Memorizing and learning the Korean alphabet is one of my most frequently asked questions. Today let’s review strategies on how to master hangeul (한글)!
First, it’s useful to set up the alphabet in a table like this where you have consonants (자음) on the left side going from top to bottom, and vowels (모음) at the top of the page from left to right.
Most Korean alphabet sheets are set up this way and I’ll be using the first 3 consonants (ㄱ/g, ㄴ/n, ㄷ/d) and first 3 vowels (아/a, 야/ya, 어/eo) in the following examples to demonstrate why as well as why this makes learning the alphabet easy.
Let’s take the first consonant ㄱ(g) and first vowel 아(ah). Right away we notice that the intersection of those letters is 가 (ga). We know this because:
ㄱ(g) + 아(ah) = 가.
This can be done with the following consonant as well where we see that:
ㄴ(n) + 아(ah) = 나.
This can be repeated for all 14 consonants as you move vertically down the line.
So, if you know that ㄱ(g) + 아(ah) = 가(ga), do you know what sounds make 갸? Yes! Because just as we got:
ㄱ(g) + 아(ah) = 가(ga), the same rule applies where
ㄱ(g) + 야(ya) = 갸(gya), and ㄴ(n) + 야(ya) = 냐(nya).
“So how should I practice?”
Well, now that we have the basics down, you can learn the alphabet quickly by practicing writing out each consonant and vowel combination together 10 times saying them aloud as you write.
First write down each consonant:
ㄱ(g): ㄱ ㄱ ㄱ ㄱ ㄱ
ㄴ(n): ㄴ ㄴ ㄴ ㄴ ㄴ
ㄷ(d): ㄷ ㄷ ㄷ ㄷ ㄷ
etc.
Then write down each vowel:
아(a): 아 아 아 아 아
야(ya): 야 야 야 야 야
어 (eo): 어 어 어 어 어
etc.
Then put them together:
가(ga): 가 가 가 가 가
나(na): 나 나 나 나 나
다(da): 다 다 다 다 다
etc.
Within no time you’ll have mastered the alphabet and will be able to read anything you see!
Hope this helps and happy studying!
