Hangul consists of consonants and vowels (jamo) that are combined into
syllable blocks. Each block is one syllable, e.g. 한 = ㅎ + ㅏ + ㄴ.
You never write the letters in a straight line like English – they are always grouped into blocks.
How Hangul blocks are built
A Hangul block is always built around exactly one vowel. The shape of the vowel decides how the block is laid out.
- Each block has: initial consonant (or ㅇ) + vowel + optional final consonant (받침, batchim).
- If the vowel is vertical (ㅏ, ㅑ, ㅓ, ㅕ, ㅣ), the block is written left → right.
- If the vowel is horizontal (ㅗ, ㅛ, ㅜ, ㅠ, ㅡ), the block is written top → bottom.
- If there is a final consonant, it is always placed at the bottom of the block.
1. CV (consonant + vowel)
Vertical vowels (left–right layout: C V):
가= ㄱ + ㅏ → ga나= ㄴ + ㅏ → na니= ㄴ + ㅣ → ni
Horizontal vowels (top–bottom layout: C on top, V under):
고= ㄱ + ㅗ → go구= ㄱ + ㅜ → gu그= ㄱ + ㅡ → geu
2. CVC (consonant + vowel + final consonant)
A final consonant (batchim) is written at the bottom of the block. The layout is:
For vertical vowels:
C V with the final consonant centered below.
For horizontal vowels:
C on top, V in the middle, final consonant at the bottom.
갈= ㄱ + ㅏ + ㄹ → gal밤= ㅂ + ㅏ + ㅁ → bam (“night”)한= ㅎ + ㅏ + ㄴ → han
3. Using ㅇ as a placeholder
A syllable cannot start with a “bare” vowel. When a syllable starts with a vowel sound, ㅇ is used as a silent placeholder in the initial position (top/left). The vowel still follows the same layout rules:
아= ㅇ + ㅏ → a (vertical vowel → ㅇ on the left, ㅏ on the right)오= ㅇ + ㅗ → o (horizontal vowel → ㅇ on top, ㅗ below)운= ㅇ + ㅜ + ㄴ → un (ㅇ on top, ㅜ in the middle, ㄴ as bottom batchim)
4. Examples with real words
한국= 한 + 국 = (ㅎ+ㅏ+ㄴ) + (ㄱ+ㅜ+ㄱ) → Hanguk (“Korea”)사람= 사 + 람 = (ㅅ+ㅏ) + (ㄹ+ㅏ+ㅁ) → saram (“person”)학교= 학 + 교 = (ㅎ+ㅏ+ㄱ) + (ㄱ+ㅛ) → hakgyo (“school”)
When you read Hangul, think in blocks, not in individual letters. Each block = one syllable = one beat of sound.
Basic consonants and vowels
This table lists the basic consonants and vowels with a short English pronunciation hint.
| Letter | Type | Name | Pronunciation (English hint) | Play |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ㄱ | Consonant | 기역 (giyeok) | g/k – like g in “go” or soft k | |
| ㄴ | Consonant | 니은 (nieun) | n – like n in “name” | |
| ㄷ | Consonant | 디귿 (digeut) | d/t – between d in “day” and soft t | |
| ㄹ | Consonant | 리을 (rieul) | r/l – flap between r and l (tongue taps the ridge) | |
| ㅁ | Consonant | 미음 (mieum) | m – like m in “mom” | |
| ㅂ | Consonant | 비읍 (bieup) | b/p – between b in “boy” and soft p | |
| ㅅ | Consonant | 시옷 (siot) | s – like s in “sun” | |
| ㅇ | Consonant | 이응 (ieung) | silent at start, “ng” (sing) at end of syllable | |
| ㅈ | Consonant | 지읒 (jieut) | j – like j in “jam” (sometimes soft “ch”) | |
| ㅊ | Consonant | 치읓 (chieut) | ch – like ch in “church” with a puff of air | |
| ㅋ | Consonant | 키읔 (kieuk) | k – strong k with a puff (like “key”) | |
| ㅌ | Consonant | 티읕 (tieut) | t – strong t with a puff (like “tea”) | |
| ㅍ | Consonant | 피읖 (pieup) | p – strong p with a puff (like “pie”) | |
| ㅎ | Consonant | 히읗 (hieut) | h – like h in “hat” | |
| ㅏ | Vowel | 아 (a) | a – like a in “father” | |
| ㅑ | Vowel | 야 (ya) | ya – like “ya” in “yard” (quick) | |
| ㅓ | Vowel | 어 (eo) | eo – like “uh” in “sun” (mid open) | |
| ㅕ | Vowel | 여 (yeo) | yeo – like “yuh” (y + eo) | |
| ㅗ | Vowel | 오 (o) | o – like o in “go” (rounded) | |
| ㅛ | Vowel | 요 (yo) | yo – like “yo” in “yoga” | |
| ㅜ | Vowel | 우 (u) | u – like oo in “food” | |
| ㅠ | Vowel | 유 (yu) | yu – like “you” | |
| ㅡ | Vowel | 으 (eu) | eu – back vowel, between “oo” and “uh” | |
| ㅣ | Vowel | 이 (i) | i – like ee in “see” |