Basic Consonants Part 1 (기본 자음 1)
Learn the first 7 Korean consonants: ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄷ, ㄹ, ㅁ, ㅂ, ㅅ. Each has a visual mnemonic to help you remember.
Welcome to Hangul!
Korean has 14 basic consonants. In this lesson, you'll learn the first 7. Korean was scientifically designed by King Sejong in 1443, making it one of the most logical writing systems in the world. The consonant shapes were inspired by the shape your mouth makes when pronouncing them!
Basic Consonants Part 1
Learn the first 7 Korean consonants. These are the most common consonants you will see in Korean text.
ㄱ — 기역 (giyeok), g/k
Like "g" in "go" at the start of a word, like "k" at the end.
Looks like a gun or an angular hook. "G" for Gun!
- 가 (ga) — go (imperative)
- 김치 (gimchi) — kimchi
- 고기 (gogi) — meat
ㄴ — 니은 (nieun), n
Like "n" in "nose". Same sound at the start and end of a syllable.
Looks like the corner of a Notebook, or a right angle. "N" for Notebook corner!
- 나 (na) — I / me
- 나라 (nara) — country
- 눈 (nun) — eye / snow
ㄷ — 디귿 (digeut), d/t
Like "d" in "dog" at the start, like "t" at the end of a syllable.
Looks like a Doorway or a flat-topped arch. "D" for Door!
- 다 (da) — all / everything
- 달 (dal) — moon
- 도시 (dosi) — city
ㄹ — 리을 (rieul), r/l
Like a flapped "r" (between "r" and "l"). At the end of a syllable, more like "l".
Looks like a winding River or a rattlesnake tail. "R/L" for River!
- 라면 (ramyeon) — ramen / instant noodles
- 리듬 (rideum) — rhythm
- 달력 (dallyeok) — calendar
ㅁ — 미음 (mieum), m
Like "m" in "mom". Same sound at the start and end of a syllable.
Looks like a square Mail envelope or a box. "M" for Mail!
- 마음 (maeum) — heart / mind
- 물 (mul) — water
- 무지개 (mujigae) — rainbow
ㅂ — 비읍 (bieup), b/p
Like "b" in "boy" at the start, like "p" at the end of a syllable.
Looks like a Bucket or two parallel lines with a bottom. "B" for Bucket!
- 밥 (bap) — rice (cooked) / meal
- 비 (bi) — rain
- 바다 (bada) — sea / ocean
ㅅ — 시옷 (siot), s
Like "s" in "sun". Before "i" sounds, it becomes "sh". At the end, sounds like "t".
Looks like a tent or a hat peak. Like a Sombrero from the side. "S" for Sombrero!
- 사람 (saram) — person / people
- 시간 (sigan) — time
- 산 (san) — mountain
Hangul Day (한글날)
October 9th is Hangul Day (한글날) in South Korea, a national holiday celebrating the creation of the Korean alphabet. King Sejong the Great created Hangul so that common people could easily learn to read and write. Before Hangul, only scholars who studied Chinese characters (한자) could read. Sejong believed literacy was a right for everyone!
Welcome to Hangul!
Korean has 14 basic consonants. In this lesson, you'll learn the first 7. Korean was scientifically designed by King Sejong in 1443, making it one of the most logical writing systems in the world. The consonant shapes were inspired by the shape your mouth makes when pronouncing them!