Getting Started Menu: Consonants Vowels Syllables Typing Hangeul
Unlike English, each Hangeul letter is a syllabic block in a square box-like diagram combined with a vowel(s) and a consonant(s). The letters—both vowels and consonants—were designed to fit together. Depending on the vowel / consonant combination, the writing of a syllable can take six different forms.
Consider the vowels you’ve learned. Some stand upright, while others are horizontal on the page. When you pair a consonant with a vowel, then, you will naturally form a syllable that works with the way the vowel is written. Look through the examples below.
A side-by-side arrangement of consonant/vowel works only with the following vowels:ㅏ ㅑ ㅓ ㅕ ㅣ ㅐ ㅒ ㅔ ㅖ
When you pair a consonant with one of these vowels, the shape may change a little. For example: ㄱ (kiyoek) and ㅏ(a) become 가
Can you tell which consonants have been paired with which vowels in the examples below? (Hint: Roll over each syllable to check your answers.)
이 나 예 네 마 파 티 하
A top-down arrangement of consonant / vowel works only with the following vowels: ㅗ ㅛ ㅜ ㅠ ㅡ
When you pair a consonant with one of these vowels, the shapes stay pretty much the same. For example:ㄱ (kiyoek) and ㅡ (ŭ) become 그
Can you tell which consonants have been paired with which vowels in the examples below? (Hint: Roll over each syllable to check your answers.)
우 유 수 코 노 무 주
When syllables have a combination of vowels, the arrangement gets a little more complicated. But no matter how complicated it may seem, remember that the letters were designed to fit together into a box-like shape. Consider the following pairs of vowels:
ㅘ = ㅗ + ㅏ
ㅝ = ㅜ + ㅓ
ㅚ = ㅗ + ㅣ
ㅙ = ㅗ + ㅐ
ㅞ = ㅜ + ㅔ
ㅟ = ㅜ + ㅣ
ㅢ = ㅡ + ㅣ
Now imagine fitting these pairs together with a consonant. It will look something like this: ㄱ (kiyoek) and ㅗ (o) and ㅏ(a) = 과
Can you tell which vowel pairs have been combined with which consonants in the examples below?
