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Lesson 3 — Korean Consonants (자음)

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Lesson 3 — Korean Consonants (자음)

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📌 Key Points

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Korean consonants are called 자음 (Jaeum).

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Korean has 14 basic consonants and five double consonants.

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There are 19 consonants in the complete beginner consonant set.

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The five double consonants are ㄲ, ㄸ, ㅃ, ㅆ, and ㅉ.

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Korean consonants include plain, aspirated, tense, nasal, liquid, and glottal sounds.

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Aspirated consonants release a strong puff of air.

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Tense consonants use strong tension with little extra air.

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ㅇ is silent at the beginning and sounds NG at the end.

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ㄹ can sound like a light “r” or an “l,” depending on its position.

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ㅅ and ㅆ sound closer to “sh” before ㅣ and y-vowels.

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Vertical vowels are placed to the right of the consonant.

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Horizontal vowels are placed below the consonant.

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Consonants combine with vowels to form syllables.

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Writing and pronunciation practice are essential.

📈 Your Progress

Lesson 3 — Korean Consonants (자음)

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

Identify basic Korean consonants
Pronounce Korean consonant sounds
Write Korean consonants correctly
Combine consonants with vowels to form syllables
Read simple Korean syllables

Introduction to Korean Consonants (자음)

What Are Korean Consonants?

Korean consonants are called:

자음

자음 (ja-eum) means consonant.

Consonants are one of the two main building blocks of Hangul:

자음 (Consonants) + 모음 (Vowels) → Korean syllables

For example:

ㄱ + ㅏ = 가

Here:

ㄱ = consonant
ㅏ = vowel
가 = complete syllable

Learning consonants allows you to begin building and reading hundreds of Korean syllables.

The 14 Basic Korean Consonants

Modern Hangul has 14 basic consonants:

ㄱ ㄴ ㄷ ㄹ ㅁ ㅂ ㅅ ㅇ ㅈ ㅊ ㅋ ㅌ ㅍ ㅎ

For now, don't worry about memorizing all their sounds.

First, become familiar with their shapes.

These Romanizations are only guides. Korean consonants do not always match English consonants exactly.

You will learn their real pronunciation individually.

Consonants Need Vowels

A consonant normally does not form a complete Korean syllable by itself.

For example:

ㄱ

is a consonant.

Add:

ㅏ

and you get:

가

Similarly:

ㄴ + ㅏ = 나

ㄷ + ㅏ = 다

ㅁ + ㅏ = 마

ㅂ + ㅏ = 바

This is how consonants and vowels work together to build Korean writing.

Consonant + Vowel

Remember the basic formula:

Consonant + Vowel = Syllable

Examples:

ㄱ + ㅏ → 가

ㄴ + ㅏ → 나

ㅁ + ㅗ → 모

ㅅ + ㅜ → 수

ㅈ + ㅣ → 지

Instead of writing Korean letters separately like:

❌ ㄱㅏ

they are arranged into one block:

✅ 가

The Shape of the Syllable Changes

The position of the consonant depends on the type of vowel.

You already learned that Korean vowels can be vertical or horizontal.

With a Vertical Vowel

Example:

ㄱ + ㅏ

The vowel goes to the right:

가

With a Horizontal Vowel

Example:

ㄱ + ㅗ

The vowel goes underneath:

고

So:

ㄱ + ㅏ = 가

but:

ㄱ + ㅗ = 고

The same consonant changes its position slightly to fit the syllable block.

Korean Consonant Shapes Are Systematic

One fascinating feature of Hangul is that several basic consonant shapes were designed to represent the speech organs involved in producing their sounds.

For example:

ㄴ

The shape traditionally represents the tongue touching the area behind the upper teeth.

ㅁ

The shape represents the shape of the mouth.

ㅅ

The shape traditionally represents the shape of the teeth.

ㅇ

The shape represents the throat.

This systematic design is one reason Hangul is widely recognized for its logical structure.

Related Consonant Shapes

Some consonants are visually related.

For example:

ㄱ → ㅋ

ㄷ → ㅌ

ㅂ → ㅍ

ㅈ → ㅊ

The second consonant in each pair represents a more strongly aspirated sound.

Compare:

ㄱ → ㅋ

가 → 카

You will study these pronunciation differences carefully later.

For now, simply notice that Hangul often builds related consonants by modifying basic shapes.

Three Important Consonant Sound Types

As you progress, you will encounter three broad categories of Korean consonants.

Plain Consonants

Examples:

ㄱ ㄷ ㅂ ㅈ

Aspirated Consonants

Examples:

ㅋ ㅌ ㅍ ㅊ

These are produced with a stronger burst of air.

Tense Consonants

Later you will learn:

ㄲ ㄸ ㅃ ㅆ ㅉ

These are called 쌍자음 (double/tense consonants).

They are not part of the 14 basic consonants, so they will be studied separately.

Korean Consonants Can Sound Different

This is very important.

A Korean consonant does not always have exactly one English equivalent.

For example:

ㄱ

may sound somewhat different depending on where it appears in a word or syllable.

That is why you may see:

g/k

used to describe it.

Similarly:

ㄷ → d/t

ㅂ → b/p

ㄹ → r/l

Learners should therefore avoid thinking:

“ㄱ always equals English G.”

Instead, learn Korean consonants through native audio and real Korean words.

The Special Consonant ㅇ

One consonant deserves special attention:

ㅇ

Its pronunciation depends strongly on its position.

At the Beginning

It is silent.

Example:

ㅇ + ㅏ = 아

Pronunciation:

At the End

It represents an ng sound.

Example:

강

approximately:

gang

So:

아 → initial ㅇ is silent

강 → final ㅇ = ng

You will study final consonants in more detail when learning 받침.

The Special Consonant ㄹ

Another important consonant is:

ㄹ

It is commonly Romanized as either:

or:

Its actual pronunciation depends on its position and surrounding sounds.

Examples:

라

리

말

Beginners should avoid forcing ㄹ to sound exactly like either English R or L.

Its Korean pronunciation should be learned through listening and imitation.

Meet the Consonants Visually 👀

Look at the complete set:

ㄱ　ㄴ　ㄷ　ㄹ　ㅁ　ㅂ　ㅅ

ㅇ　ㅈ　ㅊ　ㅋ　ㅌ　ㅍ　ㅎ

Try looking away.

Can you remember any of the shapes?

At this stage, recognition is more important than perfect pronunciation.

Consonant or Vowel?

Identify each:

ㄱ → Consonant

ㅏ → Vowel

ㅁ → Consonant

ㅜ → Vowel

ㅇ → Consonant

ㅣ → Vowel

ㅅ → Consonant

ㅗ → Vowel

This activity connects the previous vowel lesson with the new consonant lesson.

Build Your First Syllables

You already know the vowels, so let's combine them with consonants.

ㄱ

ㄱ + ㅏ = 가

ㄱ + ㅗ = 고

ㄱ + ㅜ = 구

ㄱ + ㅡ = 그

ㄱ + ㅣ = 기

ㄴ

ㄴ + ㅏ = 나

ㄴ + ㅗ = 노

ㄴ + ㅜ = 누

ㄴ + ㅡ = 느

ㄴ + ㅣ = 니

ㅁ

ㅁ + ㅏ = 마

ㅁ + ㅗ = 모

ㅁ + ㅜ = 무

ㅁ + ㅡ = 므

ㅁ + ㅣ = 미

You are now using consonants and vowels together to actually read Hangul.

Writing Activity ✍️

For now, copy the complete consonant set:

ㄱ　ㄴ　ㄷ　ㄹ　ㅁ　ㅂ　ㅅ

ㅇ　ㅈ　ㅊ　ㅋ　ㅌ　ㅍ　ㅎ

Then try writing as many as you can from memory.

You will learn the proper stroke order for each consonant individually.

Common Beginner Mistakes

❌ Thinking Every Korean Consonant Has One Exact English Sound

Korean consonants have their own pronunciation system.

Romanization is only a guide.

❌ Writing Consonants and Vowels Separately

Incorrect:

ㄴㅏ

Correct:

나

❌ Pronouncing Initial ㅇ

In:

아

the ㅇ is silent.

❌ Assuming ㄹ Is Exactly English R or L

Its pronunciation changes depending on position.

❌ Trying to Memorize Everything Immediately

The goal of this section is to understand the consonant system.

Each consonant will be studied individually afterward.

Basic Consonant ㄱ (기역)

Now that you understand what Korean consonants are, it is time to study them one by one.

The first basic Korean consonant is:

ㄱ

Its Korean name is:

기역

ㄱ is one of the most common consonants in Korean. You will see it in everyday words such as:

가다, 고기, 가방, 한국

One important thing to understand from the beginning is that ㄱ is not exactly the same as either English “g” or “k.” Its pronunciation changes depending on its position and surrounding sounds.

Meet the Consonant ㄱ

Letter

ㄱ

Korean Name

기역

Common Romanization

g / k

Basic Sound

The sound of ㄱ is produced at the back of the mouth.

It can sound somewhat like:

depending on its position.

For beginners, the most important thing is to listen to native Korean pronunciation rather than forcing ㄱ into one English sound.

How to Pronounce ㄱ

To produce ㄱ:

Step 1 — Raise the Back of Your Tongue

The back of your tongue moves upward toward the soft part of the roof of your mouth.

Step 2 — Briefly Block the Air

The tongue briefly stops the airflow.

Step 3 — Release

Release the tongue and allow the air to escape.

Practice:

가

거

고

구

그

기

Tongue Position

When producing ㄱ:

The back of the tongue is active.
It contacts or approaches the soft palate.
The lips do not create the consonant.
Air is briefly blocked and then released.

This makes ㄱ a sound produced mainly toward the back of the mouth.

Why Does ㄱ Have This Shape?

Hangul consonant shapes were systematically designed around articulation.

The basic shape:

ㄱ

traditionally represents the shape of the tongue root/back of the tongue involved in producing the sound.

This is one reason learning the shape together with the mouth position can help learners remember the consonant.

How to Write ㄱ

ㄱ is a simple consonant.

It is written as a connected angular stroke:

across → down

Finished:

ㄱ

The result should look like a clean right angle.

Stroke Order ✍️

Start at the upper-left.

Move:

→ right

Then:

↓ down

Result:

ㄱ

Avoid making it:

Rounded
Curved
Too narrow
Uneven

Writing Practice

Trace

ㄱ　ㄱ　ㄱ　ㄱ　ㄱ

Copy

ㄱ　_____　_____　_____　_____

Write From Memory

_____　_____　_____　_____　_____

While writing, remember the consonant name:

기역

Combine ㄱ With the 10 Basic Vowels

You already know all ten basic vowels, so you can now combine them with ㄱ.

ㄱ + Vowel	Syllable
ㄱ + ㅏ	가
ㄱ + ㅑ	갸
ㄱ + ㅓ	거
ㄱ + ㅕ	겨
ㄱ + ㅗ	고
ㄱ + ㅛ	교
ㄱ + ㅜ	구
ㄱ + ㅠ	규
ㄱ + ㅡ	그
ㄱ + ㅣ	기

Read:

가 갸 거 겨 고 교 구 규 그 기

This is an important reading row and should be included directly in the lesson.

Vertical Vowel Combinations

Remember that vertical vowels go to the right of the consonant.

ㄱ + ㅏ

ㄱ + ㅏ → 가

ㄱ + ㅑ

ㄱ + ㅑ → 갸

ㄱ + ㅓ

ㄱ + ㅓ → 거

ㄱ + ㅕ

ㄱ + ㅕ → 겨

ㄱ + ㅣ

ㄱ + ㅣ → 기

Notice how ㄱ occupies the left side of the syllable block.

Horizontal Vowel Combinations

Horizontal vowels go below the consonant.

ㄱ + ㅗ

ㄱ + ㅗ → 고

ㄱ + ㅛ

ㄱ + ㅛ → 교

ㄱ + ㅜ

ㄱ + ㅜ → 구

ㄱ + ㅠ

ㄱ + ㅠ → 규

ㄱ + ㅡ

ㄱ + ㅡ → 그

Here, ㄱ occupies the upper part of the syllable.

Understanding the Sound of ㄱ

A beginner may ask:

Is ㄱ a “g” or a “k”?

The better answer is:

ㄱ is a Korean sound with pronunciation that changes according to context.

For example, at the beginning of a word, it is a plain, unaspirated sound that does not perfectly match either English g or strongly aspirated English k.

Between voiced sounds, it can sound more g-like.

At the end of a syllable as 받침, it is realized as an unreleased [k̚]-type sound.

You do not need to master all these rules yet.

For now:

Learn ㄱ as its own Korean sound.

ㄱ vs ㅋ

Later you will learn:

ㅋ

Compare:

ㄱ — ㅋ

Both are produced in a similar place in the mouth.

However, ㅋ has much stronger aspiration—a noticeable burst of air.

Compare:

가 — 카

Try placing your hand or a small piece of paper in front of your mouth while listening to native pronunciation.

You should notice more air with:

카

than:

가

ㄱ vs ㄲ

Later you will also learn the tense consonant:

ㄲ

So eventually you will compare:

ㄱ — ㅋ — ㄲ

For example:

가 — 카 — 까

These three consonants differ mainly in how they are produced, not simply as English g/k distinctions.

For now, focus only on:

ㄱ

Useful Words Beginning With ㄱ

Here are some useful Korean words:

Learners do not need to understand every consonant or 받침 in these words yet.

The goal is to recognize ㄱ at the beginning of syllables.

More ㄱ Vocabulary

You can also introduce:

These provide learners with more opportunities to see ㄱ in authentic Korean.

Find ㄱ 👀

가방

Which consonant begins the word?

👉 ㄱ

고기

Look at:

고 + 기

Both syllables begin with:

👉 ㄱ

구두

Which consonant begins 구?

👉 ㄱ

기차

Which consonant begins 기?

👉 ㄱ

Common Beginner Mistakes

❌ Mistake 1 — Thinking ㄱ Always Equals G

ㄱ does not have one exact English equivalent.

Its pronunciation depends on context.

❌ Mistake 2 — Pronouncing ㄱ Like Strong English K

Initial ㄱ is normally less aspirated than Korean ㅋ.

Compare:

가 — 카

❌ Mistake 3 — Confusing ㄱ and ㅋ

Remember:

ㄱ

versus:

ㅋ

ㅋ contains an additional stroke and is aspirated.

❌ Mistake 4 — Writing the Syllable Incorrectly

With vertical vowels:

ㄱ + ㅏ → 가

With horizontal vowels:

ㄱ + ㅗ → 고

Do not place every vowel in the same position.

❌ Mistake 5 — Depending Too Much on Romanization

Do not train yourself to think:

가 → ga → sound

Instead, gradually build the direct connection:

가 → sound

Basic Consonant ㄴ (니은)

You have learned the first basic consonant:

ㄱ — 기역

Now you will learn:

ㄴ

Its Korean name is:

니은

The sound of ㄴ is generally similar to the English “n” sound.

You can find ㄴ in many common Korean words:

나, 나라, 나무, 누구, 누나, 눈

Compared with some Korean consonants, ㄴ is relatively easy for English-speaking beginners to pronounce, but correct tongue position is still important.

Meet the Consonant ㄴ

Letter

ㄴ

Korean Name

니은

Common Romanization

Basic Sound

The basic sound of ㄴ is similar to:

as in:

name
nice
no

However, learners should still imitate native Korean pronunciation rather than relying completely on English.

How to Pronounce ㄴ

Step 1 — Raise the Tip of Your Tongue

Move the tip of your tongue upward.

Step 2 — Touch the Area Behind the Upper Teeth

The tongue makes contact around the ridge just behind your upper front teeth.

Step 3 — Let the Air Flow Through the Nose

The mouth is briefly blocked by the tongue, so air flows through the nasal passage.

Step 4 — Say

나

Practice:

나 — 나 — 나

Then:

너 — 노 — 누 — 느 — 니

Tongue Position

When producing ㄴ:

Tongue tip: Raised
Contact: Behind the upper front teeth / alveolar area
Air: Flows through the nose
Lips: Relaxed
Voice: Used

Because air passes through the nose, ㄴ is a nasal consonant.

Feel the Nasal Sound 👃

Try saying:

나

Now gently touch the side of your nose.

You may feel a slight vibration.

Try:

나 — 나 — 나

This can help learners understand that ㄴ is produced with nasal airflow.

Why Does ㄴ Have This Shape?

The shape:

ㄴ

traditionally represents the position of the tongue during pronunciation.

It reflects the tongue raised toward the area behind the upper teeth.

This connection between letter shape and articulation is an important feature of Hangul's original design.

How to Write ㄴ

The consonant ㄴ has a very simple angular shape.

Write it:

down → right

Finished:

ㄴ

Stroke Order ✍️

Start at the upper-left.

Move:

↓ down

Then:

→ right

The movement creates:

ㄴ

Compare this with ㄱ:

ㄱ → across, then down

ㄴ → down, then across

This is an excellent visual comparison.

ㄱ vs ㄴ Shape

Look carefully:

ㄱ

ㄴ

They are similar right-angle shapes, but their orientations are different.

ㄱ

Top + right side

ㄴ

Left side + bottom

A recognition activity comparing these two consonants is useful for beginners.

Writing Practice ✍️

Trace

ㄴ　ㄴ　ㄴ　ㄴ　ㄴ

Copy

ㄴ　_____　_____　_____　_____

Write From Memory

_____　_____　_____　_____　_____

Say:

니은

while practicing.

Combine ㄴ With All 10 Basic Vowels

Now combine ㄴ with the vowels you already know.

ㄴ + Vowel	Result
ㄴ + ㅏ	나
ㄴ + ㅑ	냐
ㄴ + ㅓ	너
ㄴ + ㅕ	녀
ㄴ + ㅗ	노
ㄴ + ㅛ	뇨
ㄴ + ㅜ	누
ㄴ + ㅠ	뉴
ㄴ + ㅡ	느
ㄴ + ㅣ	니

Read:

나 냐 너 녀 노 뇨 누 뉴 느 니

Vertical Vowel Combinations

Vertical vowels appear to the right of ㄴ.

ㄴ + ㅏ

나

ㄴ + ㅑ

냐

ㄴ + ㅓ

너

ㄴ + ㅕ

녀

ㄴ + ㅣ

니

So:

나　냐　너　녀　니

Horizontal Vowel Combinations

Horizontal vowels appear below ㄴ.

