Korean Alphabet

There are 2 types of Korean alphabets: ja eum & mo eum.

Please see the tables below to get a better understanding on how each korean character sounds.

Korean Alphabet (ja eum)English SoundExample
ㄱg (initial)가위
ㄱ starts the word, located on top of the word itself and sounds like g.
k (final)칵테일
ㄱis used at the bottom of the word and sounds like k instead of g.
ㄴn (initial)누나
ㄴ starts and ends the word 누나. ㄴ sounds the same whether it’s located on top or underneath the word
n (final)눈
ㄴ starts and ends the word 눈. ㄴ sounds the same whether it’s located on top or underneath the word.
ㄷd (initial)대구
ㄷis used at the bottom of the word and sounds like d
t (final)n/a
ㄹr (initial)리본
ㄹ starts the word and is located on top of the word itself and sounds like r.
l (final)과일
ㄹis used at the bottom of the word and sounds like l instead of r.
ㅁm (initial)마음
ㅁ starts the word, located on top of the word itself and sounds like m.
m (final)마음
ㅁ starts and ends the word 마음. ㅁ sounds the same whether it’s located on top or under the word.
ㅂb (initial)바보
ㅂ starts the word, located on top of the word itself and sounds like b.
p (final)밥
ㅂis used at the bottom of the word and sounds like p instead of b.
ㅅs (initial)사랑
ㅅ starts the word, located on top of the word itself and sounds like s.
t (final)n/a
ㅇsilent (initial)이름
ㅇ starts the word, located on top of the word itself and has no sound.
ng (final)공용
o is used at the bottom of the word and sounds like ng.
ㅈj (initial)자석
ㅈ starts the word, located on top of the word itself and sounds like j.
t (final)빛
t is used at the bottom of the word and sounds like t instead of j.
ㅊch (initial)차고
ㅊ starts the word, located on top of the word itself and sounds like ch.
t (final)빛
ㅊ is used at the bottom of the word and sounds like t instead of ch.
ㅋk (initial)카드
ㅋ starts the word, located on top of the word itself and sounds like k.
k (final)케잌
ㅋ is used at the bottom of the word and sounds like t instead of k.
ㅌt (initial)타지
ㅌ starts the word, located on top of the word itself and sounds like t.
t (final)ㅌ is used at the bottom of the word and also sounds like t.
ㅍp (initial)포도
ㅍ starts the word, located on top of the word itself and sounds like p.
p (final)n/a
ㅎh (initial)하늘
ㅎ starts the word, located on top of the word itself and sounds like h.
t (final)n/a
ㄲgg (initial)꽃
ㄲ starts the word, located on top of the word itself and sounds like gg.
k (final)볶다
ㄲ is used at the bottom of the word and also sounds like k.
ㄸdd (initial)또래
ㄸ starts the word, located on top of the word itself and sounds like dd.
t (final)n/a
ㅃbb (initial)뽀뽀
ㅃ starts the word, located on top of the word itself and sounds like bb.
{pp (final)n/a
ㅆss (initial)싸우다
ㅆ starts the word, located on top of the word itself and sounds like ss.
t (final)갔다
ㅆ is used at the bottom of the word and also sounds like t.
ㅉjj (initial)짜장면
ㅉ is used at the bottom of the word and also sounds like jj.
t (final)n/a
Korean Alphabet (mo eum)English SoundExample
ㅏa파도
ㅏ can be added to any ja eum to make a sound in a specific way. p+a
ㅐae애기
ㅐ can be added to any ja eum to make a sound in a specific way. silent+ae
ㅑya야구
ㅑcan be added to any ja eum to make a sound in a specific way. silent+ya
ㅒyae걔
ㅒ can be added to any ja eum to make a sound in a specific way. g+yae
ㅓeo버선
ㅓcan be added to any ja eum to make a sound in a specific way. g+yae
ㅔe베게
ㅔcan be added to any ja eum to make a sound in a specific way. b+e
ㅕyeo여신
ㅕcan be added to any ja eum to make a sound in a specific way. Silent +yeo
ㅖye예고
ㅖcan be added to any ja eum to make a sound in a specific way. Silnet+ye
ㅗo고무
ㅗcan be added to any ja eum to make a sound in a specific way. G+o
ㅘwa과일
ㅘcan be added to any ja eum to make a sound in a specific way. G+wa
ㅙwae괘씸
ㅙcan be added to any ja eum to make a sound in a specific way. G+wae
ㅚoi외롭다
ㅚcan be added to any ja eum to make a sound in a specific way. W+oi
ㅛyo요술
ㅛcan be added to any ja eum to make a sound in a specific way. Silent+yo
ㅜu우산
ㅜcan be added to any ja eum to make a sound in a specific way. W+u
ㅝwe궤짝
ㅞcan be added to any ja eum to make a sound in a specific way. G+we
ㅟui위로
ㅟcan be added to any ja eum to make a sound in a specific way. W+ui
ㅠyu유리
ㅠcan be added to any ja eum to make a sound in a specific way. Silent +yu
ㅡu그림
ㅡcan be added to any ja eum to make a sound in a specific way. G+u
ㅢui의리
ㅢcan be added to any ja eum to make a sound in a specific way. E+ui
ㅣi시집
ㅣcan be added to any ja eum to make a sound in a specific way. S+i