Korean's alphabet is the part people are most afraid of and the part that takes least time —
a few hours, and everything afterwards is easier. Here is every letter the course teaches,
what it sounds like, and a syllable using it.
A tall vowel stands to the RIGHT of the first consonant. Read left, then right.
고
go
as in 고
A wide vowel sits UNDERNEATH instead. Same consonant as 가 — a different vowel, in a different place.
나
na
as in 나
Every block is one syllable and takes the same space, however many letters are in it.
소
so
as in 소
ㅅ on top, ㅗ underneath. 소 = a cow — a whole Korean word, read out of letters you met minutes ago.
고기
gogi
as in 고기
Two blocks, read left to right: 고 then 기. 고기 = meat. Nothing new here — the same four consonants and three vowels.
모기
mogi
as in 모기
모 + 기 = 모기, a mosquito. One letter away from 고기 and a completely different word, which is why every block gets read.
ㄷ
d / t
as in 다
like the d in 'do'
ㄹ
r / l
as in 라
a soft tap between r and l
ㅂ
b / p
as in 바
like the b in 'boy'
ㅇ
silent / ng
as in 아
silent at the start of a syllable; 'ng' at the end
ㅈ
j
as in 자
like the j in 'jam'
ㅓ
eo
as in 어
like the 'u' in 'up'
ㅜ
u
as in 우
like the 'oo' in 'moon'
ㅡ
eu
as in 으
'oo' with flat, spread lips
ㅑ
ya
as in 야
'ya'
ㅕ
yeo
as in 여
'yaw'
ㅛ
yo
as in 요
'yo'
ㅠ
yu
as in 유
'you'
두
du
as in 두
Wide vowel again — ㅜ goes below.
ㅊ
ch
as in 차
like the ch in 'church'
ㅋ
k
as in 카
a strong, breathy k
ㅌ
t
as in 타
a strong, breathy t
ㅍ
p
as in 파
a strong, breathy p
ㅎ
h
as in 하
like the h in 'hi'
산
san
as in 산
A third letter goes at the BOTTOM. That bottom slot is called 받침 (batchim). 산 = mountain.
물
mul
as in 물
Wide vowel below, batchim under that — three rows. 물 = water, which you already know.
한
han
as in 한
The first block of 한국 (Korea) and 한글 (Hangul).
ㄲ
kk
as in 까
a tense, sharp 'k' (harder than ㄱ)
ㄸ
tt
as in 따
a tense, sharp 't'
ㅃ
pp
as in 빠
a tense, sharp 'p'
ㅆ
ss
as in 싸
a tense, sharp 's'
ㅉ
jj
as in 짜
a tense, sharp 'j'
ㅐ
ae
as in 애
like the 'e' in 'bed'
ㅔ
e
as in 에
like 'e' in 'bed' (≈ ㅐ in modern Korean)
ㅒ
yae
as in 얘
'yae'
ㅖ
ye
as in 예
'ye'
ㅘ
wa
as in 와
'wa'
ㅙ
wae
as in 왜
'wae'
ㅚ
oe
as in 외
sounds close to 'we'
ㅝ
wo
as in 워
'wo'
ㅞ
we
as in 웨
'we'
ㅟ
wi
as in 위
'wi'
ㅢ
ui
as in 의
'eu' gliding into 'i'
왕
wang
as in 왕
ㅇ is silent at the START and 'ng' at the BOTTOM — the same letter, two jobs.
밥
bap
as in 밥
밥 = rice. The same ㅂ is 'b' on top and an unreleased 'p' at the bottom.
옷
ot
as in 옷
옷 = clothes. A final ㅅ is NOT 's' — it stops as 't'. So do ㅈ ㅊ ㅌ ㅎ ㅆ.
부엌
bueok
as in 부엌
부엌 = kitchen. A final ㅋ stops as 'k', exactly like ㄱ and ㄲ.
강
gang
as in 강
강 = river. Final ㅇ is the only place ㅇ makes a sound: 'ng'.
잘
jal
as in 잘
잘 = well. Final ㄹ is an 'l'. You already say it in 잘 먹겠습니다.
맛
mat
as in 맛
맛 = taste. Alone it is 'mat'. Watch what happens to it in the next stage.
맛있어요
masisseoyo
as in 맛있어요
RULE — linking: when a batchim is followed by ㅇ, the batchim slides across into it. 맛있 is read 마싰, so 맛있어요 = 마시써요.
한국어
hangugeo
as in 한국어
Linking again: the ㄱ of 국 slides into 어 and softens to 'g' between vowels. 한국어 = 한구거.
감사합니다
gamsahamnida
as in 감사합니다
RULE — nasal: a ㅂ before ㄴ turns into ㅁ. 합니다 is read 함니다. This is the single most useful rule you will learn.
습니다
seumnida
as in 습니다
The same nasal rule, in the formal ending you use with elders and strangers. EVERY -습니다 word is said -씀니다.
잘 먹겠습니다
jal meokgesseumnida
as in 잘 먹겠습니다
Both rules at once, in a phrase you already know. Say it before eating and your host will notice.
못해요
motaeyo
as in 못해요
RULE — ㅎ blending: a stopped batchim meeting ㅎ fuses into one breathy sound. 못해요 = 모태요.
실례합니다
sillyehamnida
as in 실례합니다
RULE — ㄹ doubling: ㄹ next to ㄴ or ㄹ gives a long 'll'. Plus the nasal rule on 합니다.
배불러요
baebulleoyo
as in 배불러요
ㄹ doubling again: ㄹㄹ is always 'll', never 'lr'. 배불러요 = I'm full.
학교
hakkyo
as in 학교
RULE — tensing: after a stopped batchim (ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ), the next ㄱ/ㄷ/ㅂ/ㅅ/ㅈ doubles up tense. 학교 is said 학꾜 — the k snaps. The same rule makes 먹다 come out 먹따.
같이
gachi
as in 같이
RULE — ㅌ before 이 becomes ㅊ. 같이 (together) is said 가치, never 가티. A rare rule that happens to own one of the most common words in the language.
한국말
hangungmal
as in 한국말
RULE — a stopped batchim relaxes into a nasal before ㅁ or ㄴ: ㄱ→ㅇ, ㄷ→ㄴ, ㅂ→ㅁ. 한국말 is said 한궁말. You met the ㅂ→ㅁ version inside 감사합니다; this is the same law for ㄱ.
없어요
eopseoyo
as in 없어요
RULE — double batchim: 없 ends in TWO consonants, ㅂ and ㅅ. Before a vowel both survive — the ㅅ slides across and tenses: 없어요 = 업써요. Before a consonant only the ㅂ survives: 없다 = 업따.
Kaja Hangul is a free Korean course. No ads, no tracking.
The Korean here was written by a learner and is being checked by a native speaker — if something
reads wrong to you, it may well be.