How to learn Korean: read and write Hangul


Hangul is a Korean letter that is officially used in Korea as a written communication tool for correspondence, announcements, warnings and much more. So you have to learn how to read and write Hangul to take a small step.  


The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul, is a unique Korean writing system created in the 15th century by King Sejong. It consists of 14 basic consonants and 10 basic vowels. 

Hangeul is notoriously simple and phonetic, making it relatively easy to learn and widely used in South Korea and North Korea for written communication.

So, let's get started with the excitement of learning Korean and exploring this beautiful script together!

Hangeul Basic Consonants

The Korean alphabet, known as "Hangeul" consists of a total of 14 basic consonants. These basic consonants serve as the foundation for constructing syllables and creating words in the Korean language. 

Each consonant is represented by a unique symbol, and their shapes are designed to mimic the position and shape of the speech organs when producing the corresponding sounds. For example:
  • ㄱ (giyeok): Similar to the "g" sound in "goodbye"
  • ㄴ (nieun): Similar to the "n" sound in "nice"
  • ㄷ (digeut): Similar to the "d" sound in "dog"
  • ㄹ (rieul): Similar to the "r" sound in "red" (but has a unique sound in Korean)
  • ㅁ (mieum): Similar to the "m" sound in "mother"
  • ㅂ (bieup): Similar to the "b" sound in "book"
  • ㅅ (siot): Similar to the "s" sound in "sun"
  • ㅇ (ieung): Represents a placeholder sound (sometimes silent) at the beginning of a syllable
  • ㅈ (jieut): Similar to the "j" sound in "jump"
  • ㅊ (chieut): Similar to the "ch" sound in "church"
  • ㅋ (kieuk): Similar to the "k" sound in "kite"
  • ㅌ (tieut): Similar to the "t" sound in "time"
  • ㅍ (pieup): Similar to the "p" sound in "pen"
  • ㅎ (hieut): Similar to the "h" sound in "hello"

These basic consonants serve as building blocks for the Korean writing system, and they can be combined with vowel symbols to create syllables. 

Additionally, there are also double consonants and final consonants that can modify the pronunciation of syllables.

Learning these basic consonants is an important first step in mastering the Korean alphabet and developing your reading and writing skills in Korean.


Hangeul Basic Vowels

In the Korean alphabet, there are 10 basic vowels. The vowels are essential components of the writing system and play a crucial role in forming syllables and words. Here are the basic vowels in the Korean language:

How to write Hangeul can be explained based on the pattern of writing. There are 6 types of letter writing in Korean, this form relates to the consonants and vowels based on the location of the writing. The purpose of letters as described in image to make it easier to memorize and understand the correct way of writing. The following are the 4 most basic types of writing Korean letters "한글":

Notice the numbers 1 and 3 in Image, the number is the sequence that will always be occupied by consonants. Number 2 will always be occupied by vowels.
How to Write "한글"


The following is how to write the Korean letters "한글" which is presented in two different tables. The pattern presented in the image is only an illustration of true writing between horizontal vowels and vertical vowels. Because the level of difficulty in writing Hangeul is only in consonants which are divided into two writing patterns.

Also Read: Korean Grammar

Korean Letter (한글): Consonant Complex

In hangeul, there are five complex consonants known as "double consonants" or "complex consonants." These double consonants are formed by combining two basic consonants to create a unique sound. The double consonants are:

ㄲ (gg): This is a tense version of ㄱ (g). It is pronounced with a stronger, tenser sound, similar to the "k" sound in "kite."
ㄸ (dd): This is a tense version of ㄷ (d). It is pronounced with a stronger, tenser sound, similar to the "t" sound in "time."
ㅃ (bb): This is a tense version of ㅂ (b). It is pronounced with a stronger, tenser sound, similar to the "p" sound in "pen."
ㅆ (ss): This is a tense version of ㅅ (s). It is pronounced with a stronger, tenser sound, similar to the "ss" sound in "hiss."
ㅉ (jj): This is a tense version of ㅈ (j). It is pronounced with a stronger, tenser sound, similar to the "j" sound in "jump."

These complex consonants are used to represent specific sounds in the Korean language and are an essential part of the writing system. They are often used in words borrowed from other languages or for emphasis in pronunciation. Understanding and correctly using these complex consonants is important for accurate Korean pronunciation and reading.

Korean Letter (한글): Complex Vowels

Vowels are also still being developed just like consonants. This one vowel letter needs to be understood further because it has different sounds and different writing, so it must be examined carefully. These vowels, both basic and complex, are combined with consonants to create syllables in the Korean writing system. Understanding and correctly pronouncing these vowels are essential for accurate communication in Korean. Here are complex vowels in the Korean language:

How to Write Korean Words with 4 Letters

Next, we will write a syllable using 4 letters. Let’s take a look at the image below:

How to Write Korean Letter (한글) - 4 Letters in a syllable

Use of “o”

The last part of this lesson is where we will learn how a syllable is written with vowels. Here is an example:
The Use of 'ㅇ'

In the example above, we can see that vowels cannot stand at the beginning of a word. This goes back to the principle of writing 1 2 (Image 3), where the order of 1 will always belong to the consonant and 2 will always belong to the vowel. Therefore, "ㅇ" will act as a substitute for consonants, without changing the pronunciation. Besides being used for a substitute for the consonant at the beginning of the word, "ㅇ" also functions as a patent letter "ng" at the end of the syllable.
Examples:
강 (kang): King
방 (bang) : Room.
안 (an) : In

 

Also read other lesson you want HERE

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