Hangul Extras

Korean Grammar 1

Course 1 Β· Chapter 2 Β· Hangul Beyond the Basics

πŸ”€ Hangul Beyond the Basics β€” ν•œκΈ€ 더 μ•Œμ•„λ³΄κΈ°

Korean Alphabet 1 taught you the 24 basic letters and the final consonant (chapters 1 to 9) and gave you reading practice (chapter 10). It deliberately left out four things that grammar needs from now on: the tense consonants, the compound vowels, the double final consonants and the sound changes that happen when syllables meet. This chapter fills those gaps, with the sound changes in the order you will meet them.

[ ] square brackets show how a word is said when that differs from how it is written. RR = Revised Romanization, the official system. It mostly follows the spelling, but follows the sound for some changes (see the end of the chapter).
The rule in one box Korean spelling keeps each word's base form, but the sound shifts where syllables join. Three things to look at: what the final consonant of one block is, what starts the next block, and whether that next block begins with a silent γ…‡. The written form stays the same; the spoken form follows the rules below.

1. The five tense consonants

Each tense consonant is a doubled letter, and it is said with a tight throat and no puff of air, with a slightly higher pitch on the following vowel. It is a separate sound from both the plain and the aspirated (breathy) letter you already know.

TenseRRPlainAspirated
γ„²kkγ„± g/kγ…‹ k
γ„Έttγ„· d/tγ…Œ t
γ…ƒppγ…‚ b/pㅍ p
γ…†ssγ…… s(none)
γ…‰jjγ…ˆ jγ…Š ch

The three-way difference changes meaning, so it matters. Say each trio aloud:

PlainAspiratedTense
달 dal moon νƒˆ tal mask λ”Έ ttal daughter
뢈 bul fire ν’€ pul grass λΏ” ppul horn
μžμš” jayo (someone) sleeps μ°¨μš” chayo (it) is cold μ§œμš” jjayo (it) is salty

More words with tense consonants: 까치 kkachi magpie Β· λΉ λ₯΄λ‹€ ppareuda to be fast Β· μ‹Έλ‹€ ssada to be cheap Β· 아저씨 ajeossi middle-aged man, mister.

Watch out: γ…† is both an initial and a final γ…† is also a letter you will meet at the end of a block in past-tense endings (κ°”μ–΄μš” gasseoyo, Chapter 7). As a final it is said like γ„· (a "t" sound that stops the syllable).

2. The compound vowels

Eleven more vowel letters are built by joining the basic vowels you know. They look new, but each one is a short glide.

LetterRRRough soundExample
ㅐae"e" in bed개 gae dog
γ…”e"e" in bed (same as ㅐ for most speakers today)게 ge crab
γ…’yae"yeh"μ–˜κΈ° yaegi talk, story
γ…–ye"yeh"예 ye yes (polite)
γ…˜wa"wa" in want사과 sagwa apple
γ…™wae"weh"μ™œ wae why
γ…šoe"weh" in everyday speechνšŒμ‚¬ hoesa company
ㅝwo"wuh"뭐 mwo what
γ…žwe"weh"웨이터 weiteo waiter
γ…Ÿwi"wee"κ·€ gwi ear
γ…’uiγ…‘ then γ…£, said quicklyμ˜μ‚¬ uisa doctor
Watch out: several of these sound the same In everyday speech ㅐ and γ…” are said the same, and γ…™ γ…š γ…ž are all close to "weh". You hear the same sound but must spell each word as it is written, so learn the spelling with the word. γ…’ also varies: as the possessive particle 의 it is usually said "eh", and after a consonant in a word like 희망 it is said "ee".

3. Double final consonants

Eleven pairs of consonants can sit at the foot of a block. When nothing follows, or a consonant follows, only one of the two is said; which one depends on the pair.