ㄴ + ㅗ

노

ㄴ + ㅛ

뇨

ㄴ + ㅜ

누

ㄴ + ㅠ

뉴

ㄴ + ㅡ

느

So:

노　뇨　누　뉴　느

Useful Words Beginning With ㄴ

Some words contain letters or sounds learners have not studied yet. The main goal here is recognizing initial ㄴ.

More Useful ㄴ Words

You can also introduce:

These can later be reused in vocabulary lessons.

Find ㄴ 👀

나라

Look at:

나 + 라

Which consonant begins 나?

👉 ㄴ

나무

Which consonant begins the word?

👉 ㄴ

누구

Look at:

누

Which consonant appears first?

👉 ㄴ

누나

Both syllables begin with:

👉 ㄴ

누 + 나

Common Beginner Mistakes

❌ Mistake 1 — Confusing ㄱ and ㄴ

Remember their orientation:

ㄱ → top + right

ㄴ → left + bottom

❌ Mistake 2 — Incorrect Tongue Position

For ㄴ, the tongue tip should make contact around the area behind the upper front teeth.

❌ Mistake 3 — Blocking Nasal Airflow

ㄴ is a nasal consonant.

Air should be able to flow through the nose.

❌ Mistake 4 — Writing Vowels in the Wrong Position

Correct:

ㄴ + ㅏ → 나

but:

ㄴ + ㅗ → 노

Vertical vowels go right; horizontal vowels go below.

❌ Mistake 5 — Depending on Romanization

Do not make yourself read:

나 → na → pronunciation

Work toward:

나 → pronunciation directly

Basic Consonant ㄷ (디귿)

You have already learned:

ㄱ — 기역
ㄴ — 니은

Now you will learn:

ㄷ

Its Korean name is:

디귿

The sound of ㄷ is commonly written as d/t in Romanization, but like ㄱ, it does not match one English sound perfectly in every position.

You can find ㄷ in many common Korean words such as:

다리, 도시, 두부, 듣다, 어디

Meet the Consonant ㄷ

Letter

ㄷ

Korean Name

디귿

Common Romanization

d / t

Basic Sound

At the beginning of a syllable, ㄷ is a plain Korean stop consonant.

Its sound is often somewhere between what English speakers expect from d and t, depending on position and context.

For beginners, the best habit is to learn ㄷ as its own Korean sound.

How to Pronounce ㄷ

Step 1 — Raise the Tip of Your Tongue

Bring the tip or front part of your tongue toward the area behind your upper front teeth.

Step 2 — Block the Air Briefly

The tongue briefly stops the airflow.

Step 3 — Release the Air

Release the tongue naturally.

Practice:

다

더

도

두

드

디

Tongue Position

When producing ㄷ:

Tongue: Front part raised
Contact: Around the area behind the upper front teeth
Air: Briefly blocked, then released
Lips: Relaxed
Aspiration: Relatively weak compared with ㅌ

This makes ㄷ different from the aspirated consonant ㅌ, which you will learn later.

ㄴ vs ㄷ Tongue Position

Both consonants use the front of the tongue near the upper teeth.

But they are produced differently.

ㄴ

Air flows through the nose.

ㄷ

Air is briefly blocked and then released through the mouth.

Compare:

나 — 다

노 — 도

누 — 두

This is useful for understanding the difference between a nasal consonant and a stop consonant.

Why Does ㄷ Have This Shape?

The shape ㄷ is historically related to the basic consonant ㄴ.

In the traditional Hangul design system, related consonants were created by adding strokes to basic articulation shapes.

You can visually compare:

ㄴ → ㄷ → ㅌ

This family helps learners see that Hangul consonants are not random symbols.

How to Write ㄷ

The consonant ㄷ is written as a square-like shape with the left side open only during construction.

A practical beginner stroke order is:

Top horizontal stroke
Left vertical stroke
Bottom horizontal stroke
Right vertical stroke

Finished:

ㄷ

The final shape should be clean and angular.

Writing Practice ✍️

Trace

ㄷ　ㄷ　ㄷ　ㄷ　ㄷ

Copy

ㄷ　_____　_____　_____　_____

Write From Memory

_____　_____　_____　_____　_____

Say:

디귿

while practicing.

Combine ㄷ With All 10 Basic Vowels

ㄷ + Vowel	Result
ㄷ + ㅏ	다
ㄷ + ㅑ	댜
ㄷ + ㅓ	더
ㄷ + ㅕ	뎌
ㄷ + ㅗ	도
ㄷ + ㅛ	됴
ㄷ + ㅜ	두
ㄷ + ㅠ	듀
ㄷ + ㅡ	드
ㄷ + ㅣ	디

Read:

다 댜 더 뎌 도 됴 두 듀 드 디

Vertical Vowel Combinations

Vertical vowels appear to the right of ㄷ.

다

댜

더

뎌

디

Horizontal Vowel Combinations

Horizontal vowels appear below ㄷ.

도

됴

두

듀

드

ㄷ vs ㅌ

Later you will learn:

ㅌ

The two are closely related.

ㄷ

Plain consonant

ㅌ

Aspirated consonant

Compare:

다 — 타

도 — 토

두 — 투

The ㅌ sound has a stronger burst of air.

You do not need to master this distinction yet, but learners should begin noticing it.

ㄷ at the End of a Syllable

When ㄷ appears as a final consonant, its pronunciation changes.

For example:

닫

Final ㄷ is pronounced with an unreleased t-like sound.

This is part of the 받침 system and should be studied in detail later.

For now, learners should simply know that consonant pronunciation can change depending on position.

Useful Words Beginning With ㄷ

These words are useful for recognizing initial ㄷ.

More Useful ㄷ Words

You can also introduce:

These include final consonants and more advanced syllables, but they are useful for visual recognition.

Find ㄷ 👀

다리

Which consonant begins the word?

👉 ㄷ

도시

The first syllable:

도

begins with:

👉 ㄷ

두부

Which consonant begins 두?

👉 ㄷ

듣다

Which consonant appears at the beginning?

👉 ㄷ

Common Beginner Mistakes

❌ Mistake 1 — Thinking ㄷ Is Always English D

ㄷ changes slightly depending on context.

Learn it as a Korean consonant.

❌ Mistake 2 — Pronouncing ㄷ Like Strong English T

Plain ㄷ is normally less aspirated than Korean ㅌ.

❌ Mistake 3 — Confusing ㄴ and ㄷ

Compare:

ㄴ

and:

ㄷ

ㄷ has additional strokes.

❌ Mistake 4 — Ignoring Final ㄷ Pronunciation

Final ㄷ behaves differently as 받침.

This will be taught later.

❌ Mistake 5 — Incorrect Syllable Layout

Correct:

ㄷ + ㅏ = 다

but:

ㄷ + ㅗ = 도

Basic Consonant ㄹ (리을)

You have already learned:

ㄱ — 기역
ㄴ — 니은
ㄷ — 디귿

Now you will learn:

ㄹ

Its Korean name is:

리을

This consonant is especially important because ㄹ does not match English R or L exactly. Its sound changes depending on where it appears in a syllable or word.

You can find ㄹ in many common Korean words such as:

라디오, 머리, 다리, 우리, 사람, 서울

Meet the Consonant ㄹ

Letter

ㄹ

Korean Name

리을

Common Romanization

r / l

Basic Sound

The pronunciation of ㄹ changes depending on position.

Between vowels, it often sounds like a light flap, somewhat similar to a very quick English R or the sound in some pronunciations of water.

At the end of a syllable, it is usually closer to an l-like sound.

So it is better to think of ㄹ as:

one Korean consonant with several context-dependent pronunciations

rather than “sometimes R and sometimes L.”

How to Pronounce ㄹ

Between Vowels

Example:

라

머리

다리

The tongue makes a very quick contact near the ridge behind the upper front teeth.

The sound should be light.

Do not use a strong English R.

Practice:

라 — 라 — 라

Then:

리 — 리 — 리

At the End of a Syllable

When ㄹ appears as a final consonant, it is usually pronounced with the tongue remaining in contact near the upper gum ridge.

It becomes more l-like.

Example:

말

You will study final ㄹ more carefully in the 받침 lesson.

For now, just remember:

ㄹ between vowels → often flap-like
ㄹ in final position → often l-like

Tongue Position

When producing ㄹ:

Tongue tip: Moves toward the area behind the upper front teeth
Between vowels: Makes a brief tap or flap
Final position: Stays in contact longer
Lips: Relaxed
Airflow: Continues around the tongue

A tongue-position diagram is very useful for this consonant because English speakers often pronounce it too much like an English R.

Do Not Pronounce ㄹ Like a Strong English R

This is one of the most common beginner mistakes.

English R often involves pulling the tongue backward without touching the roof of the mouth.

Korean ㄹ usually involves the tongue briefly touching the area behind the upper teeth.

Compare:

❌ Strong English-style “rrrr”

✅ Quick Korean ㄹ

Listen carefully to:

라

리

머리

Why Does ㄹ Have This Shape?

The shape ㄹ developed as part of Hangul's systematic consonant design.

It is related to the tongue's articulatory movement.

The letter is visually more complex than ㄴ or ㄷ, which can help learners remember that ㄹ involves a different kind of tongue movement.

How to Write ㄹ

The consonant ㄹ has a more complex zigzag-like shape.

Write it in a clear sequence:

Top horizontal stroke
Down
Across
Down
Across

Finished:

ㄹ

The shape should remain angular and balanced.

Writing Practice ✍️

Trace

ㄹ　ㄹ　ㄹ　ㄹ　ㄹ

Copy

ㄹ　_____　_____　_____　_____

Write From Memory

_____　_____　_____　_____　_____

Say:

리을

while writing.

Combine ㄹ With All 10 Basic Vowels

ㄹ + Vowel	Result
ㄹ + ㅏ	라
ㄹ + ㅑ	랴
ㄹ + ㅓ	러
ㄹ + ㅕ	려
ㄹ + ㅗ	로
ㄹ + ㅛ	료
ㄹ + ㅜ	루
ㄹ + ㅠ	류
ㄹ + ㅡ	르
ㄹ + ㅣ	리

Read:

라 랴 러 려 로 료 루 류 르 리

Vertical Vowel Combinations

Vertical vowels go to the right of ㄹ.

라

랴

러

려

리

Horizontal Vowel Combinations

Horizontal vowels go below ㄹ.

로

료

루

류

르

ㄴ vs ㄹ Pronunciation

These consonants use a similar area of the mouth, but they work differently.

ㄴ

Tongue makes contact
Air flows through the nose
Nasal sound

ㄹ

Tongue makes a quick tap or sustained lateral contact
Air does not flow through the nose in the same way

Compare:

나 — 라

노 — 로

누 — 루

니 — 리

Useful Words Beginning With ㄹ

Pure native Korean words beginning with ㄹ are relatively limited, but many common loanwords and Sino-Korean words begin with ㄹ.

Useful examples include:

These are useful for recognizing ㄹ at the beginning of words.

Useful Words Containing ㄹ

ㄹ also appears frequently inside words:

These are excellent for practicing ㄹ between vowels.

Find ㄹ 👀

라디오

Which consonant begins the word?

👉 ㄹ

머리

Which consonant begins the second syllable?

👉 ㄹ

다리

Look at:

리

Which consonant does it contain?

👉 ㄹ

나라

The second syllable:

라

begins with:

👉 ㄹ

Common Beginner Mistakes

❌ Mistake 1 — Pronouncing ㄹ Like a Strong English R

Avoid a strong English R.

Between vowels, ㄹ is generally produced with a quick tongue contact.

❌ Mistake 2 — Pronouncing Every ㄹ as L

ㄹ is not always l-like.

Its pronunciation depends on position.

❌ Mistake 3 — Confusing ㄹ With ㄷ

Look carefully:

ㄷ

versus:

ㄹ

ㄹ has a more complex zigzag shape.

❌ Mistake 4 — Holding the Tongue Too Long Between Vowels

For words such as:

머리

the ㄹ is usually a quick flap rather than a long L.

❌ Mistake 5 — Depending on “r/l” Romanization

Romanization cannot fully represent ㄹ.

Learn the sound through native audio and tongue-position practice.

Basic Consonant ㅁ (미음)

You have already learned:

ㄱ — 기역
ㄴ — 니은
ㄷ — 디귿
ㄹ — 리을

Now you will learn:

ㅁ

Its Korean name is:

미음

The sound of ㅁ is very similar to the English “m” sound.

You can find ㅁ in many common Korean words such as:

마음, 머리, 모자, 문, 물, 미국

Meet the Consonant ㅁ

Letter

ㅁ

Korean Name

미음

Common Romanization

Basic Sound

The basic sound of ㅁ is similar to English m, as in:

mother
milk
morning

It is one of the easier Korean consonants for beginners to pronounce.

How to Pronounce ㅁ

Step 1 — Close Your Lips

Bring both lips together gently.

Step 2 — Block the Air Through the Mouth

Because your lips are closed, air cannot escape through the mouth.

Step 3 — Let the Air Flow Through the Nose

The sound is produced using nasal airflow.

Step 4 — Say

마

Practice:

마 — 마 — 마

Then:

머 — 모 — 무 — 므 — 미

Lip and Airflow Position

When producing ㅁ:

Lips: Fully closed
Tongue: Relaxed
Air: Flows through the nose
Voice: Used
Mouth airflow: Blocked

Because the air passes through the nose, ㅁ is a nasal consonant.

Feel the Nasal Sound 👃

Say:

마

Now gently touch your nose or cheek.

You may feel a slight vibration.

Try:

마 — 마 — 마

This is similar to the nasal quality you experienced with ㄴ, but ㅁ uses the lips rather than the tongue to block the airflow.

ㄴ vs ㅁ

Both are nasal consonants, but they use different parts of the mouth.

ㄴ

Tongue touches behind the upper teeth
Lips remain open

ㅁ

Lips close completely
Tongue remains relatively relaxed

Compare:

나 — 마

노 — 모

누 — 무

니 — 미

This is an excellent pronunciation contrast.

Why Does ㅁ Have This Shape?

The shape:

ㅁ

traditionally represents the shape of the mouth.

This is one of the easiest Hangul consonant shape origins to remember.

Think:

ㅁ = mouth

Its square shape can help learners connect the letter with closed lips.

How to Write ㅁ

The consonant ㅁ has a simple square shape.

Write it in a clean angular form.

A beginner-friendly stroke sequence is:

Top horizontal stroke
Left vertical stroke
Bottom horizontal stroke
Right vertical stroke

Finished:

ㅁ

Writing Practice ✍️

Trace

ㅁ　ㅁ　ㅁ　ㅁ　ㅁ

Copy

ㅁ　_____　_____　_____　_____

Write From Memory

_____　_____　_____　_____　_____

Say:

미음

while writing.

Combine ㅁ With All 10 Basic Vowels

ㅁ + Vowel	Result
ㅁ + ㅏ	마
ㅁ + ㅑ	먀
ㅁ + ㅓ	머
ㅁ + ㅕ	며
ㅁ + ㅗ	모
ㅁ + ㅛ	묘
ㅁ + ㅜ	무
ㅁ + ㅠ	뮤
ㅁ + ㅡ	므
ㅁ + ㅣ	미

Read:

마 먀 머 며 모 묘 무 뮤 므 미

Vertical Vowel Combinations

Vertical vowels go to the right of ㅁ.

마

먀

머

며

미

Horizontal Vowel Combinations

Horizontal vowels go below ㅁ.

모

묘

무

뮤

므

Useful Words Beginning With ㅁ

Some words contain final consonants or grammar that learners have not studied yet. The goal is to recognize ㅁ.

More Useful ㅁ Words

You can also introduce:

Find ㅁ 👀

머리

Which consonant begins 머?

👉 ㅁ

모자

The first syllable:

모

begins with:

👉 ㅁ

미국

Which consonant begins 미?

👉 ㅁ

마음

Both syllables begin with different letters, but the first syllable:

마

contains initial:

👉 ㅁ

Common Beginner Mistakes

❌ Mistake 1 — Keeping the Lips Open

For ㅁ, the lips should close completely.

❌ Mistake 2 — Confusing ㄴ and ㅁ

Remember:

ㄴ uses the tongue.

ㅁ uses the lips.

Both are nasal consonants.

❌ Mistake 3 — Confusing ㅁ and ㅇ

Visually:

ㅁ = square

ㅇ = circle

❌ Mistake 4 — Writing ㅁ Too Rounded

Hangul handwriting can vary, but beginner practice should keep ㅁ clearly angular and recognizable.

❌ Mistake 5 — Ignoring Nasal Airflow

Like ㄴ, ㅁ requires airflow through the nose.

Basic Consonant ㅂ (비읍)

You have already learned:

ㄱ — 기역
ㄴ — 니은
ㄷ — 디귿
ㄹ — 리을
ㅁ — 미음

Now you will learn:

ㅂ

Its Korean name is:

비읍

The sound of ㅂ is commonly represented as b/p in Romanization, but it does not match either English sound exactly in every position.

You can find ㅂ in many common Korean words such as:

바다, 바지, 비, 부모, 밥

Meet the Consonant ㅂ

Letter

ㅂ

Korean Name

비읍

Common Romanization

b / p

Basic Sound

At the beginning of a syllable, ㅂ is a plain bilabial stop.

That means:

Both lips come together.
Air is briefly blocked.
The lips open to release the sound.

Depending on position, the sound can seem somewhat b-like or p-like to English speakers.

For beginners, it is better to learn:

ㅂ as a Korean sound, not simply as English B or P.

How to Pronounce ㅂ

Step 1 — Close Both Lips

Bring your upper and lower lips together.

Step 2 — Block the Air

Air pressure builds briefly behind the lips.

Step 3 — Release the Lips

Open the lips naturally and release the sound.

Practice:

바

버

보

부

브

비

Lip Position

When producing ㅂ:

Both lips: Close completely
Tongue: Relatively relaxed
Air: Briefly blocked
Release: Through the mouth
Aspiration: Weaker than ㅍ

Because both lips are used, ㅂ is called a bilabial consonant.

Compare ㅁ and ㅂ

You just learned ㅁ, so this comparison is very useful.

ㅁ

Lips close
Air flows through the nose
Nasal consonant

ㅂ

Lips close
Air is blocked
Then released through the mouth

Compare:

마 — 바

모 — 보

무 — 부

미 — 비

The lips begin in a similar position, but the airflow is different.

Why Does ㅂ Have This Shape?

The shape ㅂ is historically related to ㅁ.

