# Lesson 1‑7 – The Basic Concept of
Korean Vowels: Complete Beginner’s Guide
In the last few lessons, you learned about Hangul
consonants (자음) — what they are, how
they sound, and how to write them. Now, it’s time to move
on to the other half of the Korean alphabet system: Korean vowels (모음).
In this lesson, we will learn
What Korean vowels are
How they are made
How to move your mouth to pronounce them
How they combine with consonants
How they are placed in Korean syllable blocks
Common mistakes beginners make
Practice exercises and useful tips
By the end of this lesson, you’ll have a clear,
easy-to-follow understanding of how Korean vowels work and how to read and
pronounce them confidently.
What Are Korean Vowels?
In every language, vowels are the sounds made when air
flows freely through the mouth without blocking. In English, you probably know
A, E, I, O, U.
In Korean, vowels are called ‘모음
(mo-eum)’.
There are 10 basic vowels in Korean.
Each vowel has one fixed, clear sound. This makes
Korean easier than many other languages because the sound of each vowel does
not change in different words.
When you combine one consonant and one vowel, you make
a syllable block. In Hangul, syllables are not written letter by letter like
English. They’re grouped into blocks.
For example:
ㄱ (g) + ㅏ
(a) = 가 (ga)
The Philosophy Behind Korean Vowels
One beautiful thing about Hangul is that it was created
scientifically by King Sejong the Great in the 15th century. The shapes of both
consonants and vowels were designed based on how the human mouth, tongue, and
throat move when pronouncing each sound.
For vowels
A dot (•) or a small line represents the sun (heaven)
A horizontal line (ㅡ) represents
the earth
A vertical line (ㅣ) represents a
person standing
These basic elements combine to form different vowels.
This means that when you learn Korean vowels, you are
not just memorizing sounds, but also understanding the philosophy and logic
behind their shapes.
Korean Vowel Types
In Korean, vowels are mainly grouped by
Their shape (vertical, horizontal)
The direction your mouth moves to make the sound
There are three types:
Understanding this helps when you learn how to write
syllable blocks because vertical vowels go beside the consonant, and horizontal
vowels go below it.
Mouth Shapes for Each Korean Vowel
Korean vowels are pure, clean sounds.
The way you move your mouth is very important for good
pronunciation.
Let’s look at each vowel carefully.
How to Combine Consonants and Vowels
In Korean, when you combine one consonant and one
vowel, you make a letter block.
Important rule
If the vowel is vertical (ㅏ, ㅑ, ㅓ, ㅕ, ㅣ) → it goes next to the consonant
If the vowel is horizontal (ㅗ, ㅛ, ㅜ, ㅠ, ㅡ) → it goes under the consonant
Examples
ㄱ + ㅏ
= 가 (ga)
ㄱ + ㅗ
= 고 (go)
This rule is very simple and logical, and it makes
reading Hangul easier once you remember the directions.
Common Mistakes Beginners Make
Many English speakers make these mistakes when learning
Korean vowels:
# Not opening the mouth enough for ㅏ
and ㅓ
- ㅏ should be a wide, open
sound like “ah”
- ㅓ is a lower, deeper “uh” sound.
# Mixing up ㅗ and ㅜ
- ㅗ is like “o” in “go”, lips are
rounded but not tight.
- ㅜ is like “oo” in “food”, lips are
more tightly rounded.
# Forgetting the vowel position rule in syllable blocks
Always check if the vowel is vertical or horizontal
before placing it beside or below the consonant.
Pronunciation Practice
Let’s practice saying them together.
ㅏ ㅓ ㅗ ㅜ ㅡ ㅣ ㅑ ㅕ ㅛ ㅠ
Say them slowly first, then faster. Use a mirror to check your mouth shape.
Example practice
ㅏ (a) —
Open mouth big like “ah”
ㅗ (o) —
Round lips softly
ㅜ (u) —
Round lips tight
ㅡ (eu) —
Lips flat and stretched
ㅣ (i) —
Smile shape
Example Words for Each Vowel
Let’s read some simple words made with vowels and
consonants.
Read them aloud slowly.
Vowel Reading Practice
Try reading these syllables
ㅏ ㅓ ㅗ ㅜ ㅡ ㅣ
가, 나, 다, 라
바, 사, 아, 자
오, 우, 이
Repeat this practice every day. Even 5 minutes a day is
very helpful.
Why Is This Lesson Important?
Learning the basic concept of Korean vowels is one of
the most important steps in your Korean study.
Once you master this
- You can read signs and menus in Korea
- You can pronounce K-Pop lyrics better
- You can write your own name in Korean
- You will understand Korean word pronunciation rules
faster
Extra Tips for Beginners
Practice with a mirror
Check your mouth shape. It’s very useful for learning
vowels.
Listen to Korean dramas and K-Pop carefully
Notice how vowels sound different from English.
Record yourself
Use your phone to record your pronunciation and compare
it with native speakers.
Learn in pairs
Practice saying minimal pairs like:
ㅏ (a) vs ㅓ
(eo)
ㅗ (o) vs ㅜ
(u)
Final Review with Mia
In this lesson, you learned
The concept of Korean vowels
How to make vowel sounds
How to combine consonants and vowels
Vowel position rules in Korean letter blocks
Common mistakes to avoid
Practice exercises for better pronunciation
0 댓글