The Korean alphabet (νκΈ, Hangul) is one of the most scientific writing systems ever created. In this lesson you'll master all 19 consonants β 14 basic and 5 double (tense) consonants.
Estimated Time: 45β60 minutes
Hangul was created in 1443 by King Sejong the Great so that ordinary people could read and write. Before Hangul, Korea used Chinese characters (νμ), which required years of study. Sejong designed Hangul to be so logical that "a wise person can learn it in one morning, and even a fool can learn it in ten days."
π‘ Fun Fact: Hangul's consonant shapes are based on the shape of the mouth, tongue, and throat when making each sound. It's literally a diagram of how you speak!
Korean has 14 basic consonant letters. Each has a name and represents a specific sound. Pay attention to how the sound can change depending on its position in a syllable.
| Letter | Name | Initial Sound | Final Sound (λ°μΉ¨) | Think Of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| γ± | κΈ°μ (giyeok) | g (as in go) | k | The letter mimics the tongue touching the back of the mouth |
| γ΄ | λμ (nieun) | n (as in no) | n | Tongue touching the roof of the mouth |
| γ· | λκ·Ώ (digeut) | d (as in do) | t | Tongue against the upper teeth ridge |
| γΉ | 리μ (rieul) | r/l (between the two) | l | Tongue curls β a soft flap like the "t" in American "butter" |
| γ | λ―Έμ (mieum) | m (as in mom) | m | Shape of closed lips |
| γ | λΉμ (bieup) | b (as in bus) | p | Shape of the mouth from the side |
| γ | μμ· (siot) | s (as in sun) | t | Shape of a tooth |
| γ | μ΄μ (ieung) | silent (placeholder) | ng | Shape of the throat β silent at start, "ng" at end |
| γ | μ§μ (jieut) | j (as in joy) | t | A softer "j" than in English |
| γ | μΉμ (chieut) | ch (as in chin) | t | γ + extra breath (aspiration mark on top) |
| γ | ν€μ (kieuk) | k (as in kite) | k | γ± + extra breath |
| γ | ν°μ (tieut) | t (as in top) | t | γ· + extra breath |
| γ | νΌμ (pieup) | p (as in park) | p | γ + extra breath |
| γ | νμ (hieut) | h (as in hat) | silent/t | Shape of air flowing from the throat |
Plain β Aspirated: Some consonants come in pairs. The aspirated version adds a puff of air (hold your hand in front of your mouth β you'll feel it):
γ± (g) β γ (k) Β· γ· (d) β γ (t) Β· γ (b) β γ (p) Β· γ (j) β γ (ch)
Double consonants are written by repeating the basic consonant. They're pronounced with a tight, tense throat β no puff of air, but with extra force. English doesn't really have this sound, so it takes practice!
| Letter | Name | Sound | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| γ² | μκΈ°μ (ssang-giyeok) | Hard "kk" β no breath | κΉ (kka) |
| γΈ | μλκ·Ώ (ssang-digeut) | Hard "tt" β no breath | λ° (tta) |
| γ | μλΉμ (ssang-bieup) | Hard "pp" β no breath | λΉ (ppa) |
| γ | μμμ· (ssang-siot) | Hard "ss" β no breath | μΈ (ssa) |
| γ | μμ§μ (ssang-jieut) | Hard "jj" β no breath | μ§ (jja) |
Korean has three types of consonants for each group β this is the trickiest part for English speakers:
Plain (lax): γ± γ· γ γ β gentle, soft start
Aspirated (breathy): γ γ γ γ β with a puff of air
Tense (doubled): γ² γΈ γ γ γ β tight throat, no air
Practice by holding a tissue in front of your mouth: the tissue should flutter for aspirated, not for tense, and barely for plain.
King Sejong based the five basic shapes on how sounds are physically produced:
| Base Shape | Represents | Related Consonants |
|---|---|---|
| γ± | Tongue touching the back of the mouth (velar) | γ± β γ β γ² |
| γ΄ | Tongue touching the roof of the mouth (alveolar) | γ΄ β γ· β γ β γΈ |
| γ | Shape of closed lips (bilabial) | γ β γ β γ β γ |
| γ | Shape of a tooth (fricative) | γ β γ β γ β γ β γ |
| γ | Shape of the throat (glottal) | γ β γ |
Q1: Which consonant is silent at the beginning of a syllable but sounds like "ng" at the end?
Q2: What's the aspirated partner of γ±?
Q3: How do you write a tense "ss" sound?
Try writing each consonant by hand (on paper or a tablet). Follow this order for each group:
γ± γ΄ γ· γΉ γ γ γ γ γ
Write each one 5 times. Say its name and sound as you write.
γ γ γ γ γ
Notice how each builds on a basic shape by adding strokes.
γ² γΈ γ γ γ
Practice the tight throat feeling. No puff of air!
In Lesson 2, you'll learn the vowels and how to combine consonants + vowels into syllable blocks β the building blocks of reading Korean!