Want to learn Korean? It all starts with Hangul (한글), the Korean alphabet. Unlike Chinese characters or Japanese kanji, Hangul is incredibly logical and can be learned in just a few hours.

This complete guide will take you from zero to reading Korean confidently.

Why Hangul Is Unique and Easy to Learn

Hangul was invented in 1443 by King Sejong the Great, specifically to be easy to learn. Before Hangul, Koreans used complicated Chinese characters that took years to master.

King Sejong wanted everyone—farmers, merchants, women—to be able to read and write. So he created an alphabet so logical that, according to legend, “a wise man can learn it in a morning, and even a fool can learn it in ten days.”

What makes Hangul special:

24 letters (14 consonants + 10 vowels)
Phonetic system - you read exactly what you see
Scientific design - consonant shapes mimic tongue/mouth positions
Block system - letters combine into neat syllable blocks

Let’s break down everything you need to know.

Section 1: Korean Alphabet Basics

The Korean alphabet has 14 basic consonants and 10 basic vowels. These combine to form syllables that look like this:

한 = ㅎ (h) + ㅏ (a) + ㄴ (n) = “han”

글 = ㄱ (g) + ㅡ (eu) + ㄹ (l) = “geul”

Together: 한글 (Hangul) - the name of the Korean alphabet itself!

Basic Consonants (자음)

Hangul	Sound	Example
ㄱ	g/k	가 (ga)
ㄴ	n	나 (na)
ㄷ	d/t	다 (da)
ㄹ	r/l	라 (ra)
ㅁ	m	마 (ma)
ㅂ	b/p	바 (ba)
ㅅ	s	사 (sa)
ㅇ	silent/ng	아 (a)
ㅈ	j	자 (ja)
ㅊ	ch	차 (cha)
ㅋ	k	카 (ka)
ㅌ	t	타 (ta)
ㅍ	p	파 (pa)
ㅎ	h	하 (ha)

Deep dive: Learn the full explanation, pronunciation tips, and memory tricks in our Korean Consonants Guide.

Basic Vowels (모음)

Hangul	Sound	Example
ㅏ	a	아 (a)
ㅓ	eo	어 (eo)
ㅗ	o	오 (o)
ㅜ	u	우 (u)
ㅡ	eu	으 (eu)
ㅣ	i	이 (i)
ㅐ	ae	애 (ae)
ㅔ	e	에 (e)
ㅚ	oe	외 (oe)
ㅟ	wi	위 (wi)

Deep dive: Master vowel pronunciation and common confusions in our Korean Vowels Guide.

Need help with vowel sounds?

Section 2: Korean Consonants Explained

Korean consonants have some unique features:

Aspirated Consonants

Korean has “aspirated” versions that are pronounced with a stronger burst of air:

ㄱ (g) → ㅋ (k - aspirated)
ㄷ (d) → ㅌ (t - aspirated)
ㅂ (b) → ㅍ (p - aspirated)
ㅈ (j) → ㅊ (ch - aspirated)

Tense (Double) Consonants

Korean also has “tense” or doubled consonants:

ㄲ (kk - tense g)
ㄸ (tt - tense d)
ㅃ (pp - tense b)
ㅆ (ss - tense s)
ㅉ (jj - tense j)

These sound “harder” and are produced with more tension in your throat.

Full guide: Korean Consonants Explained with Examples + Chart

Section 3: Korean Vowels Explained

Korean vowels are categorized into:

Simple Vowels (단모음)

The 10 basic vowels listed above.

Compound Vowels (이중모음)

These combine basic vowels:

ㅑ (ya) = ㅣ + ㅏ
ㅕ (yeo) = ㅣ + ㅓ
ㅛ (yo) = ㅣ + ㅗ
ㅠ (yu) = ㅣ + ㅜ
ㅒ (yae) = ㅣ + ㅐ
ㅖ (ye) = ㅣ + ㅔ
ㅘ (wa) = ㅗ + ㅏ
ㅙ (wae) = ㅗ + ㅐ
ㅝ (wo) = ㅜ + ㅓ
ㅞ (we) = ㅜ + ㅔ
ㅢ (ui) = ㅡ + ㅣ

Full guide: Korean Vowels: Easy Pronunciation Guide for Beginners

Section 4: Korean Syllables - How Blocks Work

Unlike English which writes letters in a line, Korean writes letters in blocks that form syllables.