You can visually compare:

ㅁ → ㅂ → ㅍ

This family reflects a systematic relationship among sounds produced with the lips.

For beginners, this gives a useful memory connection:

ㅁ → nasal
ㅂ → plain stop
ㅍ → aspirated stop

You will study ㅍ later.

How to Write ㅂ

The consonant ㅂ has a box-like shape with an internal horizontal line.

A beginner-friendly stroke sequence is:

Top horizontal stroke
Left vertical stroke
Middle horizontal stroke
Bottom horizontal stroke
Right vertical stroke

Finished:

ㅂ

Keep the shape angular and balanced.

Writing Practice ✍️

Trace

ㅂ　ㅂ　ㅂ　ㅂ　ㅂ

Copy

ㅂ　_____　_____　_____　_____

Write From Memory

_____　_____　_____　_____　_____

Say:

비읍

while writing.

Combine ㅂ With All 10 Basic Vowels

ㅂ + Vowel	Result
ㅂ + ㅏ	바
ㅂ + ㅑ	뱌
ㅂ + ㅓ	버
ㅂ + ㅕ	벼
ㅂ + ㅗ	보
ㅂ + ㅛ	뵤
ㅂ + ㅜ	부
ㅂ + ㅠ	뷰
ㅂ + ㅡ	브
ㅂ + ㅣ	비

Read:

바 뱌 버 벼 보 뵤 부 뷰 브 비

Vertical Vowel Combinations

Vertical vowels go to the right of ㅂ:

바

뱌

버

벼

비

Horizontal Vowel Combinations

Horizontal vowels go below ㅂ:

보

뵤

부

뷰

브

ㅂ at the End of a Syllable

When ㅂ appears as a final consonant, its sound changes.

For example:

밥

The final ㅂ is pronounced as an unreleased p-like sound.

This belongs to the 받침 system and should be studied later.

For now, learners only need to know that ㅂ does not sound exactly the same in every position.

Useful Words Beginning With ㅂ

These are useful for initial ㅂ recognition.

More Useful ㅂ Words

You can also introduce:

Find ㅂ 👀

바다

Which consonant begins the word?

👉 ㅂ

버스

The first syllable:

버

begins with:

👉 ㅂ

부모

Which consonant begins 부?

👉 ㅂ

비

Which consonant does it contain?

👉 ㅂ

Common Beginner Mistakes

❌ Mistake 1 — Thinking ㅂ Always Equals English B

ㅂ varies by context.

It is better to learn it as its own Korean sound.

❌ Mistake 2 — Pronouncing ㅂ Like Strong English P

ㅂ is less aspirated than Korean ㅍ.

Compare:

바 — 파

❌ Mistake 3 — Confusing ㅁ and ㅂ

Remember:

ㅁ → nasal airflow

ㅂ → air blocked, then released through the mouth

❌ Mistake 4 — Confusing ㅂ and ㅍ

ㅍ has stronger aspiration.

❌ Mistake 5 — Ignoring Final ㅂ Pronunciation

Final ㅂ behaves differently as 받침.

That will be taught later.

Basic Consonant ㅅ (시옷)

You have already learned:

ㄱ — 기역
ㄴ — 니은
ㄷ — 디귿
ㄹ — 리을
ㅁ — 미음
ㅂ — 비읍

Now you will learn:

ㅅ

Its Korean name is:

시옷

The basic sound of ㅅ is similar to the English “s” sound, but its pronunciation changes slightly before some vowels, especially ㅣ and y-vowels.

You can find ㅅ in many common Korean words such as:

사람, 사과, 소, 수업, 시간, 시장

Meet the Consonant ㅅ

Letter

ㅅ

Korean Name

시옷

Common Romanization

Basic Sound

In many positions, ㅅ sounds similar to English s, as in:

sun
sea
smile

For example:

사

서

소

수

스

However, before ㅣ and some y-vowels, the sound becomes more sh-like.

Example:

시

is pronounced closer to:

“shi”

than English “see.”

How to Pronounce ㅅ

Step 1 — Bring the Tongue Close to the Teeth

The tongue approaches the area behind the upper teeth without fully blocking the air.

Step 2 — Keep a Narrow Air Passage

Air passes through a small opening between the tongue and the teeth/alveolar area.

Step 3 — Let the Air Flow

Unlike ㄷ or ㅂ, the airflow is not completely stopped.

Step 4 — Say

사

Practice:

사 — 사 — 사

Then:

서 — 소 — 수 — 스

Mouth and Tongue Position

When producing ㅅ:

Tongue: Near the upper teeth
Airflow: Continuous through a narrow gap
Lips: Usually relaxed
Complete blockage: No
Sound type: Fricative

Because the air creates friction as it passes through the narrow opening, ㅅ is called a fricative consonant.

Special Pronunciation Before ㅣ

This is one of the most important rules to learn with ㅅ.

Compare:

사

versus:

시

When ㅅ comes before ㅣ, its pronunciation becomes more sh-like.

So:

ㅅ + ㅣ = 시

and 시 sounds approximately like:

shi

rather than a simple English “si.”

ㅅ Before Y-Vowels

A similar change can happen before y-vowels.

Examples:

샤

셔

쇼

슈

These are often heard with a more sh-like quality.

So learners should listen carefully to:

사 — 샤

서 — 셔

소 — 쇼

수 — 슈

Why Does ㅅ Have This Shape?

The shape:

ㅅ

traditionally represents the shape of the teeth.

This is a useful memory connection because the sound is produced near the teeth.

Think:

ㅅ → teeth → s-like sound

How to Write ㅅ

The consonant ㅅ is written with two strokes.

Stroke 1

Draw a diagonal stroke downward toward the center.

Stroke 2

Draw another diagonal stroke downward in the opposite direction.

Finished:

ㅅ

It should look like a simple pointed shape.

Writing Practice ✍️

Trace

ㅅ　ㅅ　ㅅ　ㅅ　ㅅ

Copy

ㅅ　_____　_____　_____　_____

Write From Memory

_____　_____　_____　_____　_____

Say:

시옷

while writing.

Combine ㅅ With All 10 Basic Vowels

ㅅ + Vowel	Result
ㅅ + ㅏ	사
ㅅ + ㅑ	샤
ㅅ + ㅓ	서
ㅅ + ㅕ	셔
ㅅ + ㅗ	소
ㅅ + ㅛ	쇼
ㅅ + ㅜ	수
ㅅ + ㅠ	슈
ㅅ + ㅡ	스
ㅅ + ㅣ	시

Read:

사 샤 서 셔 소 쇼 수 슈 스 시

Vertical Vowel Combinations

Vertical vowels go to the right of ㅅ:

사

샤

서

셔

시

Horizontal Vowel Combinations

Horizontal vowels go below ㅅ:

소

쇼

수

슈

스

Useful Words Beginning With ㅅ

More Useful ㅅ Words

You can also introduce:

Find ㅅ 👀

사람

Which consonant begins the word?

👉 ㅅ

사과

The first syllable:

사

begins with:

👉 ㅅ

소리

Which consonant begins 소?

👉 ㅅ

시간

The first syllable:

시

contains:

👉 ㅅ

Common Beginner Mistakes

❌ Mistake 1 — Pronouncing Every ㅅ Exactly Like English S

Before ㅣ and many y-vowels, ㅅ becomes more sh-like.

Compare:

사 — 시

❌ Mistake 2 — Pronouncing 시 as “see”

Korean:

시

is closer to:

“shi”

❌ Mistake 3 — Completely Blocking the Air

ㅅ is a fricative.

Air should continue flowing through a narrow gap.

❌ Mistake 4 — Confusing ㅅ With ㅈ

They look and sound different.

You will learn ㅈ later.

❌ Mistake 5 — Assuming Final ㅅ Keeps the Same S Sound

When ㅅ appears as 받침, its pronunciation changes significantly. That will be taught in the final-consonant lesson.

Basic Consonant ㅇ (이응)

You have already learned:

ㄱ — 기역
ㄴ — 니은
ㄷ — 디귿
ㄹ — 리을
ㅁ — 미음
ㅂ — 비읍
ㅅ — 시옷

Now you will learn one of the most important and unusual Korean consonants:

ㅇ

Its Korean name is:

이응

The consonant ㅇ is special because its pronunciation depends entirely on its position in the syllable.

At the beginning of a syllable, it is:

Silent

At the end of a syllable, it is pronounced:

This dual role makes ㅇ very important in reading and writing Korean.

Meet the Consonant ㅇ

Letter

ㅇ

Korean Name

이응

Common Romanization

Silent in the initial position
ng in the final position

Unlike most consonants, ㅇ does not always represent a spoken consonant sound.

Role 1 — ㅇ Is Silent at the Beginning

When a Korean syllable begins with a vowel sound, Hangul still needs something in the initial consonant position.

That is where ㅇ is used.

Example:

ㅇ + ㅏ = 아

The ㅇ is not pronounced.

You hear only:

아

More Examples

ㅇ + ㅑ = 야

ㅇ + ㅓ = 어

ㅇ + ㅕ = 여

ㅇ + ㅗ = 오

ㅇ + ㅛ = 요

ㅇ + ㅜ = 우

ㅇ + ㅠ = 유

ㅇ + ㅡ = 으

ㅇ + ㅣ = 이

These are extremely important because they give learners the pure sounds of the ten basic vowels.

ㅇ + All 10 Basic Vowels

ㅇ + Vowel	Result
ㅇ + ㅏ	아
ㅇ + ㅑ	야
ㅇ + ㅓ	어
ㅇ + ㅕ	여
ㅇ + ㅗ	오
ㅇ + ㅛ	요
ㅇ + ㅜ	우
ㅇ + ㅠ	유
ㅇ + ㅡ	으
ㅇ + ㅣ	이

Read:

아 야 어 여 오 요 우 유 으 이

Because initial ㅇ is silent, these syllables are essentially the vowel sounds themselves.

Why Is ㅇ Needed?

A complete Hangul syllable block cannot normally begin visually with only a vowel letter.

For example:

You do not write a standalone syllable simply as:

ㅏ

Instead, you write:

아

The initial ㅇ acts as a placeholder.

So you can think of initial ㅇ as:

A silent consonant that allows a vowel to begin a syllable block.

Role 2 — ㅇ Is Pronounced “ng” at the End

When ㅇ appears at the end of a syllable, it is no longer silent.

It is pronounced like:

as in English:

sing
king
long

Example:

강

This syllable contains:

ㄱ + ㅏ + ㅇ

The final ㅇ is pronounced ng.

So:

강

sounds approximately like:

gang

More Final ㅇ Examples

공

방

강

영

중

동

In all of these, final ㅇ represents an ng sound.

You will study final consonants in depth in the 받침 lesson, so this is only an introduction.

Initial ㅇ vs Final ㅇ

This distinction must be very clear.

Position	Sound
Beginning	Silent
End	ng

Compare:

아

Initial ㅇ → silent

and:

앙

Final ㅇ → ng

Listen:

아 — 앙

This contrast is excellent for audio practice.

How to Pronounce Final ㅇ

Final ㅇ is produced at the back of the mouth.

Step 1

Raise the back of the tongue toward the soft palate.

Step 2

Allow air to pass through the nose.

Step 3

Do not release it like ㄱ.

Instead, hold a smooth nasal sound:

Practice:

앙

공

강

Mouth and Tongue Position

Initial ㅇ

No consonant sound is produced.

The learner simply starts with the vowel.

Final ㅇ

Back of tongue raised
Air passes through the nose
Lips depend on the vowel
Produces a nasal ng sound

This makes ㅇ a very unusual but logical Korean consonant.

Why Does ㅇ Have This Shape?

The circular shape:

ㅇ

traditionally represents the throat.

This reflects the articulatory idea behind the consonant.

It is another example of Hangul's systematic design.

How to Write ㅇ

The consonant ㅇ is written as a circle.

Use one smooth circular stroke.

Finished:

ㅇ

For beginner handwriting, aim for:

Round shape
Even proportions
Not too narrow
Not too large

Writing Practice ✍️

Trace

ㅇ　ㅇ　ㅇ　ㅇ　ㅇ

Copy

ㅇ　_____　_____　_____　_____

Write From Memory

_____　_____　_____　_____　_____

Say:

이응

while writing.

Useful Words Beginning With Silent ㅇ

All of these begin with vowel sounds, so they use initial silent ㅇ.

Useful Words With Final ㅇ

The final ㅇ in these syllables is pronounced ng.

Find ㅇ 👀

아이

Which consonant begins 아?

👉 ㅇ

Is it pronounced?

👉 No

우유

Which consonant begins both syllables?

👉 ㅇ

Initial ㅇ is silent.

강

Where is ㅇ?

👉 At the end

How is it pronounced?

👉 ng

Common Beginner Mistakes

❌ Mistake 1 — Pronouncing Initial ㅇ

In:

아

do not say:

“nga”

Initial ㅇ is silent.

❌ Mistake 2 — Thinking ㅇ Is Always Silent

At the end of a syllable, it becomes:

Example:

강

❌ Mistake 3 — Forgetting ㅇ Before a Vowel

A vowel-initial syllable needs ㅇ.

Correct:

아

not simply:

ㅏ

when writing a complete syllable.

❌ Mistake 4 — Releasing Final ㅇ Like ㄱ

Final ㅇ should be a smooth nasal ng, not a released k/g sound.

❌ Mistake 5 — Confusing ㅇ and ㅁ

Visually:

ㅇ = circle

ㅁ = square

Basic Consonant ㅈ (지읒)

You have already learned:

ㄱ — 기역
ㄴ — 니은
ㄷ — 디귿
ㄹ — 리을
ㅁ — 미음
ㅂ — 비읍
ㅅ — 시옷
ㅇ — 이응

Now you will learn:

ㅈ

Its Korean name is:

지읒

The sound of ㅈ is commonly represented as j in Romanization.

You can find ㅈ in many useful Korean words such as:

자다, 저, 주다, 지금, 지도, 자동차

Meet the Consonant ㅈ

Letter

ㅈ

Korean Name

지읒

Common Romanization

Basic Sound

At the beginning of a syllable, ㅈ is a plain Korean affricate.

It can sound somewhat similar to the English j in:

jump
job
jacket

However, Korean ㅈ is usually less strongly voiced and less forceful than a typical English J.

It is best to learn ㅈ through native Korean pronunciation.

How to Pronounce ㅈ

Step 1 — Raise the Front of Your Tongue

Bring the front part of your tongue close to the area behind the upper teeth.

Step 2 — Briefly Block the Air

The tongue creates a short blockage.

Step 3 — Release Into Friction

The air is released through a narrow passage.

This means ㅈ begins somewhat like a stop consonant and ends with friction.

Practice:

자

저

조

주

즈

지

What Is an Affricate?

A consonant like ㅈ is called an affricate.

It combines two actions:

brief blockage + friction

You do not need to memorize this technical term, but it helps explain why ㅈ sounds different from both:

ㄷ

and

ㅅ

You can think of ㅈ as having characteristics of both.

Mouth and Tongue Position

When producing ㅈ:

Tongue: Front part raised
Place: Near the area behind the upper teeth
Air: Briefly blocked, then released with friction
Lips: Usually relaxed
Aspiration: Less than ㅊ

Compare ㅅ and ㅈ

You already learned:

ㅅ

Now compare:

ㅅ — ㅈ

ㅅ

Air flows continuously through a narrow opening.

ㅈ

Air is briefly blocked first and then released.

Compare:

사 — 자

서 — 저

소 — 조

수 — 주

시 — 지

This is a very useful listening and speaking exercise.

ㅈ and ㅊ Are Related

Later you will learn:

ㅊ

These two consonants are closely related.

ㅈ

Plain consonant

ㅊ

Aspirated consonant

Compare:

자 — 차

저 — 처

주 — 추

The ㅊ sound has a stronger burst of air.

ㅈ and ㅉ Preview

Later, you will also learn the tense consonant:

ㅉ

Eventually, learners will compare:

ㅈ — ㅊ — ㅉ

For example:

자 — 차 — 짜

For now, focus only on ㅈ.

Why Does ㅈ Have This Shape?

The shape ㅈ is historically related to ㅅ.

Look:

ㅅ → ㅈ → ㅊ

Additional strokes distinguish related consonants.

This is another example of Hangul's systematic design.

How to Write ㅈ

The consonant ㅈ can be thought of as:

ㅅ + an additional horizontal stroke

A beginner-friendly stroke order is:

Stroke 1

Draw the top horizontal stroke from left to right.

Stroke 2

Draw the left diagonal stroke downward toward the center.

Stroke 3

Draw the right diagonal stroke downward.

Finished:

ㅈ

Writing Practice ✍️

Trace

ㅈ　ㅈ　ㅈ　ㅈ　ㅈ

Copy

ㅈ　_____　_____　_____　_____

Write From Memory

_____　_____　_____　_____　_____

Say:

지읒

while practicing.

Combine ㅈ With All 10 Basic Vowels

ㅈ + Vowel	Result
ㅈ + ㅏ	자
ㅈ + ㅑ	쟈
ㅈ + ㅓ	저
ㅈ + ㅕ	져
ㅈ + ㅗ	조
ㅈ + ㅛ	죠
ㅈ + ㅜ	주
ㅈ + ㅠ	쥬
ㅈ + ㅡ	즈
ㅈ + ㅣ	지

Read:

자 쟈 저 져 조 죠 주 쥬 즈 지

Vertical Vowel Combinations

Vertical vowels go to the right:

자

쟈

저

져

지

Horizontal Vowel Combinations

Horizontal vowels go below:

조

죠

주

쥬

즈

Useful Words Beginning With ㅈ

More Useful ㅈ Words

You can also introduce:

Find ㅈ 👀

자다

Which consonant begins the word?

👉 ㅈ

주다

Which consonant begins 주?

👉 ㅈ

지금

Which consonant begins 지?

👉 ㅈ

지도

Both:

지

and the first consonant of the word contain:

👉 ㅈ

Common Beginner Mistakes

❌ Mistake 1 — Pronouncing ㅈ Exactly Like Strong English J

Korean ㅈ is usually lighter and less strongly voiced.

❌ Mistake 2 — Confusing ㅅ and ㅈ

Remember:

ㅅ → continuous friction

ㅈ → brief blockage + friction

❌ Mistake 3 — Confusing ㅈ and ㅊ

ㅊ has stronger aspiration.

