Hangul Vowels: Learn to Build and Read Korean Syllables
Core Lesson — Your First 10 Korean Vowels
1. Change the vowel, keep the consonant
In Lesson 01, you built ㄴ + ㅏ → 나. Keep ㄴ and change the vowel:
ㄴ + ㅗ → 노
ㄴ + ㅜ → 누
ㄴ + ㅣ → 니
These blocks are read no, nu, ni. The consonant is the same, but the vowel changes both the sound and the arrangement inside the block.
In this lesson, you will recognise 21 vowel letters, place them beside or below a consonant, and read new syllables and words without Latin hints. You will also build combinations you have not copied from a chart.
First learn the ten basic letter shapes in the Core Lesson. Then explore eleven combined shapes in the Extension. These are groups of written letters, not a rule that the first ten are all simple vowel sounds or that the other eleven always contain two sounds.
2. Where does the vowel go?
| Vowel shape | Position | Build a block |
|---|---|---|
| Vertical: ㅏ, ㅣ | Right of the consonant | ㄱ + ㅏ → 가 ㄱ + ㅣ → 기 |
| Horizontal: ㅗ, ㅜ | Below the consonant | ㄱ + ㅗ → 고 ㄱ + ㅜ → 구 |
The letters stay together in one block. In 고, ㄱ is above ㅗ. In 기, ㄱ is to the left of ㅣ. Some combined vowels use space both below and to the right; you will build those later.
To write a syllable that begins with a vowel sound, use silent initial ㅇ: ㅇ + ㅗ → 오, ㅇ + ㅣ → 이. The vowel letter ㅗ by itself is not the complete syllable 오.
Place and build. Write ㅁ + ㅜ and ㅁ + ㅏ. In each block, is the vowel below or to the right of ㅁ?
Check the layout
무: ㅜ is below ㅁ. 마: ㅏ is to the right. Both are one syllable block.
3. Learn the ten basic vowels
Use the Latin reading aids at first, then try the practice lines without them. These spellings follow Revised Romanization, not English spelling. In particular, eo and eu each stand for one vowel, not “ee-oh” or “ee-you”.
A. ㅏ and ㅓ: look right or left
| Vowel | Reading aid | With silent ㅇ |
|---|---|---|
| ㅏ | a | 아 |
| ㅓ | eo | 어 |
ㅏ has a short line pointing right; ㅓ points left. Both sit to the right of a consonant. ㅏ is an open “ah”-like vowel. For ㅓ, keep the lips unrounded and use a more back, “uh”-like vowel. These English hints are approximate; the two Korean vowels are distinct.
Try: Write the vowel from 거. Then change only the vowel in 나 to ㅓ and read the new block.
Check A
ㅓ; 너 (neo). The consonant stays ㄴ.
B. ㅗ and ㅜ: look up or down
| Vowel | Reading aid | With silent ㅇ |
|---|---|---|
| ㅗ | o | 오 |
| ㅜ | u | 우 |
ㅗ points up; ㅜ points down. Both go below the consonant. Both use rounded lips: ㅗ is an o-like vowel; ㅜ has a higher tongue position and is roughly oo-like in English food. Do not decide the sound from the direction of the stroke alone; use the direction to recognise the letter.
Try: Build ㄱ + ㅗ and ㄱ + ㅜ. Read the mixed blocks 구 · 고 · 무 · 모.
Check B
Build 고, 구. Reading check: gu · go · mu · mo. The up/down stroke changes the vowel, not the consonant.
C. ㅡ and ㅣ: horizontal or vertical
| Vowel | Reading aid | With silent ㅇ |
|---|---|---|
| ㅡ | eu | 으 |
| ㅣ | i | 이 |
ㅡ is a horizontal line and goes below the consonant. Its vowel uses a high tongue position towards the back, with unrounded lips; it is not ㅜ. ㅣ is vertical and goes on the right; its sound is roughly ee-like in English see.
Try: Build ㄱ + ㅡ and ㄱ + ㅣ. Circle the vowel in each block, then read 기 · 그 · 이 · 으.
Check C
그 contains ㅡ; 기 contains ㅣ. Reading check: gi · geu · i · eu.
