Overview
In Lesson 1, you learned Korean consonants. Now it is time to learn the other half of the Hangul system: vowels (모음, moeum). Korean has 21 vowels in total — 10 basic vowels and 11 compound vowels. Once you master these, you can read any Korean syllable.
The Philosophy Behind Vowel Design
King Sejong designed the vowels based on three cosmological elements from Neo-Confucian philosophy:
| Symbol | Represents | Modern Form |
|---|---|---|
| ● (dot) | Heaven (天) | Short stroke (ㅏ, ㅓ) |
| ㅡ (horizontal line) | Earth (地) | ㅡ |
| ㅣ (vertical line) | Human (人) | ㅣ |
All Korean vowels are constructed by combining these three elements. The dot has evolved into a short stroke in modern Hangul, but the underlying logic remains.
The 10 Basic Vowels (기본 모음)
Vertical Vowels
Vertical vowels have a tall vertical stroke as their main axis. When placed in a syllable block, the consonant sits to the left of the vowel.
| Vowel | Name | Romanization | Sound | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ㅏ | 아 (a) | a | Like 'a' in 'father' | 아이 (ai) = child |
| ㅑ | 야 (ya) | ya | Like 'ya' in 'yard' | 약 (yak) = medicine |
| ㅓ | 어 (eo) | eo | Like 'u' in 'bus' | 어머니 (eomeoni) = mother |
| ㅕ | 여 (yeo) | yeo | Like 'yu' in 'yum' | 여우 (yeou) = fox |
| ㅣ | 이 (i) | i | Like 'ee' in 'see' | 이유 (iyu) = reason |
Horizontal Vowels
Horizontal vowels have a wide horizontal stroke as their main axis. When placed in a syllable block, the consonant sits above the vowel.
| Vowel | Name | Romanization | Sound | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ㅗ | 오 (o) | o | Like 'o' in 'go' | 오이 (oi) = cucumber |
| ㅛ | 요 (yo) | yo | Like 'yo' in 'yoga' | 요리 (yori) = cooking |
| ㅜ | 우 (u) | u | Like 'oo' in 'moon' | 우유 (uyu) = milk |
| ㅠ | 유 (yu) | yu | Like 'you' | 유리 (yuri) = glass |
| ㅡ | 으 (eu) | eu | No English equivalent — unrounded, central | 으르다 (eureuda) = to growl |
The Y-Pair Pattern
Notice that basic vowels come in pairs — a plain version and a y-version (with an extra stroke):
| Plain | Y-version | Relationship |
|---|---|---|
| ㅏ (a) | ㅑ (ya) | Add a second short stroke |
| ㅓ (eo) | ㅕ (yeo) | Add a second short stroke |
| ㅗ (o) | ㅛ (yo) | Add a second short stroke |
| ㅜ (u) | ㅠ (yu) | Add a second short stroke |
The remaining two — ㅡ (eu) and ㅣ (i) — do not have y-pair counterparts.
The 11 Compound Vowels (복합 모음)
Compound vowels (이중 모음, ijung moeum) are formed by combining two basic vowels. They represent diphthongs or blended sounds.
ㅏ/ㅓ-based Compounds
| Vowel | Components | Romanization | Sound | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ㅐ | ㅏ + ㅣ | ae | Like 'e' in 'bed' | 개 (gae) = dog |
| ㅒ | ㅑ + ㅣ | yae | Like 'ye' in 'yes' | 얘기 (yaegi) = story |
| ㅔ | ㅓ + ㅣ | e | Like 'e' in 'bed' | 세계 (segye) = world |
| ㅖ | ㅕ + ㅣ | ye | Like 'ye' in 'yes' | 예 (ye) = yes/example |
ㅗ-based Compounds
| Vowel | Components | Romanization | Sound | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ㅘ | ㅗ + ㅏ | wa | Like 'wa' in 'water' | 과일 (gwail) = fruit |
| ㅙ | ㅗ + ㅐ | wae | Like 'we' in 'wet' | 왜 (wae) = why |
| ㅚ | ㅗ + ㅣ | oe | Like 'we' in 'wet' | 외국 (oeguk) = foreign country |
ㅜ-based Compounds
| Vowel | Components | Romanization | Sound | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ㅝ | ㅜ + ㅓ | wo | Like 'wo' in 'wonder' | 원 (won) = Korean currency |
| ㅞ | ㅜ + ㅔ | we | Like 'we' in 'wet' | 웨딩 (weding) = wedding |
| ㅟ | ㅜ + ㅣ | wi | Like 'wee' in 'week' | 위 (wi) = above/stomach |
ㅡ-based Compound
| Vowel | Components | Romanization | Sound | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ㅢ | ㅡ + ㅣ | ui | 'eu' + 'ee' blended | 의사 (uisa) = doctor |
The ㅐ vs ㅔ Problem
In standard Korean, ㅐ and ㅔ were historically two distinct sounds:
- ㅐ was a more open sound, closer to the 'a' in 'cat'
- ㅔ was a closer sound, like the 'e' in 'bed'
However, in modern spoken Korean (especially among younger speakers), these two vowels have merged and sound virtually identical. Both are pronounced like the 'e' in 'bed'. Similarly, ㅒ and ㅖ sound the same in everyday speech.
