The Complete Guide to Korean Vowels

Korean vowels are referred to as 모음 . There are 21 vowels in total, and it's highly recommended to dedicate time to learning the distinct characteristics of each one (particularly their unique pronunciations ).

It's essential to understand from the start that Korean vowels differ from English vowels in both their written form and sound. For instance, a Korean vowel cannot be written alone; it must always be paired with a consonant. This guide will walk you through all the Korean vowels: what they are, how to pronounce them, and provide example words for practice.

Basic Vowels

Hangul consists of 10 basic vowels. Below you will find each Korean vowel, its romanized equivalent, and pronunciation examples.

ㅏ (a). Sounds like “ah” as in:

f a ther t a -d a

ㅑ (ya). Sounds like “yah” as in:

ya wn ya cht ya rd

ㅓ (eo). Sounds like “uh” as in:

u nder a lone

ㅕ (yeo). Sounds like “yuh” as in:

yu m yo ung yu p

ㅗ (o). Sounds like “oh” as in:

o nly o gre o pal

ㅛ (yo). Sounds like “yoh” as in:

yo gurt yo-yo yo del

ㅜ (u). Sounds like “oo” as in:

f oo l r u le

ㅠ (yu). Sounds like “yoo” as in:

you yu ca

ㅡ (eu). Sounds somewhat like “euh” or “ih.” For correct pronunciation, ensure your bottom lip is pulled down to expose your bottom teeth.

op e n tok e n froz e n

ㅣ (i). Sounds like “ee” as in:

b ee f p ea

Double Vowels

These are precisely what the name implies! The basic Korean vowels can be combined to create a vowel "combination."

A double vowel is articulated as a single sound, typically a fusion of its two component vowels. The Korean language features 11 double vowels, which are frequently included in official Korean alphabets along with the basic vowels.

In writing, a double vowel is still regarded as one vowel unit.

Pronouncing double vowels can be more challenging than basic vowels. Some sound very similar to one another, so much so that they are often not distinguished in everyday conversation . They are most clearly differentiated in writing, whether in Hangul or romanized English.

ㅐ (ae). Combination ofㅏ and ㅣ . Sounds like “eh” as in:

b e d w e t

ㅒ (yae). Combination of ㅑ and ㅣ. Sounds like “yeh” as in:

ye llow ye s

ㅔ (e). Combination ofㅓandㅣ. Similar toㅐ, sounds like “eh” as in:

b e d w e t sl e d e gg

ㅖ (ye). Combination of ㅕ andㅣ. Similar toㅒ, sounds like “yeh” as in:

ye llow ye s ye t ye ll

ㅚ (oe). Combination of ㅗ andㅣ. Sounds like “weh” as in:

wai t we st

ㅟ (wi). Combination of ㅜ and ㅣ. Sounds like “oo-ee” or “ui” as in:

wea k whea t q uee n

ㅢ (ui). Combination of ㅡ and ㅣ. Somewhat similar to ㅟ, but can sound more like “uwie” or “ih-ee.” As with ㅡ, remember to pull your bottom lip down.

This double vowel can be articulated in different ways depending on the word:

• With the consonant ㅇ or in the first syllable of a word, it is pronounced as 의 [ui] : 의자 (chair), 의사 (doctor)
• When used in the possessive form, it is pronounced as 에 [e] : 나의 지갑 (my wallet), 동생의 생일 파티 (my sister’s birthday party)
• In the first syllable with consonants other than ㅇ, or in any other syllable position with any consonant, it is pronounced as 이 [i] : 희망 (hope), 미희 (Mihee, a girl’s name)

ㅘ (wa). Combination of ㅗ and ㅏ. Sounds like “wah” as in:

wa ter wa ffle

ㅝ (woorweo). Combination of ㅜ and ㅓ. Sounds like “wuh” as in:

wo nderful o nce

ㅙ (wae). Combination of ㅗ and ㅐ . Similar to ㅚ, sounds like “weh” as in:

wai t we st we nt

ㅞ (we). Combination of ㅜ and ㅔ. Similar to ㅚ and ㅙ, sounds like “weh” as in:

wai t we st we nt wea ther

To summarize, here are the double vowels that have similar sounds:

• ㅒ (yae) and ㅖ (ye)
• ㅐ (ae) and ㅔ (e)
• ㅚ (oe) , ㅙ (wae), ㅞ (we)

Once more, many native Korean speakers do not make a strong distinction between these similar-sounding double vowels. In both speech and writing, they might be used interchangeably without causing confusion, as context clarifies the meaning.

Nevertheless, when you learn Korean vocabulary, make an effort to learn the proper vowel for spelling. This is particularly important for formal tasks, like writing an email to a supervisor or client, or when taking a Korean proficiency exam.

If you want to observe how these vowels are used in real contexts, you could explore the language learning platform Lingflix.

Horizontal and Vertical Vowels

Korean vowels are categorized as either horizontal or vertical in their shape.

If a vowel includes a vertical line |, it is a vertical vowel. Conversely, if it contains a horizontal line —, it is a horizontal vowel.

Knowing the type of vowel is important because it determines how you write a Korean syllable that combines a consonant and a vowel.

For a vertical vowel, the consonant is written to the left of the vowel. For example:

• 자
• 히
• 려
• 너

For a horizontal vowel, the consonant is written above the vowel.

• 느
• 후
• 도
• 죠

With double vowels, the consonant's placement is determined by the first vowel in the pair. If the first vowel is vertical, the consonant is written to its left. If the first vowel is horizontal, the consonant is written above it.

• 폐
• 회
• 숴

Keep in mind that a double vowel is treated as a single unit in writing! Notice how the consonant can be resized to fit the space created by a combination of horizontal and vertical vowels.

Korean Words Starting with Vowel Sounds

As mentioned earlier, within a syllable, a Korean vowel must be written with a consonant.

This is true, but there is an exception – a syllable can consist solely of a vowel sound.

How is this possible? Through the letter ㅇ, also known as the "silent consonant" in the Hangul alphabet. It does not have its own distinct sound, acting as a placeholder. So, in a Korean syllable, ㅇ can occupy the consonant's position next to the vowel, but only the vowel is actually pronounced.

Here are some examples of this silent consonant used in vowel-based syllables:

• 아 – pronounced “ ah ”
• 예 – pronounced “ yeh ”
• 외 – pronounced “ weh ”

So, these are your Korean A, E, I, O, and U sounds.

Make sure to focus on the subtle pronunciation details and practice them by writing out Korean syllables!