Korean from the start
Learn to read Hangul, hear every letter, and read short guides to how Korean works.
Final consonants
A consonant at the bottom of a block is its final consonant, 받침 batchim. Many letters can go there, but a syllable can end in only seven sounds: k, n, t, l, m, p and ng. The finals are shown here on 아. Before a vowel, a final consonant moves on to start the next syllable and keeps its own sound: 옷 ot, but 옷이 is said 오시 osi.
Read the guide: Final consonantsThe seven final sounds
7 lettersAt the end of a syllable, k, t and p are held without letting the air out, and l is a clear l. Each final is shown on 아.
Other final consonants
9 lettersAny other letter at the bottom is said as one of the seven: ㅅ, ㅆ, ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅌ and ㅎ as t, ㅋ and ㄲ as k, and ㅍ as p. Before a vowel each keeps its own sound: 꽃 kkot, 꽃이 kkochi.
Double finals
7 lettersTwo different consonants at the bottom. At the end of a word or before a consonant only one is said, mostly the first; before a vowel the second moves on: 앉아 anja is said 안자. Four more are rare: ㄳ (몫 mok share), ㄽ, ㄾ (핥다 to lick) and ㄿ (읊다 to recite).