D. ㅑ and ㅕ: add a y-like beginning
| Vowel | Reading aid | With silent ㅇ |
|---|---|---|
| ㅑ | ya | 야 |
| ㅕ | yeo | 여 |
Compare ㅏ → ㅑ and ㅓ → ㅕ. The two short lines mark a y-like beginning, as in English yes, moving into the vowel. Each still forms one syllable: 야 is not 이아. Both vowels sit on the right.
Try: Change 나 to use ㅑ, and 너 to use ㅕ. Read 여 · 야 · 녀 · 냐.
Check D
냐, 녀. Reading check: yeo · ya · nyeo · nya. The extra short line changes the vowel letter.
E. ㅛ and ㅠ: the other two y-vowels
| Vowel | Reading aid | With silent ㅇ |
|---|---|---|
| ㅛ | yo | 요 |
| ㅠ | yu | 유 |
Compare ㅗ → ㅛ and ㅜ → ㅠ. Again, two short lines add a y-like beginning. The lines point up for ㅛ and down for ㅠ. These vowels go below the consonant.
Try: Build ㅇ + ㅠ and ㅇ + ㅛ. Then copy 우유 as two blocks and read it.
Check E
유, 요. 우 + 유 → 우유 (uyu) means milk. It has two syllables.
4. Read and build with the basic vowels
Keep the consonant fixed while you read each row. These are syllable drills, not vocabulary lists. You do not need a meaning for every block.
가 · 거 · 고 · 구 · 그 · 기
나 · 너 · 노 · 누 · 느 · 니
마 · 머 · 모 · 무 · 므 · 미
Now change the order. Read each block normally, from left to right. For a block you do not recognise, find its vowel first, then join it to the consonant.
미 · 고 · 너 · 그 · 무 · 나
여 · 구 · 마 · 요 · 기 · 유 · 야
Core checkpoint — build something new. Write ㄷ + ㅜ and ㅂ + ㅛ. Then choose a consonant from Lesson 01 and combine it with ㅗ, ㅜ, ㅣ. Write three blocks and circle their vowels.
Check your Core Lesson practice
First mixed line: mi · go · neo · geu · mu · na. Second: yeo · gu · ma · yo · gi · yu · ya.
Required blocks: 두, 뵤. Your three chosen blocks may differ. For example, with ㅅ: 소, 수, 시. Check that ㅗ, ㅜ are below the consonant and ㅣ is on the right. This checks construction, not perfect pronunciation.
A good place to pause: If you can build the blocks and recognise their vowels, you have completed the Core Lesson practice. If not, revisit the matching vowel pair and retry. Return for the Extension when you are ready; the 12-question final check comes after it.
Extension — Explore 11 More Korean Vowels
Continue with these eleven letters when the Core Lesson feels manageable. You can study this next stage on another day. The extra shapes are part of learning all 21 vowels, and the final check below brings both stages together.
5. Explore the other eleven vowel letters
Learn these as written combinations, a few at a time. The components help you recognise the shape; they are not instructions to read two separate syllables.
A. ㅐ · ㅔ · ㅒ · ㅖ
| Vowel | Reading aid | With silent ㅇ |
|---|---|---|
| ㅐ | ae | 애 |
| ㅔ | e | 에 |
| ㅒ | yae | 얘 |
| ㅖ | ye | 예 |
For the shapes, notice ㅏ + ㅣ → ㅐ and ㅓ + ㅣ → ㅔ. Adding a second short line gives ㅒ and ㅖ. All four go to the right of the consonant.
Many speakers pronounce ㅐ and ㅔ alike or very similarly, often near the vowel in English bed. Keep their spellings distinct. ㅒ and ㅖ add a y-like beginning to those vowel values. They can also be hard to distinguish by ear; in this reading lesson, use their shapes, not an assumed sound difference. Ae and yae do not mean separate a-and-e syllables.
Try: Match 개, 게, 얘, 예 to their vowel letters. You are identifying spellings, not listening for four different sounds.
Check these four spellings
개 → ㅐ; 게 → ㅔ; 얘 → ㅒ; 예 → ㅖ. Compare the side on which the short lines sit and whether there is one or two.