FinalSaid asExampleMeaning
γ„³γ„±λͺ« [mok]share, portion
ㄡㄴ앉닀 [an-tta]to sit
γ„Άγ„΄λ§Žλ‹€ [man-ta]to be many
ㄺㄱ읽닀 [ik-tta]to read
γ„»γ…μ Šλ‹€ [jeom-tta]to be young
γ„Όγ„Ήλ„“λ‹€ [neol-tta]to be wide
ㄽㄹ곬 [gol]groove (rare word)
γ„Ύγ„Ήν•₯λ‹€ [hal-tta]to lick
γ„Ώγ…‚μŠλ‹€ [eup-tta]to recite
γ…€γ„Ήμ‹«λ‹€ [sil-ta]to be disliked
γ…„γ…‚μ—†λ‹€ [eop-tta]to not exist, not have

Two more everyday nouns: κ°’ [gap] price and λ‹­ [dak] chicken. A few words are exceptions to the pattern in the table (for example λ°Ÿλ‹€ is said [bap-tta] although γ„Ό usually gives γ„Ή), so learn exceptions as you meet them.

When a vowel follows (including a silent γ…‡), both consonants are said, and the second one moves to the next block:

WrittenSaidRR
μ½μ–΄μš”[μΌκ±°μš”]ilgeoyo
μ•‰μ•„μš”[μ•ˆμžμš”]anjayo
μ—†μ–΄μš”[μ—…μ¨μš”]eopseoyo
닭이[달기]dalgi
Watch out: γ…Ž goes silent before a vowel In λ§Žμ•„μš” the γ…Ž is not said, so the word is [λ§ˆλ‚˜μš”] manayo. The same happens to a γ…Ž at the foot of μ‹«μ–΄μš” sireoyo ("dislike") and μ’‹μ•„μš” joayo ("good, like").

4. Sound changes where syllables meet

Six changes cover almost everything you will meet. Look at the final consonant (or ending sound) of one block and the first consonant of the next.

A. Linking

A final consonant followed by the silent γ…‡ moves forward to be the start of the next syllable.

WrittenSaidRRMeaning
ν•œκ΅­μ–΄[ν•œκ΅¬κ±°]hangugeothe Korean language
μŒμ•…[μœΌλ§‰]eumakmusic
λ¨Ήμ–΄μš”[λ¨Έκ±°μš”]meogeoyo(I) eat

B. Tensing

After a final γ„±, γ„· or γ…‚ sound (k, t, p), a plain γ„±, γ„·, γ…‚, γ…… or γ…ˆ at the start of the next block is said tense.

WrittenSaidRRMeaning
학ꡐ[ν•™κΎœ]hakgyoschool
λ¨Ήλ‹€[λ¨Ήλ”°]meokdato eat
μž…λ‹€[μž…λ”°]ipdato wear

C. Nasalisation

A final γ„±, γ„· or γ…‚ sound before γ„΄ or ㅁ becomes the nasal in its own place of the mouth: γ„± β†’ γ…‡ (ng), γ„· β†’ γ„΄, γ…‚ β†’ ㅁ.

WrittenSaidRRMeaning
ν•œκ΅­λ§[ν•œκΆλ§]hangungmalthe Korean language (spoken)
κ°μ‚¬ν•©λ‹ˆλ‹€[κ°μ‚¬ν•¨λ‹ˆλ‹€]gamsahamnidathank you
ꡭ물[ꢁ물]gungmulsoup, broth

D. The letter γ…Ž

γ…Ž next to γ„±, γ„·, γ…ˆ makes the aspirated sound (γ…‹, γ…Œ, γ…Š), in either order.

WrittenSaidRRMeaning
μ’‹λ‹€[쑰타]jotato be good
μΆ•ν•˜[μΆ”μΉ΄]chukacongratulations

E. γ„΄ and γ„Ή together

γ„΄ next to γ„Ή becomes γ„Ή + γ„Ή.

WrittenSaidRRMeaning
연락[열락]yeollakcontact
신라[싀라]SillaSilla (a historic kingdom)

F. Softening before 이

A final γ„· or γ…Œ followed by the ending 이 is said as 지 or 치.

WrittenSaidRRMeaning
같이[κ°€μΉ˜]gachitogether
해돋이[해도지]haedojisunrise
Watch out: Revised Romanization does not mark every change RR follows the sound for linking (hangugeo), nasalisation (hangungmal), the γ…Ž changes (jota), γ„΄+γ„Ή (yeollak) and the γ…‡-softening, but it does not mark tensing: 학ꡐ is written hakgyo, although you say "hakkyo". That is why the romanisations in this course sometimes look unlike what you hear.