❌ Mistake 4 — Thinking ㅈ Always Sounds the Same in Every Position

Like many Korean consonants, its exact pronunciation depends on context.

❌ Mistake 5 — Depending Too Much on Romanization

Use native audio to build a direct connection between ㅈ and its Korean sound.

Basic Consonant ㅊ (치읓)

You have already learned:

ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄷ, ㄹ, ㅁ, ㅂ, ㅅ, ㅇ, ㅈ

Now you will learn:

ㅊ

Its Korean name is:

치읓

The sound of ㅊ is similar to the English “ch” sound, but it is normally produced with a stronger burst of air than Korean ㅈ.

You can find ㅊ in many useful Korean words such as:

차, 친구, 치마, 책, 춤

Meet the Consonant ㅊ

Letter

ㅊ

Korean Name

치읓

Common Romanization

Basic Sound

ㅊ is an aspirated affricate.

That means the sound is produced with:

A brief blockage of air
A release with friction
A noticeable burst of air

It is closely related to:

ㅈ

Compare:

ㅈ → plain

ㅊ → aspirated

How to Pronounce ㅊ

Step 1 — Raise the Front of the Tongue

Bring the tongue close to the area behind the upper teeth.

Step 2 — Briefly Block the Air

The airflow stops for a moment.

Step 3 — Release With Friction

Release the tongue while letting the air pass through a narrow space.

Step 4 — Add Strong Aspiration

A noticeable puff of air should come out.

Practice:

차

처

초

추

츠

치

Airflow Test

Hold your hand or a small piece of paper in front of your mouth.

Say:

자

Then:

차

You should feel more air with:

차

This is one of the easiest ways to understand the difference between ㅈ and ㅊ.

ㅈ vs ㅊ

Consonant	Type	Airflow
ㅈ	Plain	Weaker
ㅊ	Aspirated	Stronger

Compare:

자 — 차

저 — 처

조 — 초

주 — 추

지 — 치

This contrast should be practiced through native audio.

Mouth and Tongue Position

When producing ㅊ:

Tongue: Front part raised
Place: Near the upper teeth/alveolar region
Air: Briefly blocked
Release: Friction plus strong aspiration
Lips: Usually relaxed
Voice: Generally not strongly voiced

Why Does ㅊ Have This Shape?

The consonant ㅊ is historically related to:

ㅅ → ㅈ → ㅊ

Each additional stroke helps distinguish a related sound.

This is another example of Hangul's systematic structure.

For beginners, remember:

ㅈ + extra aspiration → ㅊ

How to Write ㅊ

ㅊ is visually similar to ㅈ with an extra stroke.

A beginner-friendly stroke order is:

Short top stroke
Longer horizontal stroke
Left diagonal stroke
Right diagonal stroke

Finished:

ㅊ

Keep the character balanced and angular.

Writing Practice ✍️

Trace

ㅊ　ㅊ　ㅊ　ㅊ　ㅊ

Copy

ㅊ　_____　_____　_____　_____

Write From Memory

_____　_____　_____　_____　_____

Say:

치읓

while writing.

Combine ㅊ With All 10 Basic Vowels

ㅊ + Vowel	Result
ㅊ + ㅏ	차
ㅊ + ㅑ	챠
ㅊ + ㅓ	처
ㅊ + ㅕ	쳐
ㅊ + ㅗ	초
ㅊ + ㅛ	쵸
ㅊ + ㅜ	추
ㅊ + ㅠ	츄
ㅊ + ㅡ	츠
ㅊ + ㅣ	치

Read:

차 챠 처 쳐 초 쵸 추 츄 츠 치

Vertical Vowel Combinations

Vertical vowels go to the right:

차

챠

처

쳐

치

Horizontal Vowel Combinations

Horizontal vowels go below:

초

쵸

추

츄

츠

Useful Words Beginning With ㅊ

More Useful ㅊ Words

You can also introduce:

Find ㅊ 👀

친구

Which consonant begins the word?

👉 ㅊ

치마

Which consonant begins 치?

👉 ㅊ

추다

Which consonant begins 추?

👉 ㅊ

초

Which consonant does it contain?

👉 ㅊ

Common Beginner Mistakes

❌ Mistake 1 — Pronouncing ㅊ Like ㅈ

Remember:

ㅊ has stronger aspiration.

Compare:

자 — 차

❌ Mistake 2 — Not Releasing Enough Air

ㅊ should have a noticeable burst of air.

Use the paper test if needed.

❌ Mistake 3 — Confusing ㅈ and ㅊ Visually

ㅊ has an additional upper stroke.

❌ Mistake 4 — Thinking Romanized “ch” Is Exactly English Ch

It is similar, but learners should still imitate native Korean pronunciation.

❌ Mistake 5 — Ignoring 받침 Pronunciation

Final ㅊ behaves differently when used as 받침. That will be taught later.

Basic Consonant ㅋ (키읔)

You have now learned ten basic Korean consonants:

ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄷ, ㄹ, ㅁ, ㅂ, ㅅ, ㅇ, ㅈ, ㅊ

Now you will learn:

ㅋ

Its Korean name is:

키읔

The consonant ㅋ is closely related to ㄱ, but it is pronounced with a stronger burst of air.

You can find ㅋ in many common words such as:

커피, 코, 카드, 쿠키, 크다, 키

Meet the Consonant ㅋ

Letter

ㅋ

Korean Name

키읔

Common Romanization

Basic Sound

ㅋ is an aspirated consonant.

That means it is produced with a noticeable puff of air.

It is similar to the English k sound in words like:

key
kite
king

But learners should still imitate native Korean pronunciation rather than relying only on English comparisons.

How to Pronounce ㅋ

Step 1 — Raise the Back of Your Tongue

The back of the tongue moves toward the soft palate.

Step 2 — Block the Air

Air is briefly stopped.

Step 3 — Release Strongly

Release the tongue while allowing a stronger burst of air to escape.

Practice:

카

커

코

쿠

크

키

ㄱ vs ㅋ

This is the most important comparison in this section.

ㄱ

Plain consonant

ㅋ

Aspirated consonant

Compare:

가 — 카

거 — 커

고 — 코

구 — 쿠

기 — 키

The main difference is aspiration.

Paper Test

Hold a small piece of paper in front of your mouth.

Say:

가

Then:

카

The paper should move more strongly when you say:

카

This is a simple way to feel the difference between ㄱ and ㅋ.

Tongue Position

When producing ㅋ:

Back of tongue: Raised
Contact point: Soft palate
Airflow: Blocked, then strongly released
Lips: Depend on the vowel
Aspiration: Strong

ㅋ and ㄱ use a similar tongue position, but ㅋ releases much more air.

Why Does ㅋ Have This Shape?

The consonant ㅋ is historically related to:

ㄱ

Look:

ㄱ → ㅋ

The added stroke marks a related aspirated sound.

This is another example of Hangul's systematic design.

How to Write ㅋ

The consonant ㅋ is written with a shape similar to ㄱ plus an extra horizontal stroke.

A beginner-friendly stroke order is:

Top horizontal stroke
Vertical stroke downward
Middle horizontal stroke

Finished:

ㅋ

Writing Practice ✍️

Trace

ㅋ　ㅋ　ㅋ　ㅋ　ㅋ

Copy

ㅋ　_____　_____　_____　_____

Write From Memory

_____　_____　_____　_____　_____

Say:

키읔

while writing.

Combine ㅋ With All 10 Basic Vowels

ㅋ + Vowel	Result
ㅋ + ㅏ	카
ㅋ + ㅑ	캬
ㅋ + ㅓ	커
ㅋ + ㅕ	켜
ㅋ + ㅗ	코
ㅋ + ㅛ	쿄
ㅋ + ㅜ	쿠
ㅋ + ㅠ	큐
ㅋ + ㅡ	크
ㅋ + ㅣ	키

Read:

카 캬 커 켜 코 쿄 쿠 큐 크 키

Useful Words Beginning With ㅋ

More Useful ㅋ Words

You can also introduce:

Many ㅋ words in Korean are loanwords, which makes this consonant especially useful for beginners.

Find ㅋ 👀

커피

Which consonant begins the word?

👉 ㅋ

코

Which consonant does it begin with?

👉 ㅋ

쿠키

Both syllables begin with:

👉 ㅋ

크다

The first syllable:

크

begins with:

👉 ㅋ

Common Beginner Mistakes

❌ Mistake 1 — Pronouncing ㅋ Like ㄱ

Remember:

ㅋ has stronger aspiration.

❌ Mistake 2 — Not Releasing Enough Air

Use the paper test:

가 — 카

❌ Mistake 3 — Confusing the Shapes

Remember:

ㄱ → ㅋ

ㅋ has an additional stroke.

❌ Mistake 4 — Treating ㅋ as Exactly English K

It is similar, but native Korean audio should be the main guide.

❌ Mistake 5 — Ignoring Final ㅋ Pronunciation

As 받침, final ㅋ behaves differently. That will be covered later.

Basic Consonant ㅌ (티읕)

You have now learned eleven basic Korean consonants:

ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄷ, ㄹ, ㅁ, ㅂ, ㅅ, ㅇ, ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅋ

Now you will learn:

ㅌ

Its Korean name is:

티읕

The consonant ㅌ is closely related to ㄷ, but it is pronounced with a stronger burst of air.

You can find ㅌ in common words such as:

타다, 토끼, 토마토, 티셔츠, 택시

Meet the Consonant ㅌ

Letter

ㅌ

Korean Name

티읕

Common Romanization

Basic Sound

ㅌ is an aspirated consonant.

Its sound is similar to a strongly released English t, but Korean ㅌ should be learned through native pronunciation.

The key feature is:

Strong aspiration

How to Pronounce ㅌ

Step 1 — Raise the Front of Your Tongue

Bring the tongue toward the area behind the upper front teeth.

Step 2 — Block the Air

The airflow is stopped briefly.

Step 3 — Release Strongly

Release the tongue with a clear burst of air.

Practice:

타

터

토

투

트

티

ㄷ vs ㅌ

This is the most important comparison.

ㄷ

Plain consonant

ㅌ

Aspirated consonant

Compare:

다 — 타

더 — 터

도 — 토

두 — 투

디 — 티

ㅌ has noticeably stronger airflow.

Paper Test

Hold a small piece of paper in front of your mouth.

Say:

다

Then:

타

The paper should move more strongly when you say:

타

This is an excellent way for beginners to feel aspiration.

Tongue Position

When producing ㅌ:

Tongue: Front part raised
Contact: Behind upper front teeth
Air: Briefly blocked
Release: Strong
Aspiration: Noticeable
Lips: Depend on the following vowel

Why Does ㅌ Have This Shape?

ㅌ is historically related to:

ㄴ → ㄷ → ㅌ

The additional stroke marks the aspirated sound.

This visual relationship helps learners understand Hangul as a system rather than a collection of unrelated symbols.

How to Write ㅌ

A beginner-friendly stroke order is:

Top horizontal stroke
Middle horizontal stroke
Left vertical stroke
Bottom horizontal stroke
Right vertical stroke

Finished:

ㅌ

Keep the lines straight and balanced.

Writing Practice ✍️

Trace

ㅌ　ㅌ　ㅌ　ㅌ　ㅌ

Copy

ㅌ　_____　_____　_____　_____

Write From Memory

_____　_____　_____　_____　_____

Say:

티읕

while writing.

Combine ㅌ With All 10 Basic Vowels

ㅌ + Vowel	Result
ㅌ + ㅏ	타
ㅌ + ㅑ	탸
ㅌ + ㅓ	터
ㅌ + ㅕ	텨
ㅌ + ㅗ	토
ㅌ + ㅛ	툐
ㅌ + ㅜ	투
ㅌ + ㅠ	튜
ㅌ + ㅡ	트
ㅌ + ㅣ	티

Read:

타 탸 터 텨 토 툐 투 튜 트 티

Cumulative Consonant Review

You now know:

ㄱ ㄴ ㄷ ㄹ ㅁ ㅂ ㅅ ㅇ ㅈ ㅊ ㅋ ㅌ

Practice:

가 — 나 — 다 — 라 — 마 — 바 — 사 — 아 — 자 — 차 — 카 — 타

거 — 너 — 더 — 러 — 머 — 버 — 서 — 어 — 저 — 처 — 커 — 터

고 — 노 — 도 — 로 — 모 — 보 — 소 — 오 — 조 — 초 — 코 — 토

구 — 누 — 두 — 루 — 무 — 부 — 수 — 우 — 주 — 추 — 쿠 — 투

기 — 니 — 디 — 리 — 미 — 비 — 시 — 이 — 지 — 치 — 키 — 티

Useful Words Beginning With ㅌ

More Useful ㅌ Words

You can also introduce:

Find ㅌ 👀

타다

Which consonant begins the word?

👉 ㅌ

토끼

Which consonant begins 토?

👉 ㅌ

티셔츠

The first syllable:

티

begins with:

👉 ㅌ

택시

Which consonant begins the word?

👉 ㅌ

Common Beginner Mistakes

❌ Mistake 1 — Pronouncing ㅌ Like ㄷ

Remember:

ㅌ has stronger aspiration.

❌ Mistake 2 — Weak Air Release

Use the paper test:

다 — 타

❌ Mistake 3 — Confusing ㄷ and ㅌ Visually

ㅌ contains an additional horizontal stroke.

❌ Mistake 4 — Treating ㅌ as Exactly English T

The sounds are similar, but native Korean pronunciation should guide learners.

❌ Mistake 5 — Ignoring Final ㅌ Pronunciation

As 받침, final ㅌ is pronounced differently. That will be taught later.

Basic Consonant ㅍ (피읖)

You have now learned twelve basic Korean consonants:

ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄷ, ㄹ, ㅁ, ㅂ, ㅅ, ㅇ, ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅋ, ㅌ

Now you will learn:

ㅍ

Its Korean name is:

피읖

The consonant ㅍ is closely related to ㅂ, but it is pronounced with a stronger burst of air.

You can find ㅍ in common Korean words such as:

파, 포도, 피자, 피아노, 표

Meet the Consonant ㅍ

Letter

ㅍ

Korean Name

피읖

Common Romanization

Basic Sound

ㅍ is an aspirated bilabial stop.

That means:

Both lips close.
Air is briefly blocked.
The lips open with a strong burst of air.

It is similar to the English p sound in words like:

pen
park
paper

But, as always, native Korean pronunciation should be the main guide.

How to Pronounce ㅍ

Step 1 — Close Both Lips

Bring your upper and lower lips together.

Step 2 — Build Air Pressure

Air is briefly trapped behind the lips.

Step 3 — Release Strongly

Open the lips and release a noticeable puff of air.

Practice:

파

퍼

포

푸

프

피

ㅂ vs ㅍ

This is the most important comparison in this section.

ㅂ

Plain consonant

ㅍ

Aspirated consonant

Compare:

바 — 파

버 — 퍼

보 — 포

부 — 푸

비 — 피

The ㅍ sound has much stronger airflow.

Paper Test

Hold a small piece of paper in front of your mouth.

Say:

바

Then:

파

The paper should move more strongly when you say:

파

This is an excellent way to feel the difference between ㅂ and ㅍ.

Lip Position

When producing ㅍ:

Lips: Fully closed
Air: Briefly blocked
Release: Strong
Aspiration: Strong
Tongue: Relatively relaxed
Sound type: Aspirated bilabial stop

Why Does ㅍ Have This Shape?

ㅍ is historically related to:

ㅁ → ㅂ → ㅍ

All three use the lips.

ㅁ → nasal sound
ㅂ → plain stop
ㅍ → aspirated stop

This family is another example of Hangul's systematic design.

How to Write ㅍ

The consonant ㅍ is written with a simple box-like structure.

A beginner-friendly stroke order is:

Top horizontal stroke
Bottom horizontal stroke
Left vertical stroke
Right vertical stroke

Finished:

ㅍ

Keep the shape balanced and clearly separated from ㅂ.

Writing Practice ✍️

Trace

ㅍ　ㅍ　ㅍ　ㅍ　ㅍ

Copy

ㅍ　_____　_____　_____　_____

Write From Memory

_____　_____　_____　_____　_____

Say:

피읖

while writing.

Combine ㅍ With All 10 Basic Vowels

ㅍ + Vowel	Result
ㅍ + ㅏ	파
ㅍ + ㅑ	퍄
ㅍ + ㅓ	퍼
ㅍ + ㅕ	펴
ㅍ + ㅗ	포
ㅍ + ㅛ	표
ㅍ + ㅜ	푸
ㅍ + ㅠ	퓨
ㅍ + ㅡ	프
ㅍ + ㅣ	피

Read:

파 퍄 퍼 펴 포 표 푸 퓨 프 피

Useful Words Beginning With ㅍ

More Useful ㅍ Words

You can also introduce:

Find ㅍ 👀

포도

Which consonant begins the word?

👉 ㅍ

피자

Which consonant begins 피?

👉 ㅍ

파티

Which consonant begins the word?

👉 ㅍ

표

Which consonant does it contain?

👉 ㅍ

Common Beginner Mistakes

❌ Mistake 1 — Pronouncing ㅍ Like ㅂ

Remember:

ㅍ has stronger aspiration.

❌ Mistake 2 — Weak Air Release

Use the paper test:

바 — 파

❌ Mistake 3 — Confusing ㅂ and ㅍ Visually

ㅂ and ㅍ are related, but their internal structure is different.

❌ Mistake 4 — Treating ㅍ as Exactly English P

It is similar, but Korean pronunciation should come from native audio.

❌ Mistake 5 — Ignoring Final ㅍ Pronunciation

As 받침, final ㅍ is pronounced differently. That will be taught later.

Basic Consonant ㅎ (히읗)

You have learned 13 of the 14 basic Korean consonants:

ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄷ, ㄹ, ㅁ, ㅂ, ㅅ, ㅇ, ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅋ, ㅌ, ㅍ

Now you are ready for the final basic consonant:

ㅎ

Its Korean name is:

히읗

The basic sound of ㅎ is similar to the English “h” sound.

You can hear ㅎ in many extremely common Korean words:

한국, 학교, 하나, 하다, 하루, 하늘, 휴대폰

After learning ㅎ, you will have been introduced to all 14 basic Korean consonants.

Meet the Consonant ㅎ

Letter

ㅎ

Korean Name

히읗

Common Romanization

Basic Sound

ㅎ usually produces a breathy h-like sound at the beginning of a syllable.

Compare English words such as:

house
hello
happy

Korean ㅎ is similar, although its exact pronunciation can vary depending on the sounds around it.

