📘 Korean Master Notes (Complete Beginner Guide)
A comprehensive, accuracy-checked guide to Korean Hangul from zero to functional reading.
1. Hangul Inventory
Consonants (19 total)
Basic consonants (14): ㄱ ㄴ ㄷ ㄹ ㅁ ㅂ ㅅ ㅇ ㅈ ㅊ ㅋ ㅌ ㅍ ㅎ
Tense consonants (5): ㄲ ㄸ ㅃ ㅆ ㅉ
Vowels (21 total)
Simple vowels (10): ㅏ ㅑ ㅓ ㅕ ㅗ ㅛ ㅜ ㅠ ㅡ ㅣ
Complex vowels (11): ㅐ ㅒ ㅔ ㅖ ㅘ ㅙ ㅚ ㅝ ㅞ ㅟ ㅢ
2. Syllable Block Construction
Every Korean syllable follows this pattern: Initial Consonant (초성) + Vowel (중성) + [Optional Final Consonant/Batchim
(받침)]
Vowel Placement Rules
Vertical vowels (go to the right of initial consonant):
ㅏㅑㅓㅕㅣㅐㅒㅔㅖ
Examples: ㄱ+ㅏ=가, ㅂ+ㅣ=비, ㅁ+ㅔ=메
Horizontal vowels (go below initial consonant):
ㅗㅛㅜㅠㅡ
Examples: ㄱ+ㅗ=고, ㅅ+ㅜ=수, ㅎ+ㅡ=흐
Complex vowels (occupy both right and below spaces):
ㅘ ㅙ ㅚ (ㅗ-based) / ㅝ ㅞ ㅟ (ㅜ-based) / ㅢ (ㅡ-based)
Examples: ㄱ+ㅘ=과, ㄴ+ㅝ=눠, ㄹ+ㅢ=릐
Vowel-initial syllables: Use ㅇ as silent placeholder
Examples: 아 (ㅇ+ㅏ), 이 (ㅇ+ㅣ), 외 (ㅇ+ㅚ)
3. Romanization & Pronunciation
Using Revised Romanization (RR) with pronunciation hints.
Basic Consonants (Lenis)
Hangul Initial Final Sound Notes
ㄱ g k Light, unaspirated
ㄴ n n Standard n sound
ㄷ d t Light, unaspirated
ㄹ r/l l Flapped r between vowels, l at end
ㅁ m m Standard m sound
ㅂ b p Light, unaspirated
ㅅ s t "sh" before ㅣ/y-vowels, but RR still writes 's'
ㅇ silent ng Silent initially, ng finally
ㅈ j t Light affricate
ㅎ h (weak) Often silent as final, aspirates next consonant
Aspirated Consonants
ㅊ ch (final: t), ㅋ k, ㅌ t, ㅍ p
Always pronounced with strong aspiration
Tense Consonants
ㄲ kk, ㄸ tt, ㅃ pp, ㅆ ss, ㅉ jj
Pronounced with tension, no aspiration
4. Final Consonants (Batchim)
Korean has 7 possible final sounds regardless of spelling:
Sound Written as Example
k ㄱ, ㅋ, ㄲ 밖 (bak), 부엌 (bueok)
n ㄴ 눈 (nun)
t ㄷ, ㅅ, ㅆ, ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅌ, ㅎ 옷 (ot), 빛 (bit), 꽃 (kkot)
l ㄹ 물 (mul)
m ㅁ 밤 (bam)
Sound Written as Example
p ㅂ, ㅍ 밥 (bap), 숲 (sup)
ng ㅇ 방 (bang)
Double Final Consonants (겹받침)
When followed by a consonant or at word end, pronounce the primary sound:
ㄳ → k (넋 neok)
ㄵ → n (앉다 anta)
ㄶ → n (않다 anta)
ㄺ → k (읽다 ikta)
ㄻ → m (젊다 jeomta)
ㄼ → l (넓다 neoltta)
ㄽ→l
ㄾ→l
ㅀ→l
ㄿ→p
ㅄ → p (없다 eopta)
5. Sound Change Rules (At Intermediate Level thing!)
Liaison (연음)
When a final consonant is followed by a vowel, it moves to the next syllable:
값이 → 갑시 (gabsi)
한국어 → 한구거 (hangugeo)
밖에 → 바께 (bakke)
Common Assimilations
Nasalization: ㄱ/ㄷ/ㅂ + ㄴ/ㅁ → ㅇ/ㄴ/ㅁ (국물 → 궁물 gungmul)
Lateralization: ㄴ+ㄹ or ㄹ+ㄴ → ㄹㄹ (신라 → 실라 silla)
Tensification: Final consonant + ㄱ/ㄷ/ㅂ/ㅅ/ㅈ → ㄲ/ㄸ/ㅃ/ㅆ/ㅉ (학교 → 학꾜)
6. Complex Vowel Pronunciation
Vowel Romanization Pronunciation Notes
ㅐ ae Like "eh" in "bet"
ㅒ yae "y" + "eh"
ㅔ ae Like "eh" in "bet"
ㅖ yae "y" + "eh"
ㅘ wa "w" + "ah"
ㅙ wae "w" + "eh"
ㅚ wae Often sounds like "we"
ㅝ wo "w" + "uh"
ㅞ wae "w" + "eh"
ㅟ wi "w" + "ee"
ㅢ eui "oo" + "ee" (often simplified to "i" or "e")
7. Essential Practice Words
Basic Reading Practice
나라 (nara) - country
물 (mul) - water
밥 (bap) - rice/meal
학교 (hakgyo) - school
친구 (chingu) - friend
시장 (sijang) - market
하루 (haru) - day
Complex Vowel Practice
과 (gwa) - subject/and
왜 (wae) - why
위 (wi) - above/on
의 (ui) - possessive particle
외 (oe) - outside
Final Consonant Practice
옷 (ot) - clothes
빛 (bit) - light
꽃 (kkot) - flower
값 (gap) - price
읽다 (ikta) - to read
8. Daily Practice Routine (10 minutes)
1. Syllable Building (3 min): Practice combining consonant + vowel patterns
2. Reading Drill (4 min): Read word lists focusing on problem areas
3. Sound Changes (3 min): Practice liaison and assimilation patterns
Key Checkpoints
✓ Can build any syllable block from individual letters
✓ Know the 7 final consonant sounds
✓ Can predict basic sound changes (liaison, nasalization)
✓ Read common words fluently without romanization
9. Common Mistakes to Avoid
Don't romanize 시 as "shi" → correct: si (sounds like "shi")
Don't write initial ㄱㄷㅂㅈ as k/t/p/ch → use g/d/b/j
Remember all final ㅅㅆㅈㅊㄷㅌ become t sound
Don't forget ㅎ as final often disappears but affects next consonant
Next Steps
Once comfortable with reading Hangul:
1. Learn basic particles (은/는, 이/가, 을/를)
2. Study copula forms (이에요/예요)
3. Practice polite verb endings (-아요/-어요)
4. Learn essential question words
Maintain 10-15 minutes daily Hangul practice to build reading speed
and automaticity.