πŸ—£οΈ In Use β€” μ‹€μ œ 예문

Read each exchange aloud, applying the sound changes.

β‘  Is it salty?

A: ꡭ물이 μ§œμš”? gungmuri jjayo? Is the soup salty?
B: μ•„λ‹ˆμš”, μ’‹μ•„μš”. aniyo, joayo. No, it's good.

β‘‘ A seat

A: μ—¬κΈ° μ•‰μ•„μš”. yeogi anjayo. Sit here.
B: κ°μ‚¬ν•©λ‹ˆλ‹€. gamsahamnida. Thank you.

πŸ“‹ Quick Reference β€” μš”μ•½ν‘œ

TopicRemember
Tense consonantsγ„² γ„Έ γ…ƒ γ…† γ…‰: tight throat, no puff; plain, aspirated and tense differ in meaning
Compound vowels11 letters; ㅐ=γ…” and γ…™=γ…š=γ…ž sound alike, so learn spelling with each word
Double finalsone consonant said before a consonant or at the end; both when a vowel follows
Linkingfinal + silent γ…‡ moves forward: ν•œκ΅­μ–΄ [ν•œκ΅¬κ±°]
Tensingk/t/p + plain consonant β†’ tense: 학ꡐ [ν•™κΎœ]
Nasalisationk/t/p + γ„΄/ㅁ β†’ ng/n/m: κ΅­λ¬Ό [ꢁ물]
γ…Žmakes γ…‹ γ…Œ γ…Š next to γ„± γ„· γ…ˆ; silent before a vowel
γ„΄ + γ„Ήβ†’ γ„Ήγ„Ή: 연락 [열락]
Softeningγ„·/γ…Œ + 이 β†’ 지/치: 같이 [κ°€μΉ˜]

✏️ Try It Yourself β€” μ—°μŠ΅

Work out the answer first, then click to check.

1. Which word means "daughter": 달, νƒˆ or λ”Έ?

Show answer

λ”Έ ttal, with the tense γ„Έ. (달 = moon, νƒˆ = mask.)

2. Which letter has the tense sound that sits between γ…ˆ and γ…Š?

Show answer

None: γ…‰ jj is a third, separate sound, not a blend. The three are γ…ˆ (plain), γ…Š (aspirated) and γ…‰ (tense).

3. Name the compound vowel in 사과 and give its RR.

Show answer

γ…˜ wa, so the word is sagwa.

4. Which two vowel letters sound the same for most speakers today?

Show answer

ㅐ and γ…” (both "e" as in bed). γ…™, γ…š and γ…ž are also close to one another.

5. Which consonant is said in the written final γ…„ of μ—†λ‹€?

Show answer

Only γ…‚: the word is said [μ—…λ”°], and the γ„· of λ‹€ is tensed (rule B).

6. How is μ½μ–΄μš” said, and why is the written γ„Ί pronounced differently from 읽닀?

Show answer

[μΌκ±°μš”]. A vowel follows (the silent γ…‡), so both consonants are said and γ„± moves to the next block. In 읽닀 a consonant follows, so only γ„± is said: [읡따].

7. Apply the nasalisation rule to κ΅­λ¬Ό. What is the spoken form?

Show answer

[ꢁ물] gungmul: final γ„± before ㅁ becomes γ…‡ (ng).

8. How is μ’‹λ‹€ said?

Show answer

[쑰타] jota: γ…Ž and γ„· together give the aspirated γ…Œ.

9. How is 같이 said?

Show answer

[κ°€μΉ˜] gachi: γ…Œ before 이 is said as 치.

10. The RR of 학ꡐ is hakgyo. Is it said "hakgyo"?

Show answer

No: it is said [ν•™κΎœ] with a tense γ„±. RR does not mark tensing.

Coming up in Chapter 3: Topic and Subject Particles. You will meet 은/λŠ” and 이/κ°€, and learn to choose between each pair by looking at the final sound of the noun, which uses the final-consonant ideas from this chapter.