Hangul chart: all 40 Korean letters on one page (free PDF)
Hangul is an alphabet, not a set of characters to memorize. There are 14 basic consonants, 10 basic vowels, and a handful of doubles and combinations β 40 letters that you can learn to read in a weekend. Here they all are, with sounds, names and a first word for each. The free printable chart is at the bottom.
The 14 basic consonants
Each consonant has a name (κΈ°μ, λμβ¦) β you don't need the names to read, but Koreans use them to spell out loud, the way we say "B as in boy".
| Letter | Name | Sound | First word |
|---|---|---|---|
| γ± | κΈ°μ Β· giyeok | g / k | κ°λ°© gabang Β· bag |
| γ΄ | λμ Β· nieun | n | λ무 namu Β· tree |
| γ· | λκ·Ώ Β· digeut | d / t | λ€λ¦¬ dari Β· leg Β· bridge |
| γΉ | 리μ Β· rieul | r / l | λΌλ©΄ ramyeon Β· ramen |
| γ | λ―Έμ Β· mieum | m | λ§μ maeum Β· heart Β· mind |
| γ | λΉμ Β· bieup | b / p | λ°λ€ bada Β· sea |
| γ | μμ· Β· siot | s / sh | μ¬λ sarang Β· love |
| γ | μ΄μ Β· ieung | silent / ng | μμ΄ ai Β· child |
| γ | μ§μ Β· jieut | j / ch | μλ€ jada Β· to sleep |
| γ | μΉμ Β· chieut | ch | μ°¨ cha Β· tea Β· car |
| γ | ν€μ Β· kieuk | k | μ½ ko Β· nose |
| γ | ν°μ Β· tieut | t | ν λΌ tokki Β· rabbit |
| γ | νΌμ Β· pieup | p | ν pa Β· green onion |
| γ | νμ Β· hieut | h | νλ haneul Β· sky |
The 10 basic vowels
Vertical vowels (γ γ γ γ γ £) sit to the right of the consonant; horizontal vowels (γ γ γ γ γ ‘) sit under it. That one rule explains the shape of every Korean syllable.
| Letter | Romanization | Sound | First word |
|---|---|---|---|
| γ | a | a | μκΈ° agi Β· baby |
| γ | ya | ya | μΌκ΅¬ yagu Β· baseball |
| γ | eo | eo | μ΄λ¨Έλ eomeoni Β· mother |
| γ | yeo | yeo | μ¬μ yeoja Β· woman |
| γ | o | o | μ€λ oneul Β· today |
| γ | yo | yo | μ리 yori Β· cooking |
| γ | u | u | μ°μ° usan Β· umbrella |
| γ | yu | yu | μ 리 yuri Β· glass |
| γ ‘ | eu | eu | κ·Έλ¦Ό geurim Β· picture |
| γ £ | i | i | μ΄λ¦ ireum Β· name |
Doubles and combinations (the other 16)
Five double consonants β γ² γΈ γ γ γ β are the tense, un-aspirated versions of γ± γ· γ γ γ (kk, tt, pp, ss, jj). Eleven compound vowels β γ γ γ γ γ γ γ γ γ γ γ ’ β are built from the basic ones: γ + γ = γ (wa), γ + γ = γ (wo). If you can read the basics, you can read these.
How letters become syllables
Korean is written in blocks, one syllable each. A block always starts with a consonant (or the silent γ ), followed by a vowel, and optionally ends with a final consonant called the batchim (λ°μΉ¨).
- γ + γ + γ΄ = ν (han)
- γ± + γ ‘ + γΉ = κΈ (geul) β together, νκΈ, Hangul
- γ + γ + γΉ + γ + γ = μ¬λ (sarang, love)
Read the block left-to-right, then top-to-bottom. That's the whole trick.
Print the chart
The free chart puts all 40 letters, the 140-syllable κ°λλ€ chart and the four block rules on one Letter/A4 page. Stick it where you study; most people can read simple words after a week of glancing at it.
Hangul Writing Workbook
The chart tells you what the letters are. The 48-page workbook teaches your hand to write them: numbered stroke order for all 40, guided tracing, 120+ words, syllable blocks and batchim, 15 K-drama phrases.
See it Β· $6.90