How do Koreans tell them apart? Context and spelling memorization. Native speakers simply learn which words use ㅐ and which use ㅔ, much like English speakers memorize that "their" and "there" sound the same but are spelled differently.
| Vowel | Formal Distinction | Modern Reality |
|---|---|---|
| ㅐ | Open, like 'a' in 'cat' | Same as ㅔ |
| ㅔ | Mid, like 'e' in 'bed' | Same as ㅐ |
| ㅒ | Like 'yae' | Same as ㅖ |
| ㅖ | Like 'ye' | Same as ㅒ |
Tip for learners: Do not stress about distinguishing ㅐ and ㅔ in pronunciation. Focus on learning the correct spelling for each word.
Vertical vs Horizontal: Why It Matters
Understanding whether a vowel is vertical or horizontal determines how you build syllable blocks:
| Vowel Type | Consonant Position | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Vertical (ㅏ,ㅑ,ㅓ,ㅕ,ㅣ,ㅐ,ㅔ,...) | Consonant to the left | 가, 너, 미 |
| Horizontal (ㅗ,ㅛ,ㅜ,ㅠ,ㅡ) | Consonant above | 고, 누, 무 |
| Compound with both (ㅘ,ㅙ,ㅚ,ㅝ,...) | Consonant to the left-above | 과, 원, 위 |
This distinction is essential for writing syllable blocks correctly, which you will learn in detail in Lesson 3.
Pronouncing the Unique Sounds
Some Korean vowels have no direct English equivalent. Here are tips for the tricky ones:
ㅓ (eo) — Not "oh"
This is the most commonly mispronounced vowel by English speakers. It is not the 'o' in 'go'. Think of the 'u' in 'bus' or 'cut', but with your mouth slightly more open. Your lips should be unrounded.
ㅡ (eu) — The "invisible" vowel
This vowel does not exist in English. Keep your lips in a wide, flat position (like smiling) and say 'oo' without rounding your lips. Some compare it to the grunt sound "ugh" with the lips spread.
ㅢ (ui) — The sliding vowel
Start with ㅡ (eu) and slide into ㅣ (i). It sounds like "eu-ee" said quickly. In practice, ㅢ is pronounced differently depending on its position:
- Word-initial: "ui" (의사 = uisa)
- As a possessive particle: "e" (나의 = nae)
- Other positions: often simplified to "i"
Reading Practice
Try reading these words using only the vowels you have learned. Remember, ㅇ at the beginning of a syllable is silent — it is just a placeholder consonant:
| Word | Breakdown | Romanization | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 아이 | ㅇ+ㅏ, ㅇ+ㅣ | ai | child |
| 우유 | ㅇ+ㅜ, ㅇ+ㅠ | uyu | milk |
| 오이 | ㅇ+ㅗ, ㅇ+ㅣ | oi | cucumber |
| 여우 | ㅇ+ㅕ, ㅇ+ㅜ | yeou | fox |
| 이유 | ㅇ+ㅣ, ㅇ+ㅠ | iyu | reason |
| 야유 | ㅇ+ㅑ, ㅇ+ㅠ | yayu | mockery |
| 요요 | ㅇ+ㅛ, ㅇ+ㅛ | yoyo | yo-yo |
Writing Practice
When writing vowels, follow these stroke orders:
- ㅏ: Vertical stroke down, then short horizontal stroke to the right
- ㅓ: Short horizontal stroke to the left, then vertical stroke down
- ㅗ: Horizontal stroke, then short vertical stroke upward from the middle
- ㅜ: Short vertical stroke downward, then horizontal stroke
- ㅡ: One horizontal stroke left to right
- ㅣ: One vertical stroke top to bottom
For compound vowels, write the component parts in order:
- ㅘ: Write ㅗ first, then ㅏ to the right
- ㅟ: Write ㅜ first, then ㅣ to the right
- ㅢ: Write ㅡ first, then ㅣ to the right
Practice writing each vowel at least 5 times. Pay attention to the direction of the short strokes — they determine which vowel you are writing.