Learning Hangul, the Korean alphabet, may sound difficult, but it’s actually one of the easiest writing systems in the world. Designed scientifically in the 15th century, it was made to be learned by everyone, regardless of background.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through the basics of Hangul so you can read simple Korean words by the end of the day.
What is Hangul?
Hangul (한글) is the official alphabet of South Korea. Unlike English, where each letter represents a sound, Hangul letters are grouped into blocks that form syllables.
Each block is made of:
One consonant (like g, n, m)
One vowel (like a, o, i)
Optionally, a final consonant (like k, t, ng)
Example:
한 (h + a + n)
국 (g + u + k)
Korean Consonants (No table version)
There are 14 basic consonants. Some are similar to English:
ㄱ sounds like “g” or “k”
ㄴ sounds like “n”
ㄷ sounds like “d” or “t”
ㄹ is between “r” and “l”
ㅁ is “m”
ㅂ is “b” or “p”
ㅅ is “s”
ㅇ is silent at the beginning, but sounds like “ng” at the end
ㅈ is “j”
ㅊ is “ch”
ㅋ is “k”
ㅌ is “t”
ㅍ is “p”
ㅎ is “h”
Korean Vowels (No table version)
There are 10 basic vowels. These combine with consonants to make syllables:
ㅏ sounds like “a” in “car”
ㅓ sounds like “uh” as in “bus”
ㅗ is “o” as in “go”
ㅜ is “oo” as in “moon”
ㅡ is a deep “eu” sound (tight lips)
ㅣ is “ee” as in “ski”
ㅑ is “ya”
ㅕ is “yuh”
ㅛ is “yo”
ㅠ is “you”
How to Read Syllables
Let’s combine them!
가 = ㄱ + ㅏ = “ga”
나 = ㄴ + ㅏ = “na”
사 = ㅅ + ㅏ = “sa”
한 = ㅎ + ㅏ + ㄴ = “han”
Even if you don’t understand the meaning, you can read it aloud!
Practice Words You’ll Recognize
한글 = Hangul
한국 = Korea
사랑 = Love
안녕 = Hello
감사합니다 = Thank you
Why Learn Hangul First?
1. It’s logical and fast to learn
2. You can read signs, menus, and places in Korea
3. You’ll understand K-pop lyrics and Korean drama subtitles better
4. It builds confidence to learn Korean faster
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