Hangul, the Korean alphabet, is the official writing system of both South and North Korea. It is renowned for its simplicity, scientific design, and ease of learning. Invented in the 15th century by King Sejong the Great and his scholars, Hangul was created to promote literacy among the common people. Unlike complex logographic systems like Chinese characters, Hangul is a phonetic alphabet, making it highly accessible to new learners. In your first Korean classes, you will be taught how to read hangul.

Historical Background

Before Hangul, Koreans used Classical Chinese characters (Hanja) for written communication. This system was cumbersome and difficult to learn for the average person. Recognizing this, King Sejong and the Hall of Worthies (Jiphyeonjeon) developed Hangul in 1443, which was officially promulgated in 1446. The new script was originally called “Hunminjeongeum,” meaning “The Correct Sounds for the Instruction of the People.”

Structure of Hangul

Hangul is composed of 14 basic consonants and 10 basic vowels. These characters are combined to form syllabic blocks, each representing a syllable. Let’s break down the components of Hangul:

Consonants: There are 14 basic consonants in Hangul: ㄱ (g), ㄴ (n), ㄷ (d), ㄹ (r/l), ㅁ (m), ㅂ (b), ㅅ (s), ㅇ (silent/ng), ㅈ (j), ㅊ (ch), ㅋ (k), ㅌ (t), ㅍ (p), ㅎ (h).

Additionally, there are five doubled consonants, which represent tense sounds: ㄲ (kk), ㄸ (tt), ㅃ (pp), ㅆ (ss), ㅉ (jj).

Vowels: There are 10 basic vowels: ㅏ (a), ㅑ (ya), ㅓ (eo), ㅕ (yeo), ㅗ (o), ㅛ (yo), ㅜ (u), ㅠ (yu), ㅡ (eu), ㅣ (i).

Moreover, there are 11 complex vowels formed by combining the basic vowels: ㅐ (ae), ㅒ (yae), ㅔ (e), ㅖ (ye), ㅘ (wa), ㅙ (wae), ㅚ (oe), ㅝ (wo), ㅞ (we), ㅟ (wi), ㅢ (ui).

Syllable Formation

Hangul syllables are typically composed of an initial consonant, a medial vowel, and sometimes a final consonant. The syllable structure can be represented as (C)V(C), where C stands for consonant and V stands for vowel.

1. Simple Syllables:
   • 가 (ga) = ㄱ (g) + ㅏ (a)
   • 나 (na) = ㄴ (n) + ㅏ (a)
2. Complex Syllables:
   • 한 (han) = ㅎ (h) + ㅏ (a) + ㄴ (n)
   • 집 (jip) = ㅈ (j) + ㅣ (i) + ㅂ (p)

Pronunciation Tips

• Consonants:
  • Some consonants have different pronunciations depending on their position in the syllable. For example, ㄹ is pronounced as ‘r’ at the beginning of a syllable but as ‘l’ at the end.
  • The consonant ㅇ is silent when it is the initial consonant but pronounced as ‘ng’ at the end of a syllable.
• Vowels:
  • The vowels ㅓ and ㅕ are pronounced as ‘eo’ and ‘yeo,’ respectively. These sounds do not have direct equivalents in English and may require practice.
  • Complex vowels like ㅘ (wa) and ㅝ (wo) are combinations of simpler sounds, which can help in mastering their pronunciation.

Writing Practice

To become proficient in Hangul, consistent practice is essential. Start by familiarizing yourself with the individual letters, then practice combining them into syllables and words. Writing out common phrases and sentences will help reinforce your learning.

1. Basic Phrases:
   • 안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo) – Hello
   • 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida) – Thank you
   • 사랑해요 (saranghaeyo) – I love you
2. Sentence Practice:
   • 저는 학생입니다 (jeoneun haksaeng imnida) – I am a student.
   • 이것은 책입니다 (igeoseun chaeg imnida) – This is a book.