B. ㅘ and ㅝ: use both sides of the block
| Vowel | Reading aid | With silent ㅇ |
|---|---|---|
| ㅘ | wa | 와 |
| ㅝ | wo | 워 |
ㅗ + ㅏ → ㅘ
ㄱ + ㅘ → 과
ㅜ + ㅓ → ㅝ
ㅇ + ㅝ → 워
In 과, the ㅗ part sits below ㄱ and the ㅏ part sits to its right. Together they make one vowel letter in one syllable. ㅘ has a w-like beginning moving into ㅏ; ㅝ moves into ㅓ.
Try: Build ㅅ + ㅘ and ㅁ + ㅝ. Which vowel begins with the ㅜ shape?
Check the wrapping shapes
사 changes to 솨 when you use ㅘ; ㅁ + ㅝ → 뭐. It is ㅝ that contains ㅜ. Treat these as block-building examples here.
C. ㅙ · ㅞ · ㅚ · ㅟ
| Vowel | Reading aid | With silent ㅇ |
|---|---|---|
| ㅙ | wae | 왜 |
| ㅞ | we | 웨 |
| ㅚ | oe | 외 |
| ㅟ | wi | 위 |
Find the components: ㅗ + ㅐ → ㅙ, ㅜ + ㅔ → ㅞ, ㅗ + ㅣ → ㅚ, ㅜ + ㅣ → ㅟ. Each uses space below and to the right of the consonant.
ㅙ and ㅞ have w-like beginnings followed by the vowel values associated with ㅐ and ㅔ. In modern speech, ㅚ is commonly we-like, and ㅟ commonly starts with a w-like glide into an ee-like vowel. These pronunciations are accepted; single-vowel pronunciations also exist. The spelling oe does not mean “oh-ee”, and 위 is one syllable, not 우이.
Try: Build ㄱ + ㅚ and ㄱ + ㅟ. Underline the horizontal part of each vowel. Do they begin with ㅗ or ㅜ?
Check C
괴 contains ㅗ; 귀 contains ㅜ. These are different spellings even if some other combined vowels sound similar.
D. ㅢ: recognise it first
| Vowel | Reading aid | With silent ㅇ |
|---|---|---|
| ㅢ | ui | 의 |
ㅡ + ㅣ → ㅢ. In 의, ㅡ is below ㅇ and ㅣ is on the right. Its basic pronunciation moves from ㅡ towards ㅣ within one syllable. Do not read the Latin ui as the English word you.
Optional: Why ㅢ Can Sound Different
The pronunciation of ㅢ depends on its position and use. After a pronounced initial consonant, it is pronounced like ㅣ. Non-initial 의 can also be pronounced like 이, and the linking particle 의 can be pronounced like 에. You will learn those uses in context later. Keep the original spelling; you do not need these changes to complete today’s block-building tasks.
Review the eleven shapes. Read this shuffled line, then write just the vowel from each block. Use the charts if needed on your first attempt.
위 · 얘 · 워 · 에 · 외 · 와
의 · 예 · 왜 · 애 · 웨
Check all eleven
ㅟ · ㅒ · ㅝ · ㅔ · ㅚ · ㅘ / ㅢ · ㅖ · ㅙ · ㅐ · ㅞ. Reading aids after your attempt: wi · yae · wo · e · oe · wa / ui · ye · wae · ae · we. These check the written letters, not an audible distinction between every pair.
6. Read real Korean words
Try these words before opening the meanings. Read the blocks in order; all use letters you have now met, with no final consonants. For example, 오이 has two blocks: 오 + 이.
아이 · 우유 · 오이 · 나무
아기 · 고기 · 모자 · 사과
On paper, mark a slash between blocks. Then find the word containing ㅠ, the words ending in the block 이, and the word containing ㅘ.
Check the words and meanings
| Word | Blocks | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 아이 | 아 + 이 | child |
| 우유 | 우 + 유 | milk |
| 오이 | 오 + 이 | cucumber |
| 나무 | 나 + 무 | tree |
| 아기 | 아 + 기 | baby |
| 고기 | 고 + 기 | meat |
| 모자 | 모 + 자 | hat |
| 사과 | 사 + 과 | apple |
우유 contains ㅠ; 아이, 오이 end in 이; 사과 contains ㅘ. Each word has two syllables.
