Hangul (한글) is one of the most logical and easy-to-learn writing systems in the world. Created in 1443 by King Sejong the Great, it was designed to be accessible to everyone. Most learners can read Hangul within 2-4 hours of focused study.
Why Hangul Is Special
Featural Alphabet: Consonant letter shapes are based on the position of mouth, tongue, and throat when making those sounds.
Systematic Structure: Letters combine into syllable blocks following consistent rules.
Phonetic System: Unlike English, Hangul is highly phonetic—what you see is (mostly) what you say.
Quick to Learn: Read within hours, write within days.
The 24 Letters
Hangul has 14 consonants and 10 vowels. Additional letters are created by combining these.
14 Basic Consonants (자음)
| Hangul | Romanization | Sound |
|---|---|---|
| ㄱ | g/k | Like 'g' in "go" or 'k' in "sky" |
| ㄴ | n | Like 'n' in "no" |
| ㄷ | d/t | Like 'd' in "do" or 't' in "stop" |
| ㄹ | r/l | Between 'r' and 'l' |
| ㅁ | m | Like 'm' in "mom" |
| ㅂ | b/p | Like 'b' in "boy" or 'p' in "spy" |
| ㅅ | s | Like 's' in "see" |
| ㅇ | ng/silent | Silent at start, 'ng' at end |
| ㅈ | j | Like 'j' in "jump" |
| ㅊ | ch | Like 'ch' in "church" |
| ㅋ | k | Like 'k' in "kite" (aspirated) |
| ㅌ | t | Like 't' in "top" (aspirated) |
| ㅍ | p | Like 'p' in "pop" (aspirated) |
| ㅎ | h | Like 'h' in "hat" |
Double Consonants (tense sounds):
- ㄲ (kk), ㄸ (tt), ㅃ (pp), ㅆ (ss), ㅉ (jj)
10 Basic Vowels (모음)
Simple Vowels:
| Hangul | Romanization | Sound |
|---|---|---|
| ㅏ | a | Like 'a' in "father" |
| ㅓ | eo | Like 'u' in "umbrella" |
| ㅗ | o | Like 'o' in "go" |
| ㅜ | u | Like 'oo' in "moon" |
| ㅡ | eu | Like 'u' in "put" (unrounded) |
| ㅣ | i | Like 'ee' in "see" |
Compound Vowels:
| Hangul | Romanization | Sound |
|---|---|---|
| ㅐ | ae | Like 'e' in "bed" |
| ㅔ | e | Like 'e' in "bed" |
| ㅑ | ya | Like 'ya' in "yacht" |
| ㅕ | yeo | Like 'yu' in "yuck" |
| ㅛ | yo | Like 'yo' in "yo-yo" |
| ㅠ | yu | Like 'you' |
| ㅘ | wa | Like 'wa' in "watch" |
| ㅙ | wae | Like 'we' in "wedding" |
| ㅚ | oe | Like 'we' or 'oi' |
| ㅝ | wo | Like 'wo' in "won" |
| ㅞ | we | Like 'we' in "wet" |
| ㅟ | wi | Like 'wee' |
| ㅢ | ui | 'u' + 'i' (often simplified to 'i') |
Syllable Block Structure
Hangul arranges letters into syllable blocks that form squares. Each block represents one syllable and must contain:
- At least one consonant (initial)
- At least one vowel
- Optionally a final consonant (받침 batchim)
Block Patterns
Type 1: Consonant + Horizontal Vowel
ㄱ + ㅏ = 가 (ga)
ㅂ + ㅗ = 보 (bo)
Type 2: Consonant + Vertical Vowel
ㄱ + ㅣ = 기 (gi)
ㅁ + ㅕ = 며 (myeo)
Type 3: Consonant + Vowel + Final Consonant
ㄱ + ㅏ + ㄴ = 간 (gan)
ㅎ + ㅏ + ㄴ = 한 (han)
Silent ㅇ as Placeholder
When a syllable begins with a vowel sound, ㅇ serves as a silent placeholder:
- 아 (a) = ㅇ + ㅏ
- 어 (eo) = ㅇ + ㅓ
- 이 (i) = ㅇ + ㅣ
The same ㅇ makes an 'ng' sound as a final consonant:
- 강 (gang) = ㄱ + ㅏ + ㅇ
- 방 (bang) = ㅂ + ㅏ + ㅇ
Reading Practice: Common Words
한국 (han-guk) - Korea
- 한 = ㅎ + ㅏ + ㄴ
- 국 = ㄱ + ㅜ + ㄱ
사랑 (sa-rang) - Love
