How Hangul works
Letters stacked into syllable blocks.
Korean is written in Hangul (한글), an alphabet made for it in the fifteenth century. It has 14 basic consonants and 10 basic vowels, and with doubled consonants and combined vowels, 40 letters in all. Text runs from left to right, with spaces between words, and there are no capital letters.
Syllable blocks
Letters aren't written in a row as in English but stacked into square blocks, one block for each syllable. A block is a consonant, then a vowel, and sometimes a consonant at the bottom, its final consonant (Final consonants).
| Block | Letters | Shape |
|---|---|---|
| 가 ga | ㄱ + ㅏ | An upright vowel goes to the right. |
| 고 go | ㄱ + ㅗ | A flat vowel goes underneath. |
| 과 gwa | ㄱ + ㅘ | A vowel made of both wraps round. |
| 각 gak | ㄱ + ㅏ + ㄱ | A final consonant goes at the bottom. |
| 곡 gok | ㄱ + ㅗ + ㄱ | Flat vowel and final, stacked. |
| 닭 dak | ㄷ + ㅏ + ㄺ | Two consonants can share the bottom. |
A word is a row of blocks: 한국 hanguk "Korea" is 한 (ㅎ h, ㅏ a, ㄴ n) and 국 (ㄱ g, ㅜ u, ㄱ k).
| Word | Blocks | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 나라 nara | 나 + 라 | country |
| 바다 bada | 바 + 다 | sea |
| 한글 hangeul | 한 + 글 | Hangul |
| 학교 hakgyo | 학 + 교 | school |
| 사랑 sarang | 사 + 랑 | love |
ㅇ holds the place of a missing consonant
Every block starts with a consonant. When a syllable starts with a vowel, it is written with ㅇ, which is silent there: 아이 ai "child", 오이 oi "cucumber", 우유 uyu "milk". At the bottom of a block, ㅇ is said ng: 강 gang "river".
Upright and flat vowels
Vowels are a long stroke with short ones added. Those built on an upright stroke (ㅏ ㅑ ㅓ ㅕ ㅣ ㅐ ㅔ) stand to the right of the consonant; those built on a flat stroke (ㅗ ㅛ ㅜ ㅠ ㅡ) sit under it. A second short stroke adds a y: ㅏ a, ㅑ ya; ㅗ o, ㅛ yo.
Spelling and sound
Hangul spells each word by its parts, and the parts don't always sound as they do alone. 한국어 "the Korean language" is 한국 + 어, said 한구거 hangugeo: the final ㄱ moves on to the vowel. Final consonants and Sound changes explain the regular changes.
Spaces, particles and punctuation
Spaces go between words, and the little words that mark a noun's role, the particles, are written joined to it, as are verb endings: 저는 학생이에요 jeoneun haksaengieyo "I'm a student" is 저 "I" + 는, and 학생 "student" + 이에요 "am". Punctuation is the same as in English.
Words from Chinese
More than half of Korean's words, most of them learned words, come from Chinese. They are written in Hangul like any other word. The Chinese characters themselves, hanja (한자), now appear mainly in names, dictionaries and some newspaper headlines.
Cards from this guide
9 cardsEach card asks about one thing this guide teaches, and its back gives the answer with why and an example. They're reviewed with the rest of the Getting started cards.
How are Hangul letters arranged in writing?
In square syllable blocks, one for each syllable, read from left to right.
What letter starts a block whose syllable begins with a vowel, as in 아이 (child)?
ㅇ, silent there.
Where does an upright vowel like ㅏ go in a block, and a flat one like ㅗ?
An upright vowel goes to the right of the consonant; a flat one goes under it.
Which letters make up the block 한?
ㅎ h, ㅏ a and ㄴ n: han.
Where in a block does a final consonant go?
At the bottom, under the consonant and vowel.
How is the block 과 built?
ㄱ with the vowel ㅘ (ㅗ + ㅏ), which wraps round it: gwa.
How many basic letters does Hangul have?
24: 14 consonants and 10 vowels.
Are particles and verb endings written as separate words?
No: they're written joined to the word they follow. Spaces come between words.
How is 한국어 (the Korean language) said?
한구거 hangugeo: the final ㄱ of 국 moves on to the vowel.