Welcome back to our Hangul learning series! This lesson focuses on Korean consonants—the foundation of pronunciation in the Korean language. Similar to the English alphabet, each consonant has a distinct sound, and mastering them will help you read, speak, and understand Korean more confidently. This guide will introduce the 14 basic consonants and provide structured activities to help you remember, pronounce, and write them effectively.
1. Understanding Korean Consonants
In Hangul, each consonant represents a specific sound. With 14 single consonants, it’s helpful to understand the sound value and writing order for each one. To make learning easier, we’ve organized these consonants by their sounds and included practical tips, pronunciation guides, and practice exercises.
| Symbol | Sound | English Equivalent | Word Example |
| ㄱ | g/k | Between "g" and "k" | 고기 (gogi) – Meat |
| ㄴ | n | Like "n" in "no" | 나무 (namu) – Tree |
| ㄷ | d/t | Between "d" and "t" | 다리 (dari) – Leg |
| ㄹ | r/l | Between "r" and "l" | 라면 (ramyeon) – Ramen |
| ㅁ | m | Like "m" in "mom" | 물 (mul) – Water |
| ㅂ | b/p | Between "b" and "p" | 바다 (bada) – Sea |
| ㅅ | s | Like "s" in "see" | 사람 (saram) – Person |
| ㅇ | silent/ng | Silent at start, "ng" at end | 아이 (ai) – Child |
| ㅈ | j/ch | Like "j" in "jar" | 자 (ja) – Sleep |
| ㅊ | ch | Like "ch" in "church" | 차 (cha) – Car |
| ㅋ | k | Like "k" in "kite" | 커피 (keopi) – Coffee |
| ㅌ | t | Like "t" in "tip" | 토끼 (tokki) – Rabbit |
| ㅍ | p | Like "p" in "pen" | 피자 (pija) – Pizza |
| ㅎ | h | Like "h" in "hat" | 하늘 (haneul) – Sky |
2. Sound and Symbol Association Activities
Activity 1: Minimal Pairs Practice
- Minimal pairs involve words that differ by only one sound (like “bat” vs. “pat”). This technique helps learners distinguish between similar sounds.
- Example Pairs:
- ㄱ (g/k) and ㅋ (k): 고기 (gogi) vs. 코기 (kogi) – “meat” vs. “Corgi”
- ㅂ (b/p) and ㅍ (p): 바다 (bada) vs. 파다 (pada) – “sea” vs. “to dig”
- Practice: Pronounce each pair slowly and try to hear the subtle difference in sound.
Activity 2: Initial and Final Sound Practice
- In Korean, ㅇ has no sound when at the start of a syllable but sounds like “ng” at the end.
- Exercise: Practice words like 아이 (ai) – “child” (silent ㅇ) and 방 (bang) – “room” (ng sound).
3. Writing Practice with Tracing and Stroke Order
Consistent writing practice builds familiarity with Hangul’s structure. Each consonant has a specific stroke order to help you write it smoothly and accurately. Following the right order helps build a natural flow in your writing.
Step-by-Step Writing Guide for Korean Consonants
1. ㄱ (g/k)
- Stroke 1: Draw a short horizontal line from left to right.
- Stroke 2: Draw a vertical line down from the right end of the first stroke.
2. ㄴ (n)
- Stroke 1: Draw a vertical line from top to bottom.
- Stroke 2: Draw a short horizontal line to the right.
3. ㄷ (d/t)
- Stroke 1: Draw a horizontal line from left to right.
- Stroke 2: Draw a vertical line down the left end.
- Stroke 3: Draw another horizontal line connecting the vertical line at the bottom.
4. ㄹ (r/l)
- Stroke 1: Draw a short horizontal line from left to right.
- Stroke 2: Draw a vertical line down from the right end.
- Stroke 3: Draw a short horizontal line to the left.
- Stroke 4: Draw a vertical line down from the left end.
5. ㅁ (m)
- Stroke 1: Draw a vertical line from top to bottom.
- Stroke 2: Draw a horizontal line from left to right at the top.
- Stroke 3: Draw a horizontal line from left to right at the bottom.
6. ㅂ (b/p)
- Stroke 1: Draw a horizontal line from left to right at the top.
- Stroke 2: Draw a vertical line down the middle.
- Stroke 3: Draw a horizontal line from left to right at the bottom.
7. ㅅ (s)
- Stroke 1: Draw a diagonal line sloping down to the right.
- Stroke 2: Draw a mirrored diagonal line down to the left, forming a “V” shape.
8. ㅇ (silent/ng)
- Stroke 1: Draw a circular shape in one smooth motion, like the letter “O.”
9. ㅈ (j/ch)
- Stroke 1: Draw a short horizontal line from left to right at the top.
- Stroke 2: Draw a vertical line down from the center of the first stroke.
- Stroke 3: Add a small diagonal line to the left from the bottom of the vertical line.
10. ㅊ (ch)
- Stroke 1: Draw a short horizontal line from left to right.
- Stroke 2: Draw a second horizontal line below the first.
- Stroke 3: Draw a vertical line down from the center of the top horizontal line.
11. ㅋ (k)
- Stroke 1: Draw a short horizontal line from left to right.
- Stroke 2: Draw a vertical line down from the right end.
- Stroke 3: Draw a small horizontal line sticking out to the left from the vertical line.
12. ㅌ (t)
- Stroke 1: Draw a short horizontal line from left to right at the top.
- Stroke 2: Draw a horizontal line from left to right at the middle.
- Stroke 3: Draw a vertical line down from the center of the top line.
13. ㅍ (p)
- Stroke 1: Draw a vertical line down from top to bottom.
- Stroke 2: Draw two horizontal lines, one at the top and one at the bottom, crossing the vertical line.
14. ㅎ (h)
- Stroke 1: Draw a small horizontal line from left to right at the top.
- Stroke 2: Draw a small circle to the right of the horizontal line.
- Stroke 3: Draw a longer horizontal line below the circle, slightly wider than the top line.
4. Interactive Pronunciation Practice with Syllables
Combining consonants with basic vowels (like ㅏ, ㅓ, and ㅗ) can help reinforce sound association and syllable formation.
Activity 3: Consonant-Vowel Pairing Practice
- Create simple syllables by pairing each consonant with basic vowels.
- Example Pairs:
- ㄱ + ㅏ = 가 (ga)
- ㄴ + ㅗ = 노 (no)
- ㅂ + ㅓ = 버 (beo)
5. Listening and Repeat Activities
Activity 4: Audio Practice for Consonant Sounds
- Listen to each consonant sound, then repeat after each one.
- Exercise: Focus on consonants that may sound similar, like ㅂ and ㅍ, or ㄷ and ㅌ, to enhance pronunciation.
6. Word Building and Recognition Practice
Once you’re comfortable with individual sounds and syllables, start recognizing these consonants in simple words.
Activity 6: Word Building Practice
- Use the consonants to form basic Korean words with simple meanings.
- Examples
- 바다 (bada) – “sea”
- 나무 (namu) – “tree”
- 하늘 (haneul) – “sky”
- Exercise: Try writing and pronouncing each word on your own.
Next Steps in Your Hangul Journey
With regular practice, you’ll soon find reading and recognizing Korean consonants second nature. In our next lesson, we’ll cover double consonants (ㄲ, ㄸ, ㅃ, ㅆ, ㅉ), which add subtlety and nuance to pronunciation.