Practice:

하

허

호

후

흐

히

How to Pronounce ㅎ

Unlike consonants such as ㄱ, ㄷ, or ㅂ, ㅎ does not require a complete blockage of airflow in the mouth.

Step 1 — Keep the Mouth Open

Prepare your mouth for the following vowel.

Step 2 — Let Air Flow

Allow air to pass through the throat.

Step 3 — Produce a Breathy Sound

Release the air gently before moving directly into the vowel.

For example:

ㅎ + ㅏ → 하

Practice:

하 — 하 — 하

Then:

허 — 호 — 후 — 흐 — 히

Where Is ㅎ Produced?

ㅎ is generally described as a glottal consonant.

The important action happens around the glottis, in the throat, rather than through strong contact between the tongue and another part of the mouth.

For beginners, the simplest way to remember it is:

ㅎ is a breathy consonant produced through open airflow.

Feel the Air 🌬️

Place your hand a few centimeters in front of your mouth.

Say:

아

Then say:

하

You should notice extra breath at the beginning of:

하

Compare:

아 — 하

어 — 허

오 — 호

우 — 후

이 — 히

ㅇ vs ㅎ

This is a useful comparison because you already know that initial ㅇ is silent.

ㅇ

Initial ㅇ produces no consonant sound.

아

ㅎ

ㅎ produces a breathy h-like sound.

하

Compare:

아 — 하

어 — 허

오 — 호

우 — 후

이 — 히

This makes an excellent listening activity.

Why Does ㅎ Have This Shape?

In the original design of Hangul, ㅎ belongs to a family of sounds associated with the throat.

For beginner learners, the important connection is:

ㅎ → throat/breath → h-like sound

This can make the character easier to remember.

How to Write ㅎ

The modern printed form of ㅎ contains:

a short upper horizontal stroke,
a second horizontal stroke,
and a circular component.

A common stroke sequence is:

Write the short top horizontal stroke.
Write the second horizontal stroke below it.
Write the circular part underneath.

Finished:

ㅎ

The exact handwritten appearance can vary somewhat by writing style and font.

Writing Practice ✍️

Trace

ㅎ　ㅎ　ㅎ　ㅎ　ㅎ

Copy

ㅎ　_____　_____　_____　_____

Write From Memory

_____　_____　_____　_____　_____

Say:

히읗

while writing.

Combine ㅎ With All 10 Basic Vowels

Combination	Syllable
ㅎ + ㅏ	하
ㅎ + ㅑ	햐
ㅎ + ㅓ	허
ㅎ + ㅕ	혀
ㅎ + ㅗ	호
ㅎ + ㅛ	효
ㅎ + ㅜ	후
ㅎ + ㅠ	휴
ㅎ + ㅡ	흐
ㅎ + ㅣ	히

Read:

하 햐 허 혀 호 효 후 휴 흐 히

Vertical Vowel Combinations

Vertical vowels are placed to the right of ㅎ:

하

햐

허

혀

히

For example:

ㅎ + ㅏ → 하

Horizontal Vowel Combinations

Horizontal vowels are placed below ㅎ:

호

효

후

휴

흐

For example:

ㅎ + ㅗ → 호

Useful Words Beginning With ㅎ

More Useful ㅎ Vocabulary

You can also introduce:

Find ㅎ 👀

한국

Which consonant begins 한?

👉 ㅎ

학교

Which consonant begins 학?

👉 ㅎ

하늘

Which consonant begins 하?

👉 ㅎ

휴대폰

Which consonant begins 휴?

👉 ㅎ

Common Beginner Mistakes

❌ Mistake 1 — Making ㅎ Too Strong

ㅎ needs audible breath, but beginners do not need to force it aggressively.

Listen to native pronunciation and imitate it naturally.

❌ Mistake 2 — Making ㅎ Silent

Compare:

아 ≠ 하

오 ≠ 호

At the beginning of these syllables, ㅎ should normally be audible.

❌ Mistake 3 — Adding a Separate Vowel Before ㅎ

Do not pronounce:

하

as two separate sounds like:

“uh-ha.”

Move smoothly from ㅎ directly into ㅏ.

❌ Mistake 4 — Assuming ㅎ Always Sounds Exactly the Same

The pronunciation of ㅎ can change depending on neighboring consonants.

For example, in more advanced pronunciation rules, ㅎ can contribute to aspiration or sometimes become weak or disappear.

You do not need to master these rules yet.

Important Preview — ㅎ Can Affect Other Consonants

Later, learners will encounter words where ㅎ interacts with neighboring consonants.

For example:

좋다

is pronounced approximately:

[조타]

Here, the combination involving ㅎ causes the following ㄷ to become aspirated.

Another example:

많다

is pronounced approximately:

[만타]

These rules belong to a later pronunciation section.

For now, remember only:

ㅎ can influence nearby consonants

🎉 All 14 Basic Korean Consonants

You have now introduced every basic Korean consonant:

Consonant	Name	Approximate Sound
ㄱ	기역	g/k
ㄴ	니은	n
ㄷ	디귿	d/t
ㄹ	리을	r/l
ㅁ	미음	m
ㅂ	비읍	b/p
ㅅ	시옷	s
ㅇ	이응	silent/ng
ㅈ	지읒	j
ㅊ	치읓	ch
ㅋ	키읔	k
ㅌ	티읕	t
ㅍ	피읖	p
ㅎ	히읗	h

Learners should understand that the English sounds in this table are only approximations.

Consonant Family Review

An excellent way to organize the consonants is by related sound families.

Velar Family

ㄱ → ㅋ

Plain → Aspirated

Dental/Alveolar Stop Family

ㄷ → ㅌ

Plain → Aspirated

Bilabial Family

ㅁ → ㅂ → ㅍ

Nasal → Plain → Aspirated

Sibilant/Affricate Family

ㅅ → ㅈ → ㅊ

Related shapes and articulations

Other Important Consonants

ㄴ

ㄹ

ㅇ

ㅎ

Plain vs Aspirated Review 🎧

Practice these three essential pairs:

ㄱ vs ㅋ

가 — 카

고 — 코

구 — 쿠

ㄷ vs ㅌ

다 — 타

도 — 토

두 — 투

ㅂ vs ㅍ

바 — 파

보 — 포

부 — 푸

ㅈ vs ㅊ

자 — 차

조 — 초

주 — 추

These comparisons should become a major listening component of the lesson.

Introduction to Double/Tense Consonants (쌍자음)

You have now learned all 14 basic Korean consonants.

The next group of consonants is:

쌍자음

The word 쌍자음 means double consonants.

These consonants are sometimes also called:

Tense consonants
Fortis consonants

There are 5 double consonants in modern Korean:

ㄲ ㄸ ㅃ ㅆ ㅉ

They are formed by doubling five basic consonant letters:

ㄱ → ㄲ
ㄷ → ㄸ
ㅂ → ㅃ
ㅅ → ㅆ
ㅈ → ㅉ

The important point is that these are not pronounced by simply saying the basic consonant twice.

They represent their own tense consonant sounds.

The Five Double Consonants

The prefix:

쌍

means:

pair / double

So:

쌍 + 기역 = 쌍기역

What Does “Tense” Mean?

Double consonants are produced with greater muscular tension than the corresponding plain consonants.

For example:

ㄱ → 가

versus:

ㄲ → 까

The difference is not simply:

❌ “g” versus “kk”

Instead, Korean speakers produce ㄲ with a firmer, tighter articulation.

The sound is:

less breathy than aspirated consonants,
more tense than plain consonants,
produced with stronger closure and pressure.

Three-Way Korean Consonant Contrast

One of the most important features of Korean pronunciation is that some consonants come in three different types:

Plain

ㄱ

Aspirated

ㅋ

Tense

ㄲ

Compare:

가 — 카 — 까

These are three different Korean syllables.

More Three-Way Contrasts

ㄷ Family

다 — 타 — 따

ㄷ = plain
ㅌ = aspirated
ㄸ = tense

ㅂ Family

바 — 파 — 빠

ㅂ = plain
ㅍ = aspirated
ㅃ = tense

ㅈ Family

자 — 차 — 짜

ㅈ = plain
ㅊ = aspirated
ㅉ = tense

What About ㅅ?

ㅅ has a tense partner:

ㅅ → ㅆ

Compare:

사 — 싸

But there is no separate aspirated consonant corresponding directly to ㅅ in the same way that ㅋ corresponds to ㄱ.

So learners can remember:

ㅅ → ㅆ

rather than a three-way family.

Plain vs Aspirated vs Tense

Type	Example	Main Characteristic
Plain	ㄱ	Relatively relaxed
Aspirated	ㅋ	Strong burst of air
Tense	ㄲ	Tight, firm articulation

The difference is not only about loudness.

A tense consonant should not simply be pronounced louder.

It involves a different laryngeal and articulatory setting.

Airflow Comparison 🌬️

A very useful beginner activity is to compare:

가 — 카 — 까

가

Moderate/weak airflow

카

Strong airflow

까

Very little aspiration but stronger tension

Try the paper test:

Hold a small piece of paper in front of your mouth.

Say:

가

Then:

카

Then:

까

The paper should move most strongly with:

카

This helps show that tense does not mean aspirated.

Why Are They Written Twice?

Look at:

ㄱ → ㄲ

The basic letter is visually doubled.

The same happens with:

ㄷ → ㄸ

ㅂ → ㅃ

ㅅ → ㅆ

ㅈ → ㅉ

This makes the double consonants easy to recognize visually.

But remember:

The doubled spelling represents a tense consonant, not two separate consonants being pronounced one after another.

Names of the Double Consonants

ㄲ

쌍기역

ㄸ

쌍디귿

ㅃ

쌍비읍

ㅆ

쌍시옷

ㅉ

쌍지읒

Practice saying the names:

쌍기역 — 쌍디귿 — 쌍비읍 — 쌍시옷 — 쌍지읒

First Syllable Preview

Let's combine the double consonants with ㅏ.

Consonant	Result
ㄲ + ㅏ	까
ㄸ + ㅏ	따
ㅃ + ㅏ	빠
ㅆ + ㅏ	싸
ㅉ + ㅏ	짜

Read:

까 따 빠 싸 짜

Do not try to perfect every sound yet.

Each double consonant can be studied individually next.

Compare Plain and Tense

ㄱ vs ㄲ

가 — 까

ㄷ vs ㄸ

다 — 따

ㅂ vs ㅃ

바 — 빠

ㅅ vs ㅆ

사 — 싸

ㅈ vs ㅉ

자 — 짜

These are important listening contrasts.

Pronunciation Tip

Do not try to create tense consonants by:

shouting,
speaking louder,
doubling the length,
adding extra breath.

Instead, focus on:

firmer closure,
tighter articulation,
less aspiration,
quick release.

Native audio is especially important for this topic.

Useful Words With Double Consonants

Here are some real Korean words that use tense consonants:

Some of these include final consonants, so use them mainly for recognition at this stage.

Find the Double Consonant 👀

빵

Which double consonant does it begin with?

👉 ㅃ

쓰다

Which double consonant appears first?

👉 ㅆ

짜다

Which double consonant begins the word?

👉 ㅉ

딸

Which one?

👉 ㄸ

Common Beginner Mistakes

❌ Mistake 1 — Pronouncing Double Consonants Twice

For example:

ㄲ

is not:

“ㄱ + pause + ㄱ”

It is one tense consonant.

❌ Mistake 2 — Adding Too Much Air

Tense consonants are not aspirated consonants.

Compare:

ㅋ → more air

ㄲ → more tension

❌ Mistake 3 — Speaking Louder Instead of Tighter

Loudness does not create the correct tense consonant.

The important difference is articulation.

❌ Mistake 4 — Confusing Aspirated and Tense Consonants

Compare carefully:

카 ≠ 까

타 ≠ 따

파 ≠ 빠

차 ≠ 짜

❌ Mistake 5 — Relying Too Much on Romanization

Spellings such as:

kk, tt, pp, ss, jj

are only notation.

They cannot fully explain the Korean pronunciation.

Double/Tense Consonant ㄲ (쌍기역)

You have learned that Korean has five double, or tense, consonants:

ㄲ ㄸ ㅃ ㅆ ㅉ

Now you will study the first one in detail:

ㄲ

Its Korean name is:

쌍기역

ㄲ is the tense counterpart of ㄱ.

Compare the three related consonants:

ㄱ → plain

ㅋ → aspirated

ㄲ → tense

This creates one of the most important pronunciation contrasts in Korean:

가 — 카 — 까

Understanding the difference between these three sounds is essential for clear Korean pronunciation.

Meet the Consonant ㄲ

Letter

ㄲ

Korean Name

쌍기역

Common Romanization

Sound Type

Tense / Fortis consonant

ㄲ is produced with a firmer and tighter articulation than ㄱ.

It also has much less aspiration than ㅋ.

What Does 쌍기역 Mean?

The name consists of:

쌍 + 기역

쌍 = pair / double

기역 = the name of ㄱ

Therefore:

쌍기역 = Double ㄱ

Visually:

ㄱ + ㄱ → ㄲ

But remember:

ㄲ represents one tense consonant sound, not two separate ㄱ sounds.

How to Pronounce ㄲ

Pronouncing ㄲ correctly requires more than simply saying ㄱ more loudly.

Step 1 — Raise the Back of the Tongue

The back of your tongue approaches the soft palate, similar to ㄱ and ㅋ.

Step 2 — Create a Firm Closure

Block the airflow firmly.

Step 3 — Add Tension

The articulation should feel tighter and more controlled than ㄱ.

Step 4 — Release Quickly

Release the closure without the large puff of air associated with ㅋ.

Practice:

까

꺼

꼬

꾸

끄

끼

ㄱ vs ㄲ

Start with the simpler two-way comparison.

ㄱ — Plain

가

ㄲ — Tense

까

Compare:

가 — 까

Then:

거 — 꺼

고 — 꼬

구 — 꾸

그 — 끄

기 — 끼

The tense consonant should sound firmer and tighter.

ㄱ vs ㅋ vs ㄲ

Now compare all three members of the family.

Type	Consonant	Example
Plain	ㄱ	가
Aspirated	ㅋ	카
Tense	ㄲ	까

Practice:

가 — 카 — 까

Then:

거 — 커 — 꺼

고 — 코 — 꼬

구 — 쿠 — 꾸

그 — 크 — 끄

기 — 키 — 끼

These contrasts should be practiced with native audio repeatedly.

Airflow Comparison 🌬️

Hold a small piece of paper in front of your mouth.

Say:

가

Then:

카

Then:

까

You should notice the strongest puff of air with:

카

The important beginner distinction is:

ㄱ → plain

ㅋ → strong aspiration

ㄲ → tense, little aspiration

Do Not Pronounce ㄲ as Two ㄱ Sounds

This is incorrect:

❌ ㄱ + ㄱ, pronounced separately

ㄲ is a single consonant.

For example:

까

is one syllable:

까

not two syllables.

Shape of ㄲ

The shape is very easy to understand.

Take:

ㄱ

and write it twice:

ㄱ + ㄱ = ㄲ

The two ㄱ shapes sit next to each other inside the consonant position of the syllable block.

How to Write ㄲ ✍️

Because ㄲ consists of two ㄱ shapes, write the first ㄱ and then the second ㄱ beside it.

Keep both parts:

similar in size,
evenly spaced,
balanced,
compact enough to fit naturally inside a syllable block.

Practice:

ㄲ

Writing Practice

Trace

ㄲ　ㄲ　ㄲ　ㄲ　ㄲ

Copy

ㄲ　_____　_____　_____　_____

Write From Memory

_____　_____　_____　_____　_____

Say:

쌍기역

while writing.

Combine ㄲ With All 10 Basic Vowels

ㄲ + Vowel	Result
ㄲ + ㅏ	까
ㄲ + ㅑ	꺄
ㄲ + ㅓ	꺼
ㄲ + ㅕ	껴
ㄲ + ㅗ	꼬
ㄲ + ㅛ	꾜
ㄲ + ㅜ	꾸
ㄲ + ㅠ	뀨
ㄲ + ㅡ	끄
ㄲ + ㅣ	끼

Read:

까 꺄 꺼 껴 꼬 꾜 꾸 뀨 끄 끼

Vertical Vowel Combinations

With vertical vowels, the vowel appears to the right of ㄲ.

ㄲ + ㅏ

까

ㄲ + ㅑ

꺄

ㄲ + ㅓ

꺼

ㄲ + ㅕ

껴

ㄲ + ㅣ

끼

Practice:

까 — 꺄 — 꺼 — 껴 — 끼

Horizontal Vowel Combinations

With horizontal vowels, the vowel appears below ㄲ.

ㄲ + ㅗ

꼬

ㄲ + ㅛ

꾜

ㄲ + ㅜ

꾸

ㄲ + ㅠ

뀨

ㄲ + ㅡ

끄

Practice:

꼬 — 꾜 — 꾸 — 뀨 — 끄

Useful Words Beginning With ㄲ

Several of these contain final consonants, so learners can recognize the initial ㄲ even if 받침 has not yet been fully studied.

Find ㄲ 👀

꼬리

Which consonant begins the word?

👉 ㄲ

끄다

Which consonant begins 끄?

👉 ㄲ

끼다

Which consonant begins 끼?

👉 ㄲ

꿈

Which consonant begins the word?

👉 ㄲ

Common Beginner Mistakes

❌ Mistake 1 — Pronouncing ㄲ Like ㄱ

가 ≠ 까

ㄲ needs firmer articulation.

❌ Mistake 2 — Pronouncing ㄲ Like ㅋ

This is extremely common.

Remember:

ㅋ = strong aspiration

ㄲ = strong tension with little aspiration

Compare:

카 — 까

❌ Mistake 3 — Saying ㄱ Twice

ㄲ is not:

“ㄱ-ㄱ.”

It represents one tense consonant.

❌ Mistake 4 — Making ㄲ Longer

The doubled spelling does not mean you should simply stretch the consonant.

Focus on the quality of the sound.

❌ Mistake 5 — Speaking Louder

Loudness does not create ㄲ.

The difference is primarily in articulation and phonation.

❌ Mistake 6 — Depending on “kk”

Romanization writes ㄲ as kk, but reading “kk” as if it were English will not guarantee correct Korean pronunciation.

Use native audio.

