 기 = ki | 고 = ko |
바 = pa | 버 = peo | 부 = pu |
뵤 = pyo | 지 = chi | 저 = cheo |
즈 = chu | 조 = cho | 마 = ma |
머 = meo | 무 = mo | 나 = na |
너 = neo | 이 = i | 야 = ya |
디 = ti | 고 = ko | 댜 = tya |
요 = yo | 오 = o | 도 = to |
드 = tu | 두 = too | 그 = ku |
When constructing a word, you must add a mixture of consonants and vowels, beginning with the consonant at the beginning of the word. In some cases, there is no need to use a consonant at the beginning in which case
ㅇ(null character) is used.
ㅇ | + | ㅏ | = | 아 | a | ||
ㄹ | + | ㅡ | + | ㅁ | = | 름 | rum |
ㄱ | + | ㅏ | + | ㅁ | = | 감 | kam |
ㄲ | + | ㅜ | + | ㅇ | = | 꿍 | kkoong |
ㅇ | + | ㅗ | + | ㅅ | = | 옷 | ot |
ㅇ | + | ㅓ | + | ㅂㅅ | = | 없 | eop |
ㄲ | + | ㅗ | + | ㅊ | = | 꽃 | kkot |
ㅎ | + | ㅏ | + | ㄴ | = | 한 | han |
ㄱ | + | ㅡ | + | ㄱ | = | 극 | guk |
More on constructing words
A syllable that consists of a consonant and a "vertical vowel" is written with the consonant on the left and the vowel on the right
ㄴ+ ㅏ= 나
n + a = na
A syllable that consists of a consonant and a "horizontal vowel" is written with the consonant on top and the vowel underneath:
ㅁ+ ㅗ= 모
m + o = mo
If a syllable has a consonant, vowel, and consonant, the final consonant, called patch'im (meaning "supporting floor" in Korean) goes to the bottom -- or floor -- of that syllable.
ㅁ+ ㅏ+ ㄴ= 만
m + a + n = man
khamsahamnida