7. Guided practice: change, place, rebuild
1. Change one feature. Start with 고. Point the short vowel stroke down to make a different vowel. Write the new block. Then keep ㄱ but use the vertical vowel ㅣ.
2. Read an unfamiliar sequence. These are syllable-reading exercises, not a vocabulary list to memorise. Focus on recognising each consonant and vowel, placing the vowel, then reading the whole block:
도 · 뮤 · 케 · 쥐 · 뇌
3. Make a word. Build ㅁ + ㅗ and ㅈ + ㅏ. Join the blocks, read the word, and recall its meaning.
Check the guided practice
1. 구 → 기. In 구 the vowel is below; in 기 it is on the right.
2. Vowels: ㅗ, ㅠ, ㅔ, ㅟ, ㅚ. Reading aids: do · myu · ke · jwi · noe. ㅟ, ㅚ use both the lower and right-hand spaces.
3. 모 + 자 → 모자 — hat.
8. Final check — Core + Extension
Try without the charts, then open the answers. Write Korean blocks, not Latin spellings. For reading tasks, check the letter sequence after your attempt; this text activity does not assess your spoken pronunciation.
- Write the vowel in each block: 머 · 뉴 · 괴.
- Sort ㅕ · ㅡ · ㅛ · ㅣ into vowels placed on the right or below the consonant.
- Build ㄱ + ㅗ, ㅁ + ㅜ, and ㅇ + ㅣ.
- Change 고 to use (a) ㅜ and (b) ㅓ. Keep the consonant.
- Add the second short line to the vowel in 오. Write the new block.
- Match these written vowels to their blocks: ㅐ · ㅔ · ㅒ · ㅖ with 예 · 애 · 얘 · 에.
- Build ㄱ + ㅘ. Is the result one syllable or two? Where do the vowel’s two parts go?
- Build ㅇ + ㅝ and ㅇ + ㅟ.
- A learner says “외 must be two syllables because oe has two Latin letters.” Correct the claim.
- Read this new sequence, then write the vowel in each block: 푸 · 랴 · 네 · 돼 · 의.
- Split 우유 · 사과 · 아기 into blocks. Write their English meanings.
- A learner builds ㅁ + ㅗ but writes 마. Correct the block and explain where the vowel belongs.
Check all 12 answers
- ㅓ · ㅠ · ㅚ.
- Right: ㅕ, ㅣ. Below: ㅡ, ㅛ.
- 고 · 무 · 이. Initial ㅇ is silent in 이.
- 구; 거. The first uses the lower space; the second uses the right-hand space.
- 요. ㅗ becomes ㅛ.
- ㅐ → 애; ㅔ → 에; ㅒ → 얘; ㅖ → 예. These are spelling matches, not a listening test.
- 과 — one syllable. The ㅗ part is below ㄱ; the ㅏ part is on the right.
- 워 · 위. Each is one syllable.
- 외 is one syllable. Oe is a romanisation, not two syllables. Its common modern pronunciation is we-like.
- ㅜ · ㅑ · ㅔ · ㅙ · ㅢ. Reading aids: pu · rya · ne · dwae · ui. Here, 의 uses the basic vowel reading introduced in Part 5.
- 우 + 유 — milk; 사 + 과 — apple; 아 + 기 — baby. Each word has two syllables.
- 모. ㅗ belongs below ㅁ. 마 uses ㅏ, a different vowel placed on the right.
Choose your review. If placement was difficult, redo Part 2 with one consonant. If shapes were confusing, revisit the relevant pair in Part 3 or 5. If word reading was slow, separate the blocks in Part 6, then join them again. Retry only the items you missed before repeating the whole lesson.
9. Continue learning
Lesson 01 introduced consonants. You have now used vowels to change their blocks, read new combinations, and join them into words. You can keep the charts nearby while the shapes become familiar.
Next, use your growing reading skills to explore Korean greetings and when to use them. Some greeting words contain final consonants. Treat those words as new material; today’s lesson has practised blocks without final consonants.