Double/Tense Consonant ㄸ (쌍디귿)

In the previous section, you learned the double consonant ㄲ (쌍기역). Now you will learn the second Korean double consonant:

ㄸ

The consonant ㄸ is made by writing two ㄷ characters together:

ㄷ + ㄷ = ㄸ

It represents a tense, tight, and strong “t” sound. Unlike ㅌ, it is not pronounced with a large burst of air.

Examples:

You can hear ㄸ in common Korean words such as:

딸 — daughter
딸기 — strawberry
땅 — ground; land
때 — time; occasion
떡 — rice cake
또 — again
뜨겁다 — to be hot

Meet the Consonant ㄸ

Feature	Information
Korean letter	ㄸ
Korean name	쌍디귿
Romanization	tt
Sound type	Tense consonant
Basic sound	A tight, tense “t” sound
Aspirated?	No
Can appear at the beginning of a syllable?	Yes
Can appear as a final consonant 받침?	No

Meaning of 쌍디귿

The name 쌍디귿 consists of:

쌍 — pair or double
디귿 — the name of ㄷ

Therefore:

쌍디귿 = double ㄷ

Important note

Although ㄸ is written as two ㄷ characters, you do not pronounce two separate sounds.

Incorrect:

ㄷ + ㄷ → “t-t”

Correct:

ㄸ → one short, tight, tense sound

How to Pronounce ㄸ

The pronunciation of ㄸ is written as tt in Romanization. However, it is not exactly the same as the English “tt” in words such as “butter.”

Korean ㄸ is pronounced with increased tension inside the mouth.

Step-by-step pronunciation

Place the tip of your tongue against the ridge directly behind your upper front teeth.
Keep the tongue position firm.
Tighten the muscles in your mouth and throat slightly.
Hold the air pressure briefly behind your tongue.
Release the sound quickly.
Do not release a large puff of air.

Try saying:

따

The sound should be:

short
firm
tense
controlled
almost without extra air

Mouth and tongue position

When pronouncing ㄸ:

The tongue touches the same general area used for ㄷ and ㅌ.
The tongue presses more firmly than it does for ㄷ.
The throat feels slightly tense.
The release is sharp and compact.
Very little air comes out of the mouth.

Pronunciation formula

Firm tongue contact + increased tension + quick release + little air = ㄸ

Comparing ㄷ, ㅌ, and ㄸ

These three consonants use a similar tongue position, but they differ in tension and airflow.

Consonant	Name	Sound type	Airflow	Tension
ㄷ	디귿	Plain	Light	Relaxed
ㅌ	티읕	Aspirated	Strong puff of air	Moderate
ㄸ	쌍디귿	Tense	Very little air	Strong

Basic comparison

Plain ㄷ	Aspirated ㅌ	Tense ㄸ
다	타	따
더	터	떠
도	토	또
두	투	뚜
드	트	뜨
디	티	띠

Read each row slowly:

다 — 타 — 따
더 — 터 — 떠
도 — 토 — 또
두 — 투 — 뚜
드 — 트 — 뜨
디 — 티 — 띠

Then reverse the order:

따 — 타 — 다
떠 — 터 — 더
또 — 토 — 도
뚜 — 투 — 두
뜨 — 트 — 드
띠 — 티 — 디

What should you notice?

ㄷ sounds softer and more relaxed.
ㅌ produces a noticeable puff of air.
ㄸ sounds tight and firm, with very little air.

The Paper Test

You can use a small piece of paper to compare ㅌ and ㄸ.

Instructions

Hold a thin piece of paper a few centimeters in front of your mouth.
Say 타.
Watch the paper move because of the strong burst of air.
Say 따.
The paper should move very little.

Syllable	Expected result
타	The paper moves noticeably
따	The paper moves very little
다	The paper may move slightly

Practice

Repeat:

타 — 따
토 — 또
투 — 뚜
티 — 띠

Do not make ㄸ louder. Make it tighter.

Shape of ㄸ

The letter ㄸ consists of two ㄷ characters placed next to each other.

ㄷ + ㄷ = ㄸ

The two parts should:

have similar sizes
have equal spacing
sit on the same line
look balanced
fit comfortably inside the syllable block

Visual memory tip

Think of ㄸ as:

Two firm ㄷ shapes standing tightly together.

This visual idea can help you remember that ㄸ has a tight and tense sound.

Writing ㄸ

Write the first ㄷ on the left and the second ㄷ on the right.

Writing process

Write a small ㄷ on the left.
Leave a narrow, even space.
Write another small ㄷ on the right.
Make both ㄷ shapes similar in height and width.
Keep the complete ㄸ centered inside the writing box.

Trace and copy

Trace:

ㄸ　ㄸ　ㄸ　ㄸ　ㄸ

Copy:

___　___　___　___　___

Size comparison

Avoid making the two parts too wide:

ㄷ　ㄷ

Inside ㄸ, they should appear as one combined consonant:

ㄸ

Common writing problems

Making one ㄷ larger than the other
Leaving too much space between them
Joining the two ㄷ shapes together
Writing ㄸ too wide for the syllable block
Confusing ㄸ with ㄷ

Combining ㄸ with Basic Korean Vowels

ㄸ combines with vowels to form complete syllable blocks.

With vertical vowels

When ㄸ combines with a vertical vowel, ㄸ is written on the left and the vowel is written on the right.

Combination	Syllable	Romanization
ㄸ + ㅏ	따	tta
ㄸ + ㅑ	땨	ttya
ㄸ + ㅓ	떠	tteo
ㄸ + ㅕ	뗘	ttyeo
ㄸ + ㅣ	띠	tti

Block pattern:

Consonant + vowel
ㄸ + ㅏ → 따

With horizontal vowels

When ㄸ combines with a horizontal vowel, ㄸ is written above the vowel.

Combination	Syllable	Romanization
ㄸ + ㅗ	또	tto
ㄸ + ㅛ	뚀	ttyo
ㄸ + ㅜ	뚜	ttu
ㄸ + ㅠ	뜌	ttyu
ㄸ + ㅡ	뜨	tteu

Block pattern:

Consonant above vowel
ㄸ + ㅗ → 또

Complete ㄸ Syllable Table

Vowel	Combination	Syllable	Approximate reading
ㅏ	ㄸ + ㅏ	따	tta
ㅑ	ㄸ + ㅑ	땨	ttya
ㅓ	ㄸ + ㅓ	떠	tteo
ㅕ	ㄸ + ㅕ	뗘	ttyeo
ㅗ	ㄸ + ㅗ	또	tto
ㅛ	ㄸ + ㅛ	뚀	ttyo
ㅜ	ㄸ + ㅜ	뚜	ttu
ㅠ	ㄸ + ㅠ	뜌	ttyu
ㅡ	ㄸ + ㅡ	뜨	tteu
ㅣ	ㄸ + ㅣ	띠	tti

Core Vocabulary with ㄸ

Common Pronunciation Mistakes

Mistake 1: Pronouncing ㄸ like ㄷ

Incorrect:

따 → 다

Solution:

Press the tongue more firmly and add tension before releasing the sound.

Mistake 2: Pronouncing ㄸ like ㅌ

Incorrect:

따 → 타

Solution:

Reduce the amount of air. Use the paper test to check your airflow.

Mistake 3: Making ㄸ too loud

ㄸ is tense, but it does not need to be shouted.

Solution:

Focus on internal tension rather than volume.

Mistake 4: Pronouncing two separate ㄷ sounds

Incorrect:

ㄷ-ㄷ-아

Correct:

따

ㄸ represents one consonant sound.

Mistake 5: Adding an English vowel before the sound

Avoid saying something like:

“uh-tta”

Begin directly with the tense ㄸ sound:

따

Mistake 6: Trying to use ㄸ as 받침

ㄸ does not appear in the final consonant position.

Correct:

딸 — ㄸ is initial, ㄹ is final.

Double/Tense Consonant ㅃ (쌍비읍)

In the previous section, you learned the double consonant ㄸ (쌍디귿). Now you will learn the third Korean double consonant:

ㅃ

The consonant ㅃ is made by writing two ㅂ characters next to each other:

ㅂ + ㅂ = ㅃ

It represents a tense, tight “p” sound. The lips are pressed together firmly before the sound is released.

Unlike ㅍ, ㅃ is not pronounced with a strong puff of air.

Examples:

You can hear ㅃ in common Korean words such as:

빵 — bread
빨리 — quickly
빨간색 — red
뿌리 — root
뽀뽀 — kiss
뽑다 — to pull out; select
삐다 — to sprain

Meet the Consonant ㅃ

Feature	Information
Korean letter	ㅃ
Korean name	쌍비읍
Romanization	pp
Sound type	Tense consonant
Basic sound	A tight and tense “p” sound
Aspirated?	No
Main speech organ	Lips
Can appear at the beginning of a syllable?	Yes
Can appear as a final consonant 받침?	No

Meaning of 쌍비읍

The name 쌍비읍 consists of:

쌍 — pair or double
비읍 — the name of ㅂ

Therefore:

쌍비읍 = double ㅂ

Important pronunciation note

Although ㅃ consists of two ㅂ characters, it represents only one consonant sound.

Incorrect:

ㅂ + ㅂ → “p-p”

Correct:

ㅃ → one short, tense sound

How to Pronounce ㅃ

The Romanization of ㅃ is pp, but it is not pronounced as two separate English “p” sounds.

Korean ㅃ is produced with:

firm lip closure
increased pressure inside the mouth
slight throat tension
a quick release
very little extra air

Step-by-step pronunciation

Close your lips firmly.
Keep your lips tighter than when pronouncing ㅂ.
Build a small amount of pressure behind your lips.
Tighten your throat slightly.
Release your lips quickly.
Do not release a large puff of air.

Try saying:

빠

The sound should be:

short
firm
tight
controlled
almost without extra air

Pronunciation formula

Firmly closed lips + increased tension + quick release + little air = ㅃ

Feel the difference

Place your fingers gently on your lips and say:

바 — 파 — 빠

You should notice:

바: the lips feel relaxed.
파: the lips release with strong air.
빠: the lips feel firm and tense, but little air comes out.

Comparing ㅂ, ㅍ, and ㅃ

These consonants use a similar lip position, but their tension and airflow are different.

Consonant	Name	Sound type	Airflow	Lip tension
ㅂ	비읍	Plain	Light	Relaxed
ㅍ	피읖	Aspirated	Strong puff of air	Moderate
ㅃ	쌍비읍	Tense	Very little air	Strong

Basic comparison

Plain ㅂ	Aspirated ㅍ	Tense ㅃ
바	파	빠
버	퍼	뻐
보	포	뽀
부	푸	뿌
브	프	쁘
비	피	삐

Read each row slowly:

바 — 파 — 빠
버 — 퍼 — 뻐
보 — 포 — 뽀
부 — 푸 — 뿌
브 — 프 — 쁘
비 — 피 — 삐

Now reverse the order:

빠 — 파 — 바
뻐 — 퍼 — 버
뽀 — 포 — 보
뿌 — 푸 — 부
쁘 — 프 — 브
삐 — 피 — 비

What should you notice?

ㅂ sounds softer and more relaxed.
ㅍ produces a strong puff of air.
ㅃ is short and tense, with little air.

The Paper Test

The paper test can help you distinguish ㅍ from ㅃ.

Instructions

Hold a thin piece of paper a few centimeters in front of your mouth.
Say 파.
Watch how strongly the paper moves.
Say 빠.
The paper should move much less.

Syllable	Expected result
바	The paper may move slightly
파	The paper moves strongly
빠	The paper moves very little

Practice pairs

파 — 빠
퍼 — 뻐
포 — 뽀
푸 — 뿌
프 — 쁘
피 — 삐

Important reminder

Do not make ㅃ louder than ㅂ or ㅍ. The important feature is tension, not volume.

Shape of ㅃ

The letter ㅃ consists of two ㅂ characters placed next to each other:

ㅂ + ㅂ = ㅃ

The two parts should:

have similar sizes
have equal spacing
sit on the same line
remain clearly visible
fit inside one syllable block

Visual memory tip

Think of ㅃ as:

Two closed boxes pressed firmly together.

The closed shape can remind you to close your lips firmly before releasing the tense sound.

Writing ㅃ

Write the first ㅂ on the left and the second ㅂ on the right.

Writing process

Write a small ㅂ on the left.
Leave a narrow and even space.
Write another small ㅂ on the right.
Make both parts approximately the same size.
Keep the complete ㅃ centered inside the writing box.

Trace and copy

Trace:

ㅃ　ㅃ　ㅃ　ㅃ　ㅃ

Copy:

___　___　___　___　___

Common writing problems

Making one ㅂ larger than the other
Leaving too much space between the two parts
Joining both parts into one unclear shape
Making ㅃ too wide
Forgetting one of the internal horizontal lines
Confusing ㅃ with ㅂ

Combining ㅃ with Basic Korean Vowels

The consonant ㅃ combines with vowels to form complete syllable blocks.

With vertical vowels

When ㅃ combines with a vertical vowel, ㅃ is placed on the left and the vowel is placed on the right.

Combination	Syllable	Romanization
ㅃ + ㅏ	빠	ppa
ㅃ + ㅑ	뺘	ppya
ㅃ + ㅓ	뻐	ppeo
ㅃ + ㅕ	뼈	ppyeo
ㅃ + ㅣ	삐	ppi

Block pattern:

Consonant + vowel
ㅃ + ㅏ → 빠

With horizontal vowels

When ㅃ combines with a horizontal vowel, ㅃ is placed above the vowel.

Combination	Syllable	Romanization
ㅃ + ㅗ	뽀	ppo
ㅃ + ㅛ	뾰	ppyo
ㅃ + ㅜ	뿌	ppu
ㅃ + ㅠ	쀼	ppyu
ㅃ + ㅡ	쁘	ppeu

Block pattern:

Consonant above vowel
ㅃ + ㅗ → 뽀

Complete ㅃ Syllable Table

Vowel	Combination	Syllable	Approximate reading
ㅏ	ㅃ + ㅏ	빠	ppa
ㅑ	ㅃ + ㅑ	뺘	ppya
ㅓ	ㅃ + ㅓ	뻐	ppeo
ㅕ	ㅃ + ㅕ	뼈	ppyeo
ㅗ	ㅃ + ㅗ	뽀	ppo
ㅛ	ㅃ + ㅛ	뾰	ppyo
ㅜ	ㅃ + ㅜ	뿌	ppu
ㅠ	ㅃ + ㅠ	쀼	ppyu
ㅡ	ㅃ + ㅡ	쁘	ppeu
ㅣ	ㅃ + ㅣ	삐	ppi

Combining ㅃ with Complex Vowels

The consonant ㅃ can also combine with Korean complex vowels.

Combination	Syllable	Romanization
ㅃ + ㅐ	빼	ppae
ㅃ + ㅔ	뻬	ppe
ㅃ + ㅘ	뽜	ppwa
ㅃ + ㅙ	뽸	ppwae
ㅃ + ㅚ	뾔	ppoe
ㅃ + ㅝ	뿨	ppwo
ㅃ + ㅞ	쀄	ppwe
ㅃ + ㅟ	쀠	ppwi
ㅃ + ㅢ	쁴	ppui

Adding Final Consonants

The tense consonant ㅃ appears in the initial position. It cannot be used as a final consonant or 받침.

However, a syllable beginning with ㅃ may end with another consonant.

Initial	Vowel	Final consonant	Complete block
ㅃ	ㅏ	ㄹ	빨
ㅃ	ㅏ	ㅇ	빵
ㅃ	ㅐ	ㄴ	뺀
ㅃ	ㅓ	ㄹ	뻘
ㅃ	ㅗ	ㅂ	뽑
ㅃ	ㅜ	ㄹ	뿔

Core Vocabulary with ㅃ

Meaning-Changing Contrasts

The difference between ㅂ, ㅍ, and ㅃ can change a word’s meaning.

Word	Meaning	Contrasting word	Meaning
방	room	빵	bread
발	foot	빨	beginning of 빨갛다
배다	to soak in	빼다	to remove
불	fire	뿔	horn
비다	to be empty	삐다	to sprain

Common Pronunciation Mistakes

Mistake 1 — Pronouncing ㅃ like ㅂ

Incorrect:

빠 → 바

Solution:

Close your lips more firmly and increase the tension before releasing the sound.

Mistake 2 — Pronouncing ㅃ like ㅍ

Incorrect:

빠 → 파

Solution:

Reduce the amount of air. Use the paper test to check your pronunciation.

Mistake 3 — Making ㅃ too loud

A tense consonant is not simply a louder consonant.

Solution:

Use firm internal pressure rather than a louder voice.

Mistake 4 — Pronouncing two separate ㅂ sounds

Incorrect:

ㅂ-ㅂ-아

Correct:

빠

The two written ㅂ characters represent one tense consonant.

Mistake 5 — Adding an unnecessary vowel

Avoid saying:

“uh-ppa”

Begin directly with the tense consonant:

빠

Mistake 6 — Trying to use ㅃ as 받침

The tense consonant ㅃ is not used as a final consonant.

In 빵:

ㅃ is the initial consonant.
ㅇ is the final consonant.

Double/Tense Consonant ㅆ (쌍시옷)

In the previous section, you learned the double consonant ㅃ (쌍비읍). Now you will learn the fourth Korean double consonant:

ㅆ

The consonant ㅆ is made by writing two ㅅ characters next to each other:

ㅅ + ㅅ = ㅆ

It represents a tense, sharp “ss” sound. The sound is stronger and more tightly controlled than the plain consonant ㅅ.

Examples:

You can hear ㅆ in many common Korean words:

싸다 — to be cheap
쌀 — rice
쓰다 — to write; use; wear
씻다 — to wash
쓰레기 — garbage
씨 — seed; Mr./Ms.
있어요 — there is; have
맛있어요 — it is delicious

Unlike most Korean tense consonants, ㅆ can also appear as a final consonant 받침.

Meet the Consonant ㅆ

Feature	Information
Korean letter	ㅆ
Korean name	쌍시옷
Romanization	ss
Sound type	Tense consonant
Initial sound	A strong, tense “ss” sound
Final sound	An unreleased “t” sound
Can begin a syllable?	Yes
Can be used as 받침?	Yes

Meaning of 쌍시옷

The name 쌍시옷 consists of:

쌍 — pair or double
시옷 — the name of ㅅ

Therefore:

쌍시옷 = double ㅅ

Important note

Although ㅆ contains two ㅅ characters, it represents one tense consonant sound.

