Learn Korean with Mia Level1 Lesson6: Free Korean Lesson for Beginner

 

# Lesson 1‑6 – Learn Korean Consonants: ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅋ, ㅌ, ㅍ, ㅎ — Mastering the Final Basic Hangul Consonants

Welcome to Lesson 1-6 of our beginner-friendly Korean learning series! So far, we’ve covered the first eight basic consonants of Hangul (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄷ, ㄹ, ㅁ, ㅂ, ㅅ, ㅇ). Now it’s time to complete the set by learning the remaining six basic consonants:
ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅋ, ㅌ, ㅍ, ㅎ.

These consonants may look more complex, but they’re just as essential as the ones you’ve already learned. With these final six letters, you’ll be able to read nearly every syllable in modern Korean and unlock a wide range of vocabulary.

Let’s explore how each consonant is written, pronounced, and used in real words — with helpful tips, practice suggestions, and stroke order guidance.

Overview: Why These Letters Matter

The final six basic consonants in Hangul include:

These are aspirated or stronger-sounding consonants compared to the earlier ones, and they appear in many everyday Korean words.


# ㅈ (jieut) – The J Sound

㉠ Romanized

    j

㉡ Pronunciation

    Like "j" in “jam” but softer than English. Between “j” and “ch.”

㉢ IPA

    /tɕ/

㉣ Stroke order

    Two main strokes — draw a curved line then a horizontal bar.


Memory Tip
    Think of jelly or juice — both start with “j,” and so does ㅈ.

Examples

Practice
    Read and say: 자, 저, 지, 조, 주
    Practice phrases:
        지금 가요 – I’m going now.
        저는 학생이에요 – I am a student.


# ㅊ (chieut) – The CH Sound

㉠ Romanized

    ch

㉡ Pronunciation

    Stronger than ㅈ, like the “ch” in “chop.”

㉢ IPA

    /tɕʰ/

㉣ Stroke order

    Same as ㅈ with an extra short horizontal stroke.

Memory Tip
    Add a hat (extra line) to ㅈ and it becomes ㅊ — just like “ch” is a stronger version of “j.”


Examples

Practice
    Say: 차, 처, 치, 초, 추
    Practice phrases:

        차 마셔요 – I drink tea.
        친구를 만나요 – I meet a friend.


# ㅋ (kieuk) – The Strong K Sound

㉠ Romanized

    k

㉡ Pronunciation

    Strong “k” sound, like in “kite.”

㉢ IPA

    /kʰ/

㉣ Stroke order

    Like ㄱ with an added stroke on top.

Memory Tip
    ㅋ looks like ㄱ with a rocket booster — it’s a stronger version of the “g/k” sound.

Examples

Practice
    Try: 카, 커, 키, 코, 쿠
    Practice phrases:
        커피 주세요 – Please give me coffee.
        키가 커요 – (He/She) is tall.


# ㅌ (tieut) – The Strong T Sound

㉠ Romanized

    t

㉡ Pronunciation

    Like a strong “t” as in “tomato.”

㉢ IPA

    /tʰ/

㉣ Stroke order

    Like ㄷ with a small horizontal line on top.


Memory Tip
    ㅌ = ㄷ with a hat. It’s the louder twin of ㄷ.


Examples

Practice
    Try: 타, 터, 토, 투, 티
    Practice phrase:
        택시 타요 – Take a taxi.
        토요일이에요 – It’s Saturday.


# ㅍ (pieup) – The Strong P Sound

㉠ Romanized

    p

㉡ Pronunciation

    Strong “p” sound, like in “pop” or “push.”

㉢ IPA

    /pʰ/

㉣ Stroke order

    Similar to ㅂ, but with an extra top stroke.

Memory Tip
    ㅍ = a “punchier” version of ㅂ. More air, more power.


Examples

Practice
    Say: 파, 퍼, 포, 푸, 피
    Practice phrases:
        피자 먹어요 – I eat pizza.
        팔이 아파요 – My arm hurts.


# ㅎ (hieut) – The H Sound

㉠ Romanized

    h

㉡ Pronunciation

    Just like the English “h” in “hat.”

㉢ IPA

    /h/

㉣ Stroke order

    Horizontal top line, circle underneath, then short vertical stroke.


Memory Tip
    ㅎ is like a hat over a mouth — think “h” in “hello.”

Examples

Practice
    Try: 하, 허, 호, 후, 히
    Practice phrase:
        한국어 하세요? – Do you speak Korean?
        학생이에요 – I’m a student.

Writing Tips: Stroke Order for Precision

Practice each letter 10–15 times using a writing guide sheet or grid paper.

Practice Drill: Read, Write, Speak

Try combining today’s consonants with the vowel ㅏ (a):

    ㅈ + ㅏ = 자
    ㅊ + ㅏ = 차
    ㅋ + ㅏ = 카
    ㅌ + ㅏ = 타
    ㅍ + ㅏ = 파
    ㅎ + ㅏ = 하

Practice aloud until the sounds feel natural.

Pro Tip: Listen to Native Speech

These consonants appear often in Korean pop culture:

    하다 is one of the most common verbs.
    피자, 커피, 카페, and 택시 are loanwords used daily.


Listen for them in:

    K-dramas
    K-pop lyrics
    YouTube Korean vlogs

Vocabulary List Recap