1. 한글 Hangle (korean Alphabat)

Introduction to Hangeul

Hangeul is the writing system of the Korean language. It is a remarkably logical and efficient system, making it relatively easy to learn. Hangeul was created in the 15th century by King Sejong the Great, and it is considered one of the most scientific writing systems in the world.

Structure of Hangeul

Hangeul is composed of 24 letters: 14 consonants and 10 vowels. These letters are combined to form syllables, which are written in blocks. Each block represents one syllable.

1. Consonants

Korean consonants are classified based on how and where they are produced in the mouth. Here are the 14 basic consonants:

ㄱ	g/k	/k/ /ɡ/		Back of the tongue touches the roof of the mouth
ㄴ	n	/n/		Tip of the tongue touches the back of the upper teeth
ㄷ	d/t	/t/ /d/		Tip of the tongue touches the upper teeth
ㄹ	r/l	/ɾ/ /l/		Tip of the tongue flaps against the upper teeth
ㅁ	m	/m/		Lips are closed
ㅂ	b/p	/p/ /b/		Lips are closed
ㅅ	s/t	/s/ /ʃ/		Tongue approaches the upper teeth
ㅇ	-/ŋ	/ŋ/		Back of the tongue approaches the soft palate
ㅈ	j	/d͡ʒ/		Tongue blade touches the upper teeth
ㅊ	ch	/t͡ʃ/		Tongue blade touches the upper teeth (aspirated)
ㅋ	k	/kʰ/		Back of the tongue touches the roof of the mouth (aspirated)
ㅌ	t	/tʰ/		Tip of the tongue touches the upper teeth (aspirated)
ㅍ	p	/pʰ/		Lips are closed (aspirated)
ㅎ	h	/h/		Air is released through the vocal cords

 

2. Vowels

Korean vowels are classified based on the position of the tongue and lips. Here are the 10 basic vowels:

ㅏ	a	/a/		Tongue is low and back
ㅑ	ya	/ja/		Tongue is low and back, with a "y" sound added
ㅓ	eo	/ʌ/		Tongue is low and central
ㅕ	yeo	/jʌ/		Tongue is low and central, with a "y" sound added
ㅗ	o	/o/		Tongue is high and back, lips are rounded
ㅛ	yo	/jo/		Tongue is high and back, lips are rounded, with a "y" sound added
ㅜ	u	/u/		Tongue is high and back, lips are rounded
ㅠ	yu	/ju/		Tongue is high and back, lips are rounded, with a "y" sound added
ㅡ	eu	/ɯ/		Tongue is high and central
ㅣ	i	/i/		Tongue is high and front

 

 

3. 쌍자음(Tense Consonants)

Korean has five tense consonants, which are pronounced with more tension and pressure compared to their plain counterparts. These consonants are:

• ㄲ (kk)
• ㄸ (tt)
• ㅃ (pp)
• ㅆ (ss)
• ㅉ (jj)

Unlike their aspirated (ㅋ, ㅌ, ㅍ, ㅊ) or plain (ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ, ㅅ, ㅈ) versions, tense consonants are produced with a tighter glottal closure and stronger articulation. They often sound "harder" or "stronger" than their plain counterparts.

Pronunciation Tips:

• These sounds do not have a direct equivalent in English.
• Try to pronounce them with more tension in your throat, without adding extra breath.
• For example, ㄲ (kk) sounds somewhat like a very hard "g" sound, and ㅃ (pp) is a very strong "b" sound.

Examples:

• 가 (ga) vs. 까 (kka)
• 다 (da) vs. 따 (tta)
• 바 (ba) vs. 빠 (ppa)

---

4. 복합 모음 (Diphthongs)

Diphthongs in Korean are vowel combinations that create a gliding sound from one vowel to another within the same syllable.

There are 11 diphthongs in Korean:

Single Vowel Diphthong Examples Pronunciation Guide

ㅏ (a)	ㅑ (ya)	"yah" as in "yard"
ㅓ (eo)	ㅕ (yeo)	"yaw" as in "yawn"
ㅗ (o)	ㅛ (yo)	"yo" as in "yogurt"
ㅜ (u)	ㅠ (yu)	"you" as in "cute"
ㅡ (eu)	ㅢ (ui)	Starts with "eu" and glides to "ee"
ㅣ (i)	ㅔ (e), ㅐ (ae)	Similar to "e" in "set"

Some diphthongs start with "w" sounds, like:

• ㅘ (wa) → like "wa" in "water"
• ㅝ (wo) → like "wo" in "wonder"
• ㅙ (wae), ㅞ (we), ㅚ (oe) → similar to "way"

Pronunciation Tip:

• Diphthongs should be pronounced as a smooth transition from one vowel to another, rather than as two separate sounds.

Examples:

• 왜 (wae) → "Why"
• 위 (wi) → "We"
• 의 (ui) → "Uee" (can sound different depending on its position in a word)

5. Combining Letters

In Hangeul, consonants and vowels are combined to form syllable blocks. The general structure is:

• Consonant + Vowel (e.g., 가 - ga)
• Consonant + Vowel + Consonant (e.g., 밖 - bak)

4. Pronunciation Notes

• Korean has aspirated consonants (ㅋ, ㅌ, ㅍ, ㅊ), which are pronounced with a stronger puff of air than their unaspirated counterparts (ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ, ㅈ).
• Korean has tense consonants (ㄲ, ㄸ, ㅃ, ㅆ, ㅉ), which are pronounced with a stronger force than their lax counterparts (ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ, ㅅ, ㅈ).
• The pronunciation of some consonants changes depending on their position in a syllable or their neighboring sounds.

Tips for Learning Hangeul

• Start with the basic consonants and vowels.
• Practice writing the letters in the correct stroke order.
• Pay attention to the pronunciation differences between similar-sounding letters.
• Use online resources or language learning apps to reinforce your learning.
• Don't be afraid to ask for help from native Korean speakers or language tutors.