Incorrect:

ㅅ + ㅅ → two separate “s” sounds

Correct:

ㅆ → one strong and tense “ss” sound

How to Pronounce ㅆ

To pronounce ㅆ, bring the front of your tongue close to the ridge behind your upper front teeth.

Do not completely block the airflow. Leave a very narrow space so the air can pass through and create a sharp friction sound.

Step-by-step pronunciation

Open your lips slightly.
Keep your teeth close together.
Bring the front of your tongue close to the ridge behind your upper teeth.
Do not let the tongue touch the ridge completely.
Create a very narrow passage for the air.
Tighten the tongue and throat slightly.
Push the air through the narrow passage.
Produce a sharp and controlled “ss” sound.

Try saying:

싸

The initial sound should be:

strong
sharp
tense
continuous
more forceful than ㅅ

Pronunciation formula

Narrow tongue passage + increased tension + controlled airflow = ㅆ

Comparing ㅅ and ㅆ

The consonants ㅅ and ㅆ use a similar tongue position, but ㅆ is tenser and sharper.

Consonant	Name	Sound type	Tension	Sound quality
ㅅ	시옷	Plain	Relaxed	Softer and lighter
ㅆ	쌍시옷	Tense	Strong	Sharper and stronger

Basic comparison

Plain ㅅ	Tense ㅆ
사	싸
서	써
소	쏘
수	쑤
스	쓰
시	씨

Read each pair slowly:

사 — 싸
서 — 써
소 — 쏘
수 — 쑤
스 — 쓰
시 — 씨

Now reverse the order:

싸 — 사
써 — 서
쏘 — 소
쑤 — 수
쓰 — 스
씨 — 시

What should you notice?

ㅅ is lighter and more relaxed.
ㅆ has stronger friction.
ㅆ requires more tongue and throat tension.
The ㅆ sound is not simply louder—it is tighter and sharper.

The Hand Test

The paper test is less useful for ㅅ and ㅆ because both sounds allow continuous airflow. Instead, use your hand to feel the difference.

Instructions

Place your hand a few centimeters in front of your mouth.
Say 사.
Notice the soft flow of air.
Say 싸.
Notice the sharper, more concentrated airflow and greater tension.

Practice

사 — 싸
서 — 써
소 — 쏘
수 — 쑤
스 — 쓰
시 — 씨

Focus on the firmness and sharpness of the sound rather than simply producing more air.

Special Pronunciation Before ㅣ and Y-Vowels

The pronunciation of ㅅ and ㅆ changes slightly before ㅣ and vowels beginning with a “y” sound.

Compare:

사 — 싸
시 — 씨

Before ㅣ, ㅆ sounds closer to a tense “sh” sound than an ordinary English “s.”

Examples:

씨 — approximately “sshi,” but tighter
씻다 — to wash
씹다 — to chew
쌰 — a rare syllable with a tense “shya” sound
쎠 — a rare syllable with a tense “shyeo” sound

Important reminder

Romanization writes:

씨 = ssi

However, its actual pronunciation is closer to:

“sshi”

Romanization is only a guide. Learners should imitate native audio rather than depending entirely on English spelling.

Shape of ㅆ

The letter ㅆ consists of two ㅅ characters placed next to each other:

ㅅ + ㅅ = ㅆ

The two parts should:

have similar sizes
have equal spacing
sit on the same line
remain clearly separate
fit comfortably inside one syllable block

Visual memory tip

Think of ㅆ as:

Two sharp ㅅ shapes producing one strong, sharp sound.

The pointed appearance can help you remember the sharp pronunciation of ㅆ.

Writing ㅆ

Write the first ㅅ on the left and the second ㅅ on the right.

Writing process

Write a small ㅅ on the left.
Leave a narrow and even space.
Write another small ㅅ on the right.
Make both characters similar in size.
Keep the complete ㅆ balanced and centered.

Trace and copy

Trace:

ㅆ　ㅆ　ㅆ　ㅆ　ㅆ

Copy:

___　___　___　___　___

Common writing problems

Making one ㅅ larger than the other
Leaving too much space between them
Joining the two characters
Writing the second ㅅ lower than the first
Making ㅆ too wide
Confusing ㅆ with a single ㅅ

Combining ㅆ with Basic Korean Vowels

The consonant ㅆ combines with vowels to form complete syllable blocks.

With vertical vowels

When ㅆ combines with a vertical vowel, ㅆ is written on the left and the vowel is written on the right.

Combination	Syllable	Romanization
ㅆ + ㅏ	싸	ssa
ㅆ + ㅑ	쌰	ssya
ㅆ + ㅓ	써	sseo
ㅆ + ㅕ	쎠	ssyeo
ㅆ + ㅣ	씨	ssi

Block pattern:

Consonant + vowel
ㅆ + ㅏ → 싸

With horizontal vowels

When ㅆ combines with a horizontal vowel, ㅆ is written above the vowel.

Combination	Syllable	Romanization
ㅆ + ㅗ	쏘	sso
ㅆ + ㅛ	쑈	ssyo
ㅆ + ㅜ	쑤	ssu
ㅆ + ㅠ	쓔	ssyu
ㅆ + ㅡ	쓰	sseu

Block pattern:

Consonant above vowel
ㅆ + ㅗ → 쏘

Complete ㅆ Syllable Table

Vowel	Combination	Syllable	Approximate reading
ㅏ	ㅆ + ㅏ	싸	ssa
ㅑ	ㅆ + ㅑ	쌰	ssya
ㅓ	ㅆ + ㅓ	써	sseo
ㅕ	ㅆ + ㅕ	쎠	ssyeo
ㅗ	ㅆ + ㅗ	쏘	sso
ㅛ	ㅆ + ㅛ	쑈	ssyo
ㅜ	ㅆ + ㅜ	쑤	ssu
ㅠ	ㅆ + ㅠ	쓔	ssyu
ㅡ	ㅆ + ㅡ	쓰	sseu
ㅣ	ㅆ + ㅣ	씨	ssi

Combining ㅆ with Complex Vowels

The tense consonant ㅆ can also combine with complex Korean vowels.

Combination	Syllable	Romanization
ㅆ + ㅐ	쌔	ssae
ㅆ + ㅔ	쎄	sse
ㅆ + ㅘ	쏴	sswa
ㅆ + ㅙ	쐐	sswae
ㅆ + ㅚ	쐬	ssoe
ㅆ + ㅝ	쒀	sswo
ㅆ + ㅞ	쒜	sswe
ㅆ + ㅟ	쒸	sswi
ㅆ + ㅢ	씌	ssui

ㅆ as a Final Consonant 받침

Unlike ㄲ, ㄸ, and ㅃ, the consonant ㅆ can appear as a final consonant.

Examples:

When ㅆ appears as 받침 at the end of a syllable, it is not pronounced as “ss.”

It is pronounced as a short, unreleased final sound similar to:

ㄷ 받침 → [t̚]

This means the tongue closes the sound, but there is no strong release.

Examples before a pause or consonant

Written form	Approximate sound
있	읻
했	핻
갔	갇
썼	썯
봤	봗

These approximate forms are provided only to explain the final sound. Always keep the correct spelling with ㅆ.

Important spelling reminder

Correct spelling:

있, 했, 갔, 썼

Do not change the written ㅆ to ㄷ just because the final pronunciation sounds similar.

ㅆ 받침 Before a Vowel

When a syllable ending in ㅆ is followed by a vowel sound, the ㅆ sound connects to the next syllable and is pronounced as a tense “ss” sound.

Examples

Written form	Pronunciation	Meaning
있어요	[이써요]	there is; have
있었어요	[이써써요]	there was; had
갔어요	[가써요]	went
했어요	[해써요]	did
썼어요	[써써요]	wrote; used
맛있어요	[마시써요]	it is delicious

Compare

At the end of a phrase:

있어. → final ㅆ closes like an unreleased “t”

Before a following vowel:

있어요 → [이써요]

This is an important Korean pronunciation rule called sound linking or 연음.

Core Vocabulary with Initial ㅆ

Core Vocabulary with Final ㅆ

Important note about 없다

The word 없다 contains the final consonant cluster ㅄ rather than ㅆ. It is included here because learners often compare it with 있다:

있다 — to exist; have
없다 — not to exist; not have

19. Meaning-Changing Contrasts

The difference between ㅅ and ㅆ can change the meaning of a word.

Plain ㅅ word	Meaning	Tense ㅆ word	Meaning
사다	to buy	싸다	to be cheap; wrap
살	flesh; age	쌀	uncooked rice
소다	soda	쏘다	to shoot
쓰다	to write; use	—	—
시	poem; city; hour	씨	seed; Mr./Ms.

Common Pronunciation Mistakes

Mistake 1 — Pronouncing ㅆ like ㅅ

Incorrect:

싸 → 사

Solution:

Increase the tension and produce a sharper friction sound.

Mistake 2 — Making ㅆ only louder

Loudness does not create the correct tense sound.

Solution:

Make the air passage narrower and increase tongue tension.

Mistake 3 — Pronouncing 씨 as a simple English “see”

The Korean syllable 씨 has a sharper sound that is closer to a tense “sshi.”

Solution:

Listen to native audio and imitate the tongue position carefully.

Mistake 4 — Pronouncing two separate ㅅ sounds

Incorrect:

ㅅ-ㅅ-아

Correct:

싸

The written double consonant represents one tense sound.

Mistake 5 — Pronouncing final ㅆ as “ss”

Incorrect final pronunciation:

있 → “iss”

Correct:

있 → a short, unreleased final sound

Mistake 6 — Ignoring sound linking

Incorrect:

있-어요, with a full pause

Natural pronunciation:

있어요 → [이써요]

Double/Tense Consonant ㅉ (쌍지읒)

In the previous section, you learned the double consonant ㅆ (쌍시옷). Now you will learn the fifth and final Korean double consonant:

ㅉ

The consonant ㅉ is made by writing two ㅈ characters next to each other:

ㅈ + ㅈ = ㅉ

It represents a tense, tight, and sharp “j” sound.

Examples:

You can hear ㅉ in many useful Korean words:

짜다 — to be salty
짜다 — to squeeze
짝 — pair; partner
짧다 — to be short
쪽 — side; direction; page
찌다 — to steam; gain weight
찌개 — stew
진짜 — really; real
가짜 — fake
날짜 — date

Meet the Consonant ㅉ

Feature	Information
Korean letter	ㅉ
Korean name	쌍지읒
Romanization	jj
Sound type	Tense consonant
Basic sound	A tight, tense “j” sound
Aspirated?	No
Can appear at the beginning of a syllable?	Yes
Can appear as a final consonant 받침?	No

Meaning of 쌍지읒

The name 쌍지읒 consists of:

쌍 — pair or double
지읒 — the name of ㅈ

Therefore:

쌍지읒 = double ㅈ

Important note

Although ㅉ consists of two ㅈ characters, it represents one tense consonant sound.

Incorrect:

ㅈ + ㅈ → two separate “j” sounds

Correct:

ㅉ → one short, firm, tense sound

How to Pronounce ㅉ

The consonant ㅉ is pronounced with greater tension than ㅈ and much less airflow than ㅊ.

Its Romanization is jj, but it should not be pronounced as two separate English “j” sounds.

Step-by-step pronunciation

Open your lips slightly.
Place the front of your tongue near the ridge behind your upper front teeth.
Touch or closely approach the ridge with your tongue.
Hold the airflow briefly.
Tighten your tongue and throat slightly.
Release the sound quickly.
Do not produce a strong puff of air.

Try saying:

짜

The sound should be:

short
sharp
firm
tense
controlled
produced with little extra air

Pronunciation formula

Firm tongue contact + increased tension + quick release + little air = ㅉ

Comparing ㅈ, ㅊ, and ㅉ

The consonants ㅈ, ㅊ, and ㅉ use a similar tongue position. Their primary differences are tension and airflow.

Consonant	Name	Sound type	Airflow	Tension
ㅈ	지읒	Plain	Light	Relaxed
ㅊ	치읓	Aspirated	Strong puff of air	Moderate
ㅉ	쌍지읒	Tense	Very little air	Strong

Basic comparison

Plain ㅈ	Aspirated ㅊ	Tense ㅉ
자	차	짜
저	처	쩌
조	초	쪼
주	추	쭈
즈	츠	쯔
지	치	찌

Read each row slowly:

자 — 차 — 짜
저 — 처 — 쩌
조 — 초 — 쪼
주 — 추 — 쭈
즈 — 츠 — 쯔
지 — 치 — 찌

Now reverse the order:

짜 — 차 — 자
쩌 — 처 — 저
쪼 — 초 — 조
쭈 — 추 — 주
쯔 — 츠 — 즈
찌 — 치 — 지

What should you notice?

ㅈ sounds softer and more relaxed.
ㅊ produces a strong puff of air.
ㅉ sounds tight and firm, with little extra air.

The Paper Test

Use a small piece of paper to distinguish ㅊ from ㅉ.

Instructions

Hold a thin piece of paper a few centimeters in front of your mouth.
Say 차.
Observe the strong movement of the paper.
Say 짜.
The paper should move much less.

Syllable	Expected result
자	The paper may move slightly
차	The paper moves strongly
짜	The paper moves very little

Practice

차 — 짜
처 — 쩌
초 — 쪼
추 — 쭈
츠 — 쯔
치 — 찌

Important reminder

Do not make ㅉ louder. Increase the tension while reducing the extra airflow.

Tongue Position

The tongue position for ㅉ is similar to the positions used for ㅈ and ㅊ.

For ㅉ

The front of the tongue moves toward the ridge behind the upper teeth.
The contact is firmer than for ㅈ.
Air pressure briefly builds behind the tongue.
The tongue releases quickly.
The sound ends with a short friction-like quality.
The release has little aspiration.

Feel the contrast

Say:

자 — 차 — 짜

Focus on:

relaxed sound for 자
strong air for 차
strong internal tension for 짜

Shape of ㅉ

The letter ㅉ consists of two ㅈ characters placed next to each other:

ㅈ + ㅈ = ㅉ

The two parts should:

have similar sizes
have equal spacing
sit at the same height
remain clearly visible
fit comfortably inside the syllable block

Visual memory tip

Think of ㅉ as:

Two ㅈ shapes pressed tightly together to make one tense sound.

Writing ㅉ

Write the first ㅈ on the left and the second ㅈ on the right.

Writing process

Write a small ㅈ on the left.
Leave a narrow and even space.
Write another small ㅈ on the right.
Make both characters similar in size.
Keep the complete ㅉ centered and balanced.

Trace and copy

Trace:

ㅉ　ㅉ　ㅉ　ㅉ　ㅉ

Copy:

___　___　___　___　___

Common writing problems

Making one ㅈ larger than the other
Leaving too much space between them
Joining the two characters together
Writing one ㅈ higher than the other
Making ㅉ too wide
Confusing ㅉ with ㅈ or ㅊ

Combining ㅉ with Basic Korean Vowels

The consonant ㅉ combines with vowels to create complete syllable blocks.

With vertical vowels

When ㅉ combines with a vertical vowel, ㅉ is placed on the left and the vowel is placed on the right.

Combination	Syllable	Romanization
ㅉ + ㅏ	짜	jja
ㅉ + ㅑ	쨔	jjya
ㅉ + ㅓ	쩌	jjeo
ㅉ + ㅕ	쪄	jjyeo
ㅉ + ㅣ	찌	jji

Block pattern:

Consonant + vowel
ㅉ + ㅏ → 짜

With horizontal vowels

When ㅉ combines with a horizontal vowel, ㅉ is placed above the vowel.

Combination	Syllable	Romanization
ㅉ + ㅗ	쪼	jjo
ㅉ + ㅛ	쬬	jjyo
ㅉ + ㅜ	쭈	jju
ㅉ + ㅠ	쮸	jjyu
ㅉ + ㅡ	쯔	jjeu

Block pattern:

Consonant above vowel
ㅉ + ㅗ → 쪼

Complete ㅉ Syllable Table

Vowel	Combination	Syllable	Approximate reading
ㅏ	ㅉ + ㅏ	짜	jja
ㅑ	ㅉ + ㅑ	쨔	jjya
ㅓ	ㅉ + ㅓ	쩌	jjeo
ㅕ	ㅉ + ㅕ	쪄	jjyeo
ㅗ	ㅉ + ㅗ	쪼	jjo
ㅛ	ㅉ + ㅛ	쬬	jjyo
ㅜ	ㅉ + ㅜ	쭈	jju
ㅠ	ㅉ + ㅠ	쮸	jjyu
ㅡ	ㅉ + ㅡ	쯔	jjeu
ㅣ	ㅉ + ㅣ	찌	jji

Combining ㅉ with Complex Vowels

The tense consonant ㅉ can also combine with complex Korean vowels.

Combination	Syllable	Romanization
ㅉ + ㅐ	째	jjae
ㅉ + ㅔ	쩨	jje
ㅉ + ㅘ	쫘	jjwa
ㅉ + ㅙ	쫴	jjwae
ㅉ + ㅚ	쬐	jjoe
ㅉ + ㅝ	쭤	jjwo
ㅉ + ㅞ	쮀	jjwe
ㅉ + ㅟ	쮜	jjwi
ㅉ + ㅢ	쯰	jjui

Adding Final Consonants

The tense consonant ㅉ can appear at the beginning of a syllable, but it cannot be used as a final consonant 받침.

However, a syllable beginning with ㅉ may end with another consonant.

Initial	Vowel	Final consonant	Complete block
ㅉ	ㅏ	ㄱ	짝
ㅉ	ㅏ	ㄴ	짠
ㅉ	ㅏ	ㅁ	짬
ㅉ	ㅓ	ㄱ	쩍
ㅉ	ㅗ	ㄱ	쪽
ㅉ	ㅣ	ㅂ	찝

Read the syllables

짝 — 짠 — 짬 — 쩍 — 쪽 — 찝

Example breakdown

In 짝:

Initial consonant: ㅉ
Vowel: ㅏ
Final consonant: ㄱ

ㅉ + ㅏ + ㄱ = 짝

The ㅉ is the initial consonant. The ㄱ is the 받침.

Core Vocabulary with ㅉ

Meaning-Changing Contrasts

The difference between ㅈ, ㅊ, and ㅉ can change a word’s meaning.

Word	Meaning	Contrasting word	Meaning
자다	to sleep	짜다	to be salty; squeeze
장	sheet; chapter	짱	the best; excellent
자요	sleep	짜요	salty; squeeze
지다	to lose; carry	찌다	to steam; gain weight
가장	most	가짜	fake

Common Pronunciation Mistakes

Mistake 1 — Pronouncing ㅉ like ㅈ

Incorrect:

짜 → 자

Solution:

Use firmer tongue contact and increase the tension before releasing the sound.

