Learning Hangul: English > Korean Tips (Part 1)
When I first began studying Hangul I said to myself…how am I supposed to memorize all of these symbols. Well here is how I did it. Some were as simple as, “I just have to remember”. However, some I was able to come up with associations to help me out. I am still at the beginning of learning so if something below isn’t right, feel free to correct me.
1. When writing my notes I found it easiest to list them in order by their English (closest to English) pronunciation. So that I could memorize them all. Be mindful there is an official order that they go in.
2. For all of the double constants I simply put them with their single counterpart. Be mindful they have different pronunciations.
Tip(s): The English alphabet order is A, B and the hangul symbol looks like an upside down A. B & P sound very similar. (B)lack(P)ink
Tip(s): The hangul symbol looks similar to a stick figure person or a (ch)aracter.
Tip(s): Like before, in the English alphabet C is followed by D and the hangul symbol looks like a boxed C. As for T, I simply had to memorize it. However, D & T sound similar.
Tip(s): Now you all may laugh but…remember how I said ㅊ looks like a person? Now it looks like they are jumping over a (h)ill.
Tip(s): Again with the person…he is putting on (j)eans.
Tip(s): Here is one of the ones I simply had to memorize. But if it helps (at least with writing it), it looks like a backwards F although there is no F sound in the Korean language.
Tip(s): Now this was one of the last ones I grasped and to be honest I still stumble some times when it comes to the whole ㄱ(k) ㄴ(n) thing. So in order to decipher between the two, here is my strategy (hopefully it’s understandable. ㄱ looks more like you are writing the letter n (without the left line going down) and ㄴ shares the same left line going down as a k, which makes them look a bit more similar. However they are opposites. Another way to think about it is, you want to stop the letters. So if you were to write the letter k inside ㄴ the top lines would go on forever. However if you write k inside ㄱ, it will hit the top and you can move on to the next letter.
Tip(s): I remembered using the letter R so I will give a method using that instead. Like before in the English alphabet, R comes before S and the hangul symbol for R looks like a backward S. R & L have similar sounds.
Tip(s): This was a bit of a reach but was the easiest for me to remember. It’s a box, don’t put (m)yself/(m)e in a box. Another way like the ㄱ(K) example. You want to stop the letter so, if you write M inside ㅁ, all four corners will touch/stop it from going on forever and you can move to the next letter.
Tip(s): Look at ㄱ(K) for the full breakdown but, if you write N inside ㄴ, the bottom will be blocked from going on and you can continue to the next letter.
Tip(s): Only makes a sound at the end, this is pretty easy to simply memorize…BUT! For my ARMY out there. ㅇ is simply a circle. On the Big Hit logo, the i’s are topped with them and you know what’s at Big Hit? Our favorite Ba(ng)tan “방탄” Boys and none other than Hitman Ba(ng) himself.
Tip (s): Since ㅂ is both B & P, ㅍ is P too (2 as in Roman Numeral 2).
Tip(s): Honestly I simply memorized this one but is you need some associations to help here are two. 1. If ㅈ is (j)eans, then ㅅ is (s)lacks or (s)ocks (up to you). 2. If you know cursive it almost looks like you started writing a cursive s but went out instead of in at the end.
Tip(s): Again simple memorization for me but if it helps here are some associations. E is T or it can be a (T)able (t)hat (t)ilted over.
Hopefully this helps or if it didn’t that’s okay too. Let me know! Also tell me if you have any tips of your own.
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