Language/Korean/Grammar/Reading-and-writing-Korean-Alphabets

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Korean Grammar → Korean Alphabets → Reading and Writing Korean Alphabets

Welcome to the "Complete 0 to A1 Korean Course"! In this lesson, you will learn how to read and write the Korean alphabets, also known as Hangul. Hangul is an incredibly elegant and logical writing system that was created by a group of Korean scholars, led by King Sejong, in the 15th century. Hangul consists of 24 letters and is a relatively simple writing system that can be learned quickly. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to read and write basic Korean words and sentences.


Don't miss the chance to check out these pages as you wrap up this lesson: Connecting Verbs & 0 to A1 Course.

Korean Alphabets[edit | edit source]

Korean language has a unique writing system that is different from other Asian languages. The Korean writing system is phonetic, and each Korean alphabet has a distinct sound. Korean language learners can easily read Korean once they can master the Korean alphabets.

Basic Building Blocks of Korean Words and Sentences[edit | edit source]

Before we start learning the Korean alphabets, let us first understand the structure of Korean words and sentences.

Korean words are composed of syllables, and each syllable is made up of one or more Korean alphabets. The basic structure of a Korean sentence is Subject-Object-Verb (SOV). This means the subject is usually followed by an object and then the verb.

For example:

  • 나는 사과를 먹어요 (na-neun sa-gwa-reul meo-geo-yo) means "I eat an apple." (literally "I (subject) apple (object) eat (verb)")
  • 선생님은 공부를 잘하십니다. (seon-saeng-nim-eun gon-bu-reul jal-ha-sip-ni-da) means "The teacher studies well." (literally "The teacher (subject) study (object) well do (verb)")

Korean Alphabets[edit | edit source]

Now let's move on to the Korean alphabets, also known as Hangul. The 24 Korean alphabets are divided into 14 consonants and 10 vowels.

Consonants[edit | edit source]

The Korean consonants can be divided into two groups: Batchim (final consonants) and Choseong (initial consonants).

Here is the list of 14 Korean consonants:

Korean Pronunciation English Translation
ㄱ g g
ㄴ n n
ㄷ d d
ㄹ r/l r/l
ㅁ m m
ㅂ b b
ㅅ s s
ㅇ ∅ when it is a choseong; ng when it is a batchim no sound (silent) when it is a choseong; ng when it is a batchim
ㅈ j j
ㅊ ch ch
ㅋ k k
ㅌ t t
ㅍ p p
ㅎ h h

Vowels[edit | edit source]

Korean vowels can be classified into two groups: Pure vowels and complex vowels. The complex vowels are a combination of the pure vowels.

Here is the list of 10 Korean vowels:

Korean Pronunciation English Translation
ㅏ a a
ㅐ ae ae
ㅑ ya ya
ㅒ yae yae
ㅓ eo eo
ㅔ e e
ㅕ yeo yeo
ㅖ ye ye
ㅗ o o
ㅛ yo yo

Writing Korean Alphabets[edit | edit source]

Once you have mastered the Korean consonants and vowels, the next step is to learn the proper stroke order when writing the Korean alphabets.

Here is a helpful tip: each Korean alphabet character is written within a square block or rectangle. If the vowel is vertical, the consonant is written to the left of the vowel. If the vowel is horizontal, the consonant is written above the vowel.

For example:

  • ㅂ is written on the left side of ㅓ to make the syllable "beo" (버)
  • ㄱ is written on the left side of ㅏ to make the syllable "ga" (가)
  • ㅅ is written above ㅗ to make the syllable "so" (소)

Reading Korean Alphabets[edit | edit source]

Now that you know how to write Korean alphabets, it's time to practice reading them! To read Korean words, you simply need to put the letters together in order from left to right.

While Korean pronunciation follows some basic rules, there are some exceptions. Therefore, it is important to practice your pronunciation with a native speaker or listen to audio recordings.

Practice Time[edit | edit source]

Here are some simple Korean words to practice writing and reading Korean alphabets:

  • 안녕하세요 (an-nyeong-ha-se-yo) - Hello
  • 감사합니다 (gam-sa-ham-ni-da) - Thank you
  • 사랑해요 (sa-rang-hae-yo) - I love you

Conclusion[edit | edit source]

By mastering the Korean alphabets, you have taken the first big step in learning the Korean language! Don't forget to practice reading and writing Korean alphabets daily to become more familiar with them.

Table of Contents - Korean Course - 0 to A1[edit source]


Korean Alphabets


Greetings and Introductions


Korean Culture and Customs


Sentence Building


Daily Routine


Korean Pop Culture


Describing People and Things


Food and Drinks


Korean Traditions


Verb Tenses


Travel and Sightseeing


Korean Arts and Crafts


Conjunctions and Connectors


Health and Body


Korean Nature

Other Lessons[edit | edit source]

Sources[edit | edit source]


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