Korean Alphabet Pronunciation Guide: A Comprehensive Resource111

The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul, is a unique and systematic writing system that is widely acknowledged for its simplicity and efficiency. Developed in the 15th century by King Sejong the Great, Hangul replaced the complex Chinese characters that were previously used to write Korean.

Structure of Hangul

Hangul consists of 24 basic letters: 14 consonants and 10 vowels. Each letter represents a specific sound, and the letters are combined into syllables to form words. Korean syllables are always written in blocks, with one consonant and one vowel per syllable.

Vowel Pronunciation

Letter
Pronunciation
Example


ㅏ
a as in "cat"
가 (ga)


ㅑ
ya as in "yard"
야 (ya)


ㅓ
eo as in "curb"
머 (meo)


ㅕ
yeo as in "yes"
여 (yeo)


ㅗ
o as in "home"
도 (do)


ㅛ
yo as in "yo-yo"
요 (yo)


ㅜ
u as in "moon"
무 (mu)


ㅠ
yu as in "cute"
규 (gyu)


ㅡ
eu as in "two"
느 (neu)


ㅣ
i as in "machine"
미 (mi)

Consonant Pronunciation

Letter
Initial Sound
Medial Sound
Final Sound
Example


ㄱ
g
k
ng
가 (ga)


ㄴ
n
n
n
나 (na)


ㄷ
d
t
t
다 (da)


ㄹ
r
l
l
라 (ra)


ㅁ
m
m
m
마 (ma)


ㅂ
b
p
p
바 (ba)


ㅅ
s
t
t
사 (sa)


ㅇ
-
-
ng
아 (a)


ㅈ
j
t
t
자 (ja)


ㅊ
ch
t
t
차 (cha)


ㅋ
k
k
k
카 (ka)


ㅌ
t
t
t
타 (ta)


ㅍ
p
p
p
파 (pa)


ㅎ
h
t
t
하 (ha)

Syllable Formation

Korean syllables are formed by combining a consonant with a vowel. Each syllable is always written in a square block, and the consonant is written on the left, top, or bottom of the block, depending on its position within the syllable.

Here are some examples of syllable formation:
가 (ga): g + a
나 (na): n + a
다 (da): d + a
머 (meo): m + eo
차 (cha): ch + a

Special Sounds: Diphthongs and Double Consonants

In addition to the basic vowels and consonants, Korean also has diphthongs (combinations of two vowels) and double consonants. Diphthongs are pronounced by blending the two vowels together, while double consonants are pronounced by doubling the initial consonant.

Here are some examples of diphthongs and double consonants:
애 (ae): a + e
왜 (wae): w + a + e
ㅃ (bb): double b
ㄸ (dd): double d

Conclusion

Hangul, the Korean alphabet, is a unique and efficient writing system that is widely admired for its simplicity and ease of learning. With its 24 basic letters and systematic structure, Hangul provides a clear and concise way to represent the sounds of the Korean language.

2025-02-03

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