Learning Korean starts with its writing system: Hangul. It’s logical and intuitive, but it still trips beginners up—especially the consonants. That’s because some Korean sounds don’t have direct equivalents in English. Below is a straightforward introduction to Korean consonants and tips on how to pronounce them clearly and naturally.
The Basics: 14 Simple Consonants
Hangul has 14 single consonants, listed below with comparable English sounds:
| Korean | Romanized | Similar English Sound |
|---|---|---|
| ㄱ | g/k | “g” in go or “k” in skill |
| ㄴ | n | “n” in no |
| ㄷ | d/t | “d” in dog or “t” in stop |
| ㄹ | r/l | A flap between “r” and “l” |
| ㅁ | m | “m” in mom |
| ㅂ | b/p | “b” in bat or “p” in spit |
| ㅅ | s | “s” in see (before vowels) |
| ㅇ | silent/ng | Silent at the start; “ng” at the end |
| ㅈ | j | “j” in jar |
| ㅊ | ch | “ch” in church |
| ㅋ | k | Strong “k” in kill |
| ㅌ | t | Strong “t” in top |
| ㅍ | p | Strong “p” in pop |
| ㅎ | h | “h” in hat |
Notice how the consonants change depending on their position in a syllable. For example, ㄱ is softer at the beginning of a word and harder at the end.
Double Consonants: 5 Tense Sounds
These consonants appear as doubled versions of the regular consonants. The key difference is tension—pronounced with greater muscular tension and no puff of air.
| Korean | Romanized | Sound Description |
|---|---|---|
| ㄲ | kk | Tense “k,” tight in the throat |
| ㄸ | tt | Tense “t,” no aspiration |
| ㅃ | pp | Tense “p” |
| ㅆ | ss | Sharp “s,” almost hissing |
| ㅉ | jj | Tense “j” |
Tense consonants are crucial for distinguishing between words. For example, 빠 (ppa) and 바 (ba) have completely different meanings.
Aspirated Consonants: 4 Airy Sounds
Aspirated consonants come with a noticeable burst of air compared to their regular counterparts.
| Korean | Romanized | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ㅋ | k | More aspirated than ㄱ |
| ㅌ | t | More aspirated than ㄷ |
| ㅍ | p | More aspirated than ㅂ |
| ㅊ | ch | More aspirated than ㅈ |
To feel the difference, place your hand in front of your mouth. If you sense more air with ㅋ, ㅌ, ㅍ, or ㅊ, you’re on the right track.
Special Case: ㄹ (r/l)
This consonant often puzzles students. It’s neither purely “r” nor “l,” but somewhere in between. At the start of a syllable, it sounds like a soft Spanish “r”. At the end of a syllable or between vowels, it becomes an “l” sound.
- 라면 (ramyeon) → soft “r”
- 별 (byeol) → “l” sound
Pro tip: Don’t overthink it. Getting close is enough, and native speakers will understand.
Silent but Important: ㅇ
At the beginning of a syllable, ㅇ is silent. But at the end, it sounds like “ng” as in sing.
- 아 (a) → simply “a”
- 앙 (ang) → “a” + “ng”
This is straightforward yet crucial.
Practice Tips
- Minimal pairs: Compare words like
바다(bada, sea) and빠다(ppada, butter) to tune your ears and pronunciation. - Record yourself: Listen to your pronunciation to identify and correct subtle differences.
- Native materials: Use K-dramas, YouTube, and language apps to mimic native pronunciation.
Final Thoughts
Korean consonants aren’t difficult once you stop trying to match them directly to English sounds. Focus on the sound rather than spelling. Listen carefully, practice consistently, and soon your pronunciation will shift from rough approximations to authentic, natural Korean.
