Korean Alphabet Basics

The Korean alphabet (Hangul) might look complex at first, but it's actually quite logical. You'll see various Korean characters like ㅎ, ㄷ, and ㅂ that form the building blocks of the language. These symbols combine to create syllables and words.

Korean vowels include simple sounds like ㅏ $a$, ㅓ (eo), ㅗ $o$, and ㅜ $u$. There are also combination vowels like ㅐ (ae), ㅟ (wi), and ㅚ (oe) that create different sounds. When you see characters like "여" or "유", these are combinations of consonants and vowels working together.

Basic consonants include ㄱ (g/k), ㄴ $n$, ㄷ $d$, and ㅅ $s$. Some consonants appear doubled like ㄲ or ㅉ, which changes their pronunciation to stronger sounds. You'll also see syllable blocks like "누" (nu), "비" (bi), and "고" (go) that form the foundation of Korean words.

Fun fact: Unlike many languages, Korean wasn't always written this way. King Sejong the Great created Hangul in 1443 specifically to make literacy accessible to everyone, not just scholars!