Mistake 2 — Pronouncing ㅉ like ㅊ

Incorrect:

짜 → 차

Solution:

Reduce the puff of air. Use the paper test to check your airflow.

Mistake 3 — Making ㅉ too loud

A tense consonant is not simply a loud consonant.

Solution:

Focus on internal tension, firm tongue contact, and a quick release.

Mistake 4 — Pronouncing two separate ㅈ sounds

Incorrect:

ㅈ-ㅈ-아

Correct:

짜

ㅉ represents one tense consonant sound.

Mistake 5 — Adding an English vowel

Avoid saying:

“uh-jja”

Begin directly with the tense consonant:

짜

Mistake 6 — Trying to use ㅉ as 받침

The consonant ㅉ cannot be placed in the final consonant position.

In 짝:

ㅉ is the initial consonant.
ㄱ is the final consonant.

Complete Korean Consonant Review

You have now learned all the basic and double Korean consonants.

Korean has:

14 basic consonants
5 double or tense consonants

That gives you a total of:

19 Korean consonants

The 14 basic consonants

ㄱ　ㄴ　ㄷ　ㄹ　ㅁ　ㅂ　ㅅ
ㅇ　ㅈ　ㅊ　ㅋ　ㅌ　ㅍ　ㅎ

The five double consonants

ㄲ　ㄸ　ㅃ　ㅆ　ㅉ

The 14 Basic Korean Consonants

Consonant	Korean name	Romanization	Approximate initial sound
ㄱ	기역	g/k	Between English “g” and “k”
ㄴ	니은	n	“n”
ㄷ	디귿	d/t	Between English “d” and “t”
ㄹ	리을	r/l	Flap “r” or “l”
ㅁ	미음	m	“m”
ㅂ	비읍	b/p	Between English “b” and “p”
ㅅ	시옷	s	Soft “s”
ㅇ	이응	Silent/ng	Silent initially
ㅈ	지읒	j	Soft “j”
ㅊ	치읓	ch	Aspirated “ch”
ㅋ	키읔	k	Aspirated “k”
ㅌ	티읕	t	Aspirated “t”
ㅍ	피읖	p	Aspirated “p”
ㅎ	히읗	h	“h”

Read the consonant names

ㄱ — 기역
ㄴ — 니은
ㄷ — 디귿
ㄹ — 리을
ㅁ — 미음
ㅂ — 비읍
ㅅ — 시옷
ㅇ — 이응
ㅈ — 지읒
ㅊ — 치읓
ㅋ — 키읔
ㅌ — 티읕
ㅍ — 피읖
ㅎ — 히읗

The Five Double Consonants

Consonant	Formation	Korean name	Romanization	Sound type
ㄲ	ㄱ + ㄱ	쌍기역	kk	Tense
ㄸ	ㄷ + ㄷ	쌍디귿	tt	Tense
ㅃ	ㅂ + ㅂ	쌍비읍	pp	Tense
ㅆ	ㅅ + ㅅ	쌍시옷	ss	Tense
ㅉ	ㅈ + ㅈ	쌍지읒	jj	Tense

Read the consonant names

ㄲ — 쌍기역
ㄸ — 쌍디귿
ㅃ — 쌍비읍
ㅆ — 쌍시옷
ㅉ — 쌍지읒

Remember

The word 쌍 means:

pair or double

Although each double consonant contains two identical shapes, it represents only one tense sound.

Complete Consonant Chart

Basic consonants	Double consonants
ㄱ — 기역	ㄲ — 쌍기역
ㄴ — 니은	—
ㄷ — 디귿	ㄸ — 쌍디귿
ㄹ — 리을	—
ㅁ — 미음	—
ㅂ — 비읍	ㅃ — 쌍비읍
ㅅ — 시옷	ㅆ — 쌍시옷
ㅇ — 이응	—
ㅈ — 지읒	ㅉ — 쌍지읒
ㅊ — 치읓	—
ㅋ — 키읔	—
ㅌ — 티읕	—
ㅍ — 피읖	—
ㅎ — 히읗	—

Consonant Sound Groups

Korean consonants can be organized by how they are pronounced.

Plain consonants

ㄱ　ㄷ　ㅂ　ㅅ　ㅈ

Plain consonants are generally pronounced with a relaxed mouth position.

Aspirated consonants

ㅋ　ㅌ　ㅍ　ㅊ

Aspirated consonants release a strong puff of air.

Tense consonants

ㄲ　ㄸ　ㅃ　ㅆ　ㅉ

Tense consonants are pronounced with strong internal tension and little extra air.

Nasal consonants

ㄴ　ㅁ　ㅇ

Air passes through the nose when these consonants are pronounced.

Liquid consonant

ㄹ

The sound of ㄹ changes according to its position. It may sound like a light “r” or an “l.”

Glottal consonant

ㅎény

The consonant ㅎ is produced using airflow through the throat.

Plain, Aspirated, and Tense Comparison

Plain	Aspirated	Tense
ㄱ	ㅋ	ㄲ
ㄷ	ㅌ	ㄸ
ㅂ	ㅍ	ㅃ
ㅈ	ㅊ	ㅉ

The consonants ㅅ and ㅆ form a separate two-way contrast:

Plain	Tense
ㅅ	ㅆ

Basic syllable comparison

가 — 카 — 까
다 — 타 — 따
바 — 파 — 빠
자 — 차 — 짜
사 — 싸 Harriet

Pronunciation differences

Sound type	Airflow	Tension	Example
Plain	Light	Relaxed	가, 다, 바, 자
Aspirated	Strong	Moderate	카, 타, 파, 차
Tense	Very little extra air	Strong	까, 따, 빠, 짜

The Special Consonant ㅇ

The consonant ㅇ has two different functions.

At the beginning of a syllable

Initial ㅇ is silent.

Examples:

Syllable	Formation	Sound
아	ㅇ + ㅏ	a
어	ㅇ + ㅓ	eo
오	ㅇ + ㅗ	o
우	ㅇ + ㅜ	u
이	ㅇ + ㅣ	i

The ㅇ provides an initial position for a vowel in the syllable block.

At the end of a syllable

Final ㅇ is pronounced ng.

Examples:

Word	Final sound	Meaning
방	ng	room
공	ng	ball; zero
강	ng	river
빵	ng	bread
사랑	ng	love

Compare

아 — initial ㅇ is silent
앙 — final ㅇ sounds like “ng”

The Special Consonant ㄹ

The pronunciation of ㄹ changes according to its position.

Between vowels

It usually sounds like a light, quick “r.”

Examples:

사람 — person
나라 — country
머리 — head; hair
다리 — leg; bridge

At the end of a syllable

It usually sounds like “l.”

Examples:

달 — moon
물 — water
길 — road
말 — language; horse

When two ㄹ sounds meet

They are generally pronounced as a longer “l” sound.

Examples:

빨리 — quickly
몰라요 — do not know
신라 — Silla

Practice

라 — 리 — 루
달 — 물 — 길
빨리 — 몰라요

Special Pronunciation of ㅅ and ㅆ

Before most vowels:

ㅅ has an “s”-like sound.
ㅆ has a tense “ss”-like sound.

Examples:

사 — 싸
서 — 써
소 — 쏘
수 — 쑤

Before ㅣ and y-vowels, the sound becomes closer to “sh.”

Examples:

시 — approximately “shi”
씨 — tense “sshi”
샤 — approximately “shya”
셔 — approximately “shyeo”
쇼 — approximately “shyo”
슈 — approximately “shyu”

Practice

사 — 시
싸 — 씨
소 — 쇼
쏘 — 쑈

Romanization is only a guide. Native audio provides the best model.

Consonants with Vertical Vowels

With vertical vowels, the consonant is placed on the left and the vowel is placed on the right.

Examples of vertical vowels:

ㅏ　ㅑ　ㅓ　ㅕ　ㅣ

Block pattern

Consonant + vowel

Examples:

ㄱ + ㅏ = 가
ㄴ + ㅓ = 너
ㅁ + ㅣ = 미
ㅆ + ㅏ = 싸
ㅉ + ㅣ = 찌

Visual structure

Left side	Right side	Complete block
ㄱ	ㅏ	가
ㄴ	ㅓ	너
ㄷ	ㅣ	디
ㄸ	ㅏ	따
ㅃ	ㅣ	삐

Consonants with Horizontal Vowels

With horizontal vowels, the consonant is placed above and the vowel is placed below.

Examples of horizontal vowels:

ㅗ　ㅛ　ㅜ　ㅠ　ㅡ

Block pattern

Consonant above vowel

Examples:

ㄱ + ㅗ = 고
ㄴ + ㅜ = 누
ㅁ + ㅡ = 므
ㄲ + ㅗ = 꼬
ㅆ + ㅜ = 쑤

Visual structure

Top	Bottom	Complete block
ㄱ	ㅗ	고
ㄴ	ㅜ	누
ㄷ	ㅡ	드
ㅃ	ㅗ	뽀
ㅉ	ㅜ	쭈

Basic Consonants with ㅏ

Consonant	Syllable	Consonant	Syllable
ㄱ	가	ㅅ	사
ㄴ	나	ㅇ	아
ㄷ	다	ㅈ	자
ㄹ	라	ㅊ	차
ㅁ	마	ㅋ	카
ㅂ	바	ㅌ	타
ㅍ	파	ㅎ	하

Reading practice

가 — 나 — 다 — 라 — 마 — 바 — 사
아 — 자 — 차 — 카 — 타 — 파 — 하

Basic Consonants with ㅓ

Consonant	Syllable	Consonant	Syllable
ㄱ	거	ㅅ	서
ㄴ	너	ㅇ	어
ㄷ	더	ㅈ	저
ㄹ	러	ㅊ	처
ㅁ	머	ㅋ	커
ㅂ	버	ㅌ	터
ㅍ	퍼	ㅎ	허

Reading practice

거 — 너 — 더 — 러 — 머 — 버 — 서
어 — 저 — 처 — 커 — 터 — 퍼 — 허

Basic Consonants with ㅗ

Consonant	Syllable	Consonant	Syllable
ㄱ	고	ㅅ	소
ㄴ	노	ㅇ	오
ㄷ	도	ㅈ	조
ㄹ	로	ㅊ	초
ㅁ	모	ㅋ	코
ㅂ	보	ㅌ	토
ㅍ	포	ㅎ	호

Reading practice

고 — 노 — 도 — 로 — 모 — 보 — 소
오 — 조 — 초 — 코 — 토 — 포 — 호

Basic Consonants with ㅜ

Consonant	Syllable	Consonant	Syllable
ㄱ	구	ㅅ	수
ㄴ	누	ㅇ	우
ㄷ	두	ㅈ	주
ㄹ	루	ㅊ	추
ㅁ	무	ㅋ	쿠
ㅂ	부	ㅌ	투
ㅍ	푸	ㅎ	후

Reading practice

구 — 누 — 두 — 루 — 무 — 부 — 수
우 — 주 — 추 — 쿠 — 투 — 푸 — 후

Basic Consonants with ㅡ and ㅣ

With ㅡ

그 — 느 — 드 — 르 — 므 — 브 — 스
으 — 즈 — 츠 — 크 — 트 — 프 — 흐

With ㅣ

기 — 니 — 디 — 리 — 미 — 비 — 시
이 — 지 — 치 — 키 — 티 — 피 — 히

Reading challenge

그 — 기
느 — 니
드 — 디
르 — 리
므 — 미
브 — 비
스 — 시
즈 — 지
츠 — 치
크 — 키
트 — 티
프 — 피
흐 — 히

Double Consonant Syllable Grid

Vowel	ㄲ	ㄸ	ㅃ	ㅆ	ㅉ
ㅏ	까	따	빠	싸	짜
ㅑ	꺄	땨	뺘	쌰	쨔
ㅓ	꺼	떠	뻐	써	쩌
ㅕ	껴	뗘	뼈	쎠	쪄
ㅗ	꼬	또	뽀	쏘	쪼
ㅛ	꾜	뚀	뾰	쑈	쬬
ㅜ	꾸	뚜	뿌	쑤	쭈
ㅠ	뀨	뜌	쀼	쓔	쮸
ㅡ	끄	뜨	쁘	쓰	쯔
ㅣ	끼	띠	삐	씨	찌

Reading practice

까 — 따 — 빠 — 싸 — 짜
꺼 — 떠 — 뻐 — 써 — 쩌
꼬 — 또 — 뽀 — 쏘 — 쪼
꾸 — 뚜 — 뿌 — 쑤 — 쭈
끄 — 뜨 — 쁘 — 쓰 — 쯔
끼 — 띠 — 삐 — 씨 — 찌

Initial Consonants and Final Consonants

A Korean consonant can appear in different positions inside a syllable block.

Initial consonant

The initial consonant is called:

초성

It appears at the beginning of the block.

Example:

가

ㄱ = initial consonant
ㅏ = vowel

Final consonant

The final consonant is called:

종성 or 받침

It appears at the bottom of the block.

Example:

각

ㄱ = initial consonant
ㅏ = vowel
ㄱ = final consonant

Syllable structure

Initial consonant + vowel + optional final consonant

Examples:

Word	Initial	Vowel	Final
간	ㄱ	ㅏ	ㄴ
달	ㄷ	ㅏ	ㄹ
밥	ㅂ	ㅏ	ㅂ
공	ㄱ	ㅗ	ㅇ
꽃	ㄲ	ㅗ	ㅊ

Which Consonants Can Be 받침?

All 14 basic consonant letters can be written in the final position.

Among the five double consonants:

ㄲ can be 받침.
ㅆ can be 받침.
ㄸ cannot be 받침.
ㅃ cannot be 받침.
ㅉ cannot be 받침.

Double-consonant 받침 chart

Double consonant	Can appear as 받침?	Example
ㄲ	Yes	밖
ㄸ	No	—
ㅃ	No	—
ㅆ	Yes	있다
ㅉ	No	—

The Seven Representative Final Sounds

Although many consonant letters can appear as 받침, they are pronounced using only seven basic final sounds:

ㄱ　ㄴ　ㄷ　ㄹ　ㅁ　ㅂ　ㅇ

Final sound	Letters pronounced with this sound
ㄱ [k̚]	ㄱ, ㄲ, ㅋ
ㄴ [n]	ㄴ
ㄷ [t̚]	ㄷ, ㅅ, ㅆ, ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅌ, ㅎ
ㄹ [l]	ㄹ
ㅁ [m]	ㅁ
ㅂ [p̚]	ㅂ, ㅍ
ㅇ [ng]	ㅇ

The symbols [k̚], [t̚], and [p̚] represent sounds that are closed without a strong release.

Final ㄱ Sound

The following final consonants are pronounced with the representative ㄱ sound:

ㄱ　ㄲ　ㅋ

Examples:

Word	Spelling	Meaning
국	ㄱ 받침	soup; country
밖	ㄲ 받침	outside
부엌	ㅋ 받침	kitchen

At the end of a word, all three finish with a closed “k” sound.

Practice

국 — 밖 — 부엌

Do not add an extra vowel after the final consonant.

Final ㄷ Sound

These final consonants share the representative ㄷ sound:

ㄷ　ㅅ　ㅆ　ㅈ　ㅊ　ㅌ　ㅎ

Examples:

Word	Written 받침	Meaning
곧	ㄷ	soon
옷	ㅅ	clothes
있	ㅆ	exist; have
낮	ㅈ	daytime
꽃	ㅊ	flower
끝	ㅌ	end
놓	ㅎ	place; put

Before a pause or many consonants, these 받침 letters finish with a short, closed sound.

Practice

곧 — 옷 — 있 — 낮 — 꽃 — 끝 — 놓

Keep the correct spelling even though the final sounds become similar.

Final ㅂ Sound

The final consonants ㅂ and ㅍ share the representative ㅂ sound.

Examples:

Word	Written 받침	Meaning
밥	ㅂ	cooked rice; meal
앞	ㅍ	front

Both end with closed lips and no strong release.

Practice

밥 — 앞

Do not pronounce final ㅍ with the same strong air used in initial 파.

Other Final Sounds

Final ㄴ

산 — mountain
문 — door
돈 — money

Final ㄹ

달 — moon
물 — water
길 — road

Final ㅁ

밤 — night; chestnut
몸 — body
꿈 — dream

Final ㅇ

방 — room
공 — ball; zero
강 — river

Practice

산 — 달 — 밤 — 방
문 — 물 — 몸 — 공

받침 and Sound Linking

When a final consonant is followed by a vowel, the final consonant may connect to the next syllable.

This process is called:

연음 — sound linking

Examples

Written form	Common pronunciation	Meaning
한국어	[한구거]	Korean language
음악을	[으마글]	music + object particle
집에	[지베]	at home
옷을	[오슬]	clothes + object particle
꽃이	[꼬치]	flower + subject particle
있어요	[이써요]	there is; have

Important reminder

Pronunciation may connect, but the spelling does not change.

Core Consonant Vocabulary

Consonant	Korean word	Meaning
ㄱ	가방	bag
ㄴ	나무	tree
ㄷ	다리	leg; bridge
ㄹ	라디오	radio
ㅁ	모자	hat
ㅂ	바다	sea
ㅅ	사과	apple
ㅇ	아기	baby
ㅈ	지갑	wallet
ㅊ	치마	skirt
ㅋ	코	nose
ㅌ	토끼	rabbit
ㅍ	포도	grapes
ㅎ	학교	school
ㄲ	꼬리	tail
ㄸ	딸기	strawberry
ㅃ	빵	bread
ㅆ	쌀	uncooked rice
ㅉ	찌개	stew

Meaning-Changing Consonant Contrasts

Small consonant differences can change the meaning of a Korean word.

Word 1	Meaning	Word 2	Meaning
굴	oyster; cave	꿀	honey
달	moon	딸	daughter
방	room	빵	bread
살	flesh; age	쌀	uncooked rice
불	fire	뿔	horn
사다	to buy	싸다	to be cheap
자다	to sleep	짜다	to be salty
도	degree; province	또	again
가요	go	까요	shall we; do you think
지다	to lose	찌다	to steam; gain weight

Reading practice

굴 — 꿀
달 — 딸
방 — 빵
살 — 쌀
불 — 뿔
사다 — 싸다
자다 — 짜다
도 — 또
지다 — 찌다

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