#1 Lesson: Hangeul
The
very first thing you must know when you learn korean language is the letters or
hangeul. Actually when I see the hangeul for the first time, it really
not makes sense to me. But after I learn them it’s quiet easy though :D
Okaay
let’s rooool \^o^/
Hangeul
has 40 letters that consist of 19 consonants and 21 vowels. The consonants
divided into two which are basic consonants and double consonants. The vowels
divided into two part as well, which are basic vowels and complex vowels.
# Consonant #
The
letter’s name
|
How
to read at the beginning of a syllabel
|
How
to read at the end of a syllabel
|
||
Basic consonants
|
ㄱ
|
GiyeoK
|
G
|
K
|
ㄴ
|
NieuN
|
N
|
N
|
|
ㄷ
|
DigeuT
|
D
|
T
|
|
ㄹ
|
RieuL
|
R
|
L
|
|
ㅁ
|
MieuM
|
M
|
M
|
|
ㅂ
|
BieuP
|
B
|
P
|
|
ㅅ
|
SieoT
|
S
|
T
|
|
ㅇ
|
ieuNG
|
-
|
NG
|
|
ㅈ
|
JieuT
|
J/CH
|
T
|
|
ㅊ
|
CHieuT
|
CH/CH’
|
T
|
|
ㅋ
|
KHieuK
|
KH
|
K
|
|
ㅌ
|
THieuT
|
TH
|
T
|
|
ㅍ
|
PHieuP
|
PH
|
P
|
|
ㅎ
|
HieuT
|
H
|
T
|
|
Doble consonants
|
ㄲ
|
ssang giyeoK
|
K
|
K
|
ㄸ
|
ssang digeuT
|
T
|
-
|
|
ㅃ
|
ssang bieuP
|
P
|
-
|
|
ㅆ
|
ssang SieoT
|
SS
|
T
|
|
ㅉ
|
ssang jieut
|
C
|
-
|
That’s
the consonants ^^
The
letter 'o' or ieung is called as blank consonant. It always paired with the
vowel that position is at the beginning of syllable. Because korean syllable always consist of consonant+vowel. So
the vowel that has to be at the beginning of syllable need a consonant will be
paired with 'o'.
If
you still confused with my explanation, see the vowel part below, all of the
vowel is preceded by 'o'.
Now,
see the romaji one, I bold the first and the last letter. It shows you how to
read the letter when you found it at the beginning and at the end of a
syllable. If you find the consonant at the end of a syllable then you call it
as final consonant or batchim (받 침).
# Vowel #
Sound
|
The
letter’s name
|
||
Basic vowels
|
ㅏ
|
아
|
A
|
ㅑ
|
야
|
Ya
|
|
ㅓ
|
어
|
Eo
|
|
ㅕ
|
여
|
Yeo
|
|
ㅗ
|
오
|
O
|
|
ㅛ
|
요
|
Yo
|
|
ㅜ
|
우
|
U
|
|
ㅠ
|
유
|
Yu
|
|
ㅡ
|
으
|
Eu
|
|
ㅣ
|
이
|
I
|
|
Complex vowels
|
ㅐ
|
애
|
Ae
|
ㅒ
|
얘
|
Yae
|
|
ㅔ
|
에
|
E
|
|
ㅖ
|
예
|
Ye
|
|
ㅘ
|
와
|
Wa
|
|
ㅙ
|
왜
|
Wae
|
|
ㅚ
|
외
|
Oe
(We)
|
|
ㅝ
|
워
|
Wo
|
|
ㅞ
|
웨
|
We
|
|
ㅟ
|
위
|
Wi
|
|
ㅢ
|
의
|
Eui
|
And
that’s the vowels ^^
As
you can see, the vowels have a pattern. For example, in the basic vowels part,
when you add one line on 아 (a) the letter will become 야 (ya),
and so on. As for the complex vowels, you just need the basic vowels together.
For example, when you add 오 (O) and 아(A)
together you get a
와 (Wa).
Personally,
I think it’s harder to differentiate the pronunciation between the vowels.
Because there are some vowels that almost has same pronunciation. For example
you can read 외, and웨 as ‘We’, the difference are very vague.
If you really curious
about the pronunciation, I think it’ll be better if you watch some video
tutorial at youtube heheh ^^v
Well, that is for the
first lesson. Although I don’t really explain anything here but I hope it can
be some help to you somehow ;) Feel free to ask me if you have question or
maybe you have some advices or tips about hangugo for me or for how should I
explain in the future :3
PS: the next lesson
will be about batchim (final consonant) and how you write and read hangeul :)
See you in the next
lesson~
As
always comment is welcome :D
