Let’s Learn Korean Consonants
Struggling to memorize the Korean alphabet? In this video, we use easy visual tricks to help you learn all 14 basic Korean consonants in under 1 minutes! Perfect for beginners.
| 자음 (Consonants) | 발음 (Romanization) | 영어 발음 설명 (Pronunciation Guide) |
| ㄱ | G / K | Similar to ‘g’ in “go” (at the start) or ‘k’ in “skate”. |
| ㄴ | N | Similar to ‘n’ in “no”. |
| ㄷ | D / T | Similar to ‘d’ in “do” (at the start) or ‘t’ in “stop”. |
| ㄹ | R / L | A flap sound between ‘r’ and ‘l’. The tongue touches the roof of the mouth. |
| ㅁ | M | Similar to ‘m’ in “mom”. |
| ㅂ | B / P | Similar to ‘b’ in “bat” (at the start) or ‘p’ in “spin”. |
| ㅅ | S | Similar to ‘s’ in “see”. |
| ㅇ | Ng / Silent | Silent at the start of a syllable; ‘ng’ as in “sing” at the end. |
| ㅈ | J / Ch | Similar to ‘j’ in “jar” (at the start) or ‘ch’ in “church”. |
| ㅊ | Ch’ | An aspirated ‘ch’ sound, like in “chat” with a puff of air. |
| ㅋ | K’ | An aspirated ‘k’ sound, like in “kite” with a strong puff of air. |
| ㅌ | T’ | An aspirated ‘t’ sound, like in “top” with a strong puff of air. |
| ㅍ | P’ | An aspirated ‘p’ sound, like in “pot” with a strong puff of air. |
| ㅎ | H | Similar to ‘h’ in “hot”. |
Have you ever wondered why Hangul is often called the “most logical writing system in the world”? Unlike the Latin alphabet, which evolved over centuries, Hangul was scientifically designed by King Sejong the Great in 1443.
The secret lies in the consonants. They aren’t just arbitrary shapes—they are pictograms based on the shape of your mouth and tongue when you make the sound.
1. The Scientific Origin: Mapping Your Mouth
Each basic consonant was designed to visually represent the articulation of the sound. This makes learning much easier if you understand the “why” behind the shape:
- ㄱ (g/k): This shape mimics the side view of the back of the tongue touching the soft palate (the back roof of the mouth).
- ㄴ (n): This represents the tip of the tongue touching the alveolar ridge (the roof of your mouth just behind your upper teeth).
- ㅁ (m): This is a simple outline of your lips pressed together.
- ㅅ (s): This represents the teeth coming together, creating the sharp, fricative sound of ‘s’.
- ㅇ (ng): This circle represents the shape of your open throat or mouth.
2. Learning Point: Understanding Aspiration
One of the most important concepts for English speakers learning Korean is aspiration.
In English, the difference between “spin” and “pin” is subtle. In Korean, this difference is crucial because it changes the meaning of a word.
- The “Air Test”: Hold your hand about 5cm in front of your mouth.
- Basic Consonants (ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ, ㅈ): When you say these, your hand should feel little to no air. These are soft, relaxed sounds.
- Aspirated Consonants (ㅋ, ㅌ, ㅍ, ㅊ): When you say these, you should feel a strong puff of air hitting your hand. Think of the ‘k’ in “kite” or the ‘p’ in “pot.”
3. Why This Matters for Learners
When you understand that Hangul is a feat of phonetic engineering, it stops being a collection of random squiggles. By recognizing that the shape tells you where to put your tongue, you can correct your own pronunciation naturally.
Pro-Tip for Beginners: Don’t just memorize the symbols—feel them. Practice saying the basic consonants softly, then add a burst of air to master the aspirated versions. Once you understand the “shape-to-sound” connection, you’ll be reading Korean words much faster than you ever thought possible!