Syllable Block Rules

Every syllable block has:

Initial consonant (top-left)
Vowel (right or bottom)
Optional final consonant (batchim - bottom)

Pattern 1: Consonant + Vertical Vowel

ㄱ + ㅏ = 가 (ga)
ㅎ + ㅣ = 히 (hi)

Pattern 2: Consonant + Horizontal Vowel

ㄱ + ㅗ = 고 (go)
ㅁ + ㅜ = 무 (mu)

Pattern 3: Consonant + Vowel + Final Consonant (Batchim)

ㄱ + ㅏ + ㅁ = 감 (gam)
ㅎ + ㅏ + ㄴ = 한 (han)

Examples of words:

한국 (han-guk) = Korea
사랑 (sa-rang) = love
감사 (gam-sa) = gratitude

Full guide: Korean Syllables: How Hangul Blocks Work

Section 5: Batchim (Final Consonants)

Batchim (받침) means “supporting base” and refers to the final consonant at the bottom of a syllable block.

This is where most beginners struggle because batchim changes pronunciation in complex ways.

The 7 Batchim Sounds

While there are 27 possible batchim letters, they only produce 7 sounds:

Batchim	Sound	Example
ㄱ, ㅋ, ㄲ	[k]	밖 (bakk)
ㄴ	[n]	눈 (nun)
ㄷ, ㅌ, ㅅ, ㅆ, ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅎ	[t]	꽃 (kkot)
ㄹ	[l]	말 (mal)
ㅁ	[m]	밤 (bam)
ㅂ, ㅍ	[p]	밥 (bap)
ㅇ	[ng]	강 (gang)

Batchim Sound Change Rules

When syllables combine, batchim follows specific rules:

Liaison (연음) - consonant moves to next syllable
Nasalization (비음화) - stops become nasal
Tensification (경음화) - consonants become tense
Aspiration (격음화) - ㅎ merges with other consonants
Palatalization (구개음화) - ㄷ/ㅌ becomes ㅈ/ㅊ before 이

Essential guides:

Section 6: Reading Korean & Pronunciation

Now that you understand the building blocks, let’s talk about actually reading Korean.

Beginners’ Reading Flow

Identify the syllable block boundaries
Read each syllable left-to-right, top-to-bottom
Apply batchim rules at syllable boundaries
Connect syllables into words

Example: 안녕하세요

Break it down:

안 (an) = ㅇ + ㅏ + ㄴ
녕 (nyeong) = ㄴ + ㅕ + ㅇ
하 (ha) = ㅎ + ㅏ
세 (se) = ㅅ + ㅔ
요 (yo) = ㅇ + ㅛ

Result: an-nyeong-ha-se-yo (Hello!)

Common Reading Mistakes

Mistake 1: Reading letter-by-letter Read by syllables, not individual letters.

Mistake 2: Ignoring batchim rules 학교 isn’t “hak-gyo,” it’s “hak-kkyo” (tensification).

Mistake 3: Over-releasing final consonants Korean batchim are unreleased—your mouth prepares but doesn’t fully pronounce them.

Full reading guides:

Section 7: From Hangul to Fluent Reading

Learning the Hangul alphabet is just the first step. The real challenge is building reading fluency—moving from slow letter-by-letter reading to natural, automatic recognition.

This is where most learners get stuck. You can identify every character, but reading a webtoon or K-drama subtitle still feels painfully slow.

The solution? Targeted reading speed training that builds automatic pattern recognition.

That’s exactly what Batchim does:

✅ Syllable Sprint - Rapid recognition drills ✅ Batchim Rules Module - Interactive sound change training
✅ Korean Scenarios - Real-world reading practice ✅ Progress Tracking - Watch your speed improve

Start with our guide: 5 Korean Reading Mistakes That Keep Beginners Stuck

Download Free Hangul Resources

Want to practice offline? Download these free resources:

📄 Korean Alphabet PDF: Hangul Chart - Printable consonant and vowel chart 📝 Write Your Name in Korean - Personal practice guide 📊 Korean Alphabet Flashcards - Digital study cards

Next Steps: Start Using Hangul

Now that you understand Hangul, it’s time to use it:

Practice writing - Start with your name: Write Your Name in Korean
Learn essential phrases - Check our Essential Korean Phrases Guide
Build reading speed - Download Batchim for daily drills
Understand culture - Learn phrases like Oppa and greetings

Complete Hangul Article Directory

Alphabet Basics

Pronunciation

Practice & Application

Conclusion: You Can Learn Hangul Today

Unlike most writing systems, Hangul can genuinely be learned in a few hours. King Sejong designed it that way—simple, logical, and accessible.

But learning the alphabet is just step one. Real fluency comes from:

Understanding pronunciation rules (especially batchim)
Building reading speed through practice
Using Hangul with real Korean content

Ready to move beyond the alphabet and start reading Korean fluently?

Download Batchim free and transform your Korean reading speed in just 15 minutes a day.

Related Guides:

한글 공부 화이팅! (Happy Hangul studying!) 🇰🇷

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