- 사 = ㅅ + ㅏ
- 랑 = ㄹ + ㅏ + ㅇ
학교 (hak-gyo) - School
- 학 = ㅎ + ㅏ + ㄱ
- 교 = ㄱ + ㅛ
친구 (chin-gu) - Friend
- 친 = ㅊ + ㅣ + ㄴ
- 구 = ㄱ + ㅜ
김치 (kim-chi) - Kimchi
- 김 = ㄱ + ㅣ + ㅁ
- 치 = ㅊ + ㅣ
Basic Pronunciation Rules
Final Consonant Simplification
Only 7 consonant sounds can appear at the end of syllables: ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄷ, ㄹ, ㅁ, ㅂ, ㅇ
Other consonants simplify:
- ㅋ, ㄲ → pronounced as ㄱ
- ㅌ, ㅅ, ㅆ, ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅎ → pronounced as ㄷ
- ㅍ → pronounced as ㅂ
Liaison (연음)
When a syllable ending with a consonant is followed by ㅇ, the consonant sound moves to the next syllable:
- 한국어 (han-gu-geo) → [ha-n-gu-geo]
- 있어요 (iss-eo-yo) → [i-sseo-yo]
Writing Hangul
Stroke Order Principles
- Top to bottom
- Left to right
- Horizontal before vertical
- Outside before inside
Practice with squared paper to keep syllable blocks even-sized.
Typing Hangul
Computer:
- Windows: Add Korean keyboard (Microsoft IME)
- Mac: System Preferences → Keyboard → Input Sources → Add Korean
Mobile:
- iOS: Settings → General → Keyboard → Add Korean
- Android: Settings → Language & Input → Add Korean
Letters combine automatically as you type:
- Type ㄱ then ㅏ = 가
- Type ㄱ, ㅏ, ㄴ = 간
- Type ㅎ, ㅏ, ㄴ, ㄱ, ㅜ, ㄱ = 한국
Practice Sentences
안녕하세요 (an-nyeong-ha-se-yo) - Hello
감사합니다 (gam-sa-ham-ni-da) - Thank you
사랑해요 (sa-rang-hae-yo) - I love you
맛있어요 (ma-si-sseo-yo) - It's delicious
괜찮아요 (gwaen-cha-na-yo) - It's okay
고마워요 (go-ma-wo-yo) - Thank you (casual)
Historical Context
King Sejong the Great created Hangul in 1443 because Chinese characters were too difficult for common people. The original name was 훈민정음 (Hunminjeongeum) - "The Correct Sounds for the Instruction of the People."
It was revolutionary because it was designed specifically for Korean and meant to be easy to learn.
Why Learn Hangul First
Learning Hangul before anything else is crucial:
- Romanization is inconsistent - Multiple systems cause confusion
- Pronunciation accuracy - Hangul shows actual sounds
- Reading real Korean - Everything in Korea uses Hangul
- Faster progress - Learn vocabulary faster with Hangul
- Grammar understanding - Korean grammar makes more sense in Hangul
The few hours invested in Hangul will save countless hours later.
Learning Steps
Day 1 (2-3 hours):
- Learn 14 basic consonants
- Learn 6 simple vowels
- Practice simple syllable blocks
- Read 20-30 syllables
Day 2 (2-3 hours):
- Learn compound vowels
- Learn double consonants
- Practice complex syllables
- Read simple words
Day 3 (2-3 hours):
- Learn final consonants (받침)
- Practice pronunciation rules
- Read 50-100 common words
- Read simple sentences
Week 1: Practice reading street signs, K-pop lyrics, menu items, and simple texts.
Resources
- YouTube: Korean Unnie, Talk To Me In Korean, GO! Billy Korean
- Apps: Drops, LingoDeer, Memrise
- Practice: Children's books, K-pop lyrics, Korean signs, webtoons
You've mastered Hangul when you can read syllable blocks instantly without sounding out each letter.