The Korean alphabet (Hangul): chart and quiz
Hangul has 14 basic consonants and 10 basic vowels, and they stack into syllable blocks. Most people can read it in a few days. Here is the full chart with romanization, how blocks work, and a quiz to practice reading.
The consonants
| Letter | Romanization | Name |
|---|---|---|
| ㄱ | g/k | 기역 |
| ㄴ | n | 니은 |
| ㄷ | d/t | 디귿 |
| ㄹ | r/l | 리을 |
| ㅁ | m | 미음 |
| ㅂ | b/p | 비읍 |
| ㅅ | s | 시옷 |
| ㅇ | ng | 이응 |
| ㅈ | j | 지읒 |
| ㅊ | ch | 치읓 |
| ㅋ | k | 키읔 |
| ㅌ | t | 티읕 |
| ㅍ | p | 피읖 |
| ㅎ | h | 히읗 |
The vowels
| Letter | Romanization | Name |
|---|---|---|
| ㅏ | a | 아 |
| ㅑ | ya | 야 |
| ㅓ | eo | 어 |
| ㅕ | yeo | 여 |
| ㅗ | o | 오 |
| ㅛ | yo | 요 |
| ㅜ | u | 우 |
| ㅠ | yu | 유 |
| ㅡ | eu | 으 |
| ㅣ | i | 이 |
Double consonants
| Letter | Romanization | Name |
|---|---|---|
| ㄲ | kk | 쌍기역 |
| ㄸ | tt | 쌍디귿 |
| ㅃ | pp | 쌍비읍 |
| ㅆ | ss | 쌍시옷 |
| ㅉ | jj | 쌍지읒 |
Compound vowels
| Letter | Romanization | Name |
|---|---|---|
| ㅐ | ae | 애 |
| ㅒ | yae | 얘 |
| ㅔ | e | 에 |
| ㅖ | ye | 예 |
| ㅘ | wa | 와 |
| ㅙ | wae | 왜 |
| ㅚ | oe | 외 |
| ㅝ | wo | 워 |
| ㅞ | we | 웨 |
| ㅟ | wi | 위 |
| ㅢ | ui | 의 |
Romanization follows pronunciation, so a consonant can change at the end of a syllable. ㅇ is silent at the start and ng at the end; type ng in the letter quiz. The names shown are South Korean letter names; vowel names use a silent ㅇ.
How syllable blocks work
A block combines an initial consonant, a vowel and sometimes a final consonant. Read the initial consonant first, then the vowel, then the final consonant.
- ㅎ + ㅏ + ㄴ = 한 (han)
- ㄱ + ㅏ = 가 (ga)
- ㅁ + ㅜ + ㄹ = 물 (mul)
A quick quiz
Choose letters or reading, then type the romanization. For letters with two forms, either is accepted. Meanings appear after you answer.
To review
Practice speaking free
Reading it is the first step. In PollyStop you use it in real conversations with Polly, your AI tutor, and practice out loud.
Practice speaking freeFrequently asked questions
How long does it take to learn Hangul?
Most learners can sound out Hangul within a few days of short practice.
Is Korean romanization reliable?
It helps at first, but Korean sounds change between syllables, so use it as a bridge and read Hangul as soon as you can.
What is a syllable block?
Each block is one syllable: a consonant, a vowel and sometimes a final consonant, arranged in a square.
Can I print this chart?
Yes. Use "Print / save as PDF" for a clean chart without the quiz.
Practice speaking free
Reading it is the first step. In PollyStop you use it in real conversations with Polly, your AI tutor, and practice out loud.
Practice speaking free