Read Korean · Chart

The Korean alphabet (한글) chart: all 40 letters

Every Hangul letter on one page, in dictionary order, with its name, its sound and audio. Each row links to the lesson that teaches it properly.

Reference only — we recommend against learning from it. Here is why.

Quick answer: The Korean alphabet, 한글, has 24 basic letters — 14 consonants and 10 vowels — plus 5 doubled consonants and 11 combined vowels, 40 letters in all. Letters are written in syllable blocks: 한 is ㅎ + ㅏ + ㄴ.

Consonants (19)

Letter	Name	Sound	Listen	Learn it
ㄱ	기역	[k] g/k	ga 가	Lesson 3
ㄲ	쌍기역	[k͈] kk	kka 까	Lesson 5
ㄴ	니은	[n] n	na 나	Lesson 3
ㄷ	디귿	[t] d/t	da 다	Lesson 3
ㄸ	쌍디귿	[t͈] tt	tta 따	Lesson 5
ㄹ	리을	[ɾ] / [l] r/l	ra 라	Lesson 3
ㅁ	미음	[m] m	ma 마	Lesson 3
ㅂ	비읍	[p] b/p	ba 바	Lesson 3
ㅃ	쌍비읍	[p͈] pp	ppa 빠	Lesson 5
ㅅ	시옷	[s] s	sa 사	Lesson 3
ㅆ	쌍시옷	[s͈] ss	ssa 싸	Lesson 5
ㅇ	이응	silent / [ŋ] – / ng	a 아	Lesson 4
ㅈ	지읒	[t͡ɕ] j	ja 자	Lesson 3
ㅉ	쌍지읒	[t͡ɕ͈] jj	jja 짜	Lesson 5
ㅊ	치읓	[t͡ɕʰ] ch	cha 차	Lesson 5
ㅋ	키읔	[kʰ] k	ka 카	Lesson 5
ㅌ	티읕	[tʰ] t	ta 타	Lesson 5
ㅍ	피읖	[pʰ] p	pa 파	Lesson 5
ㅎ	히읗	[h] h	ha 하	Lesson 3

ㄱ ㄷ ㅂ ㅈ sound softer at the start of a word and between vowels; ㅇ is silent at the start of a syllable and [ŋ] at the end.

Vowels (21)

Letter	Sound	Listen	Learn it
ㅏ	[a] a	a 아	Lesson 2
ㅐ	[ɛ] ae	ae 애	Lesson 6
ㅑ	[ja] ya	ya 야	Lesson 6
ㅒ	[jɛ] yae	yae 얘	Lesson 6
ㅓ	[ʌ] eo	eo 어	Lesson 2
ㅔ	[e] e	e 에	Lesson 6
ㅕ	[jʌ] yeo	yeo 여	Lesson 6
ㅖ	[je] ye	ye 예	Lesson 6
ㅗ	[o] o	o 오	Lesson 2
ㅘ	[wa] wa	wa 와	Lesson 7
ㅙ	[wɛ] wae	wae 왜	Lesson 7
ㅚ	[we] oe	oe 외	Lesson 7
ㅛ	[jo] yo	yo 요	Lesson 6
ㅜ	[u] u	u 우	Lesson 2
ㅝ	[wʌ] wo	wo 워	Lesson 7
ㅞ	[we] we	we 웨	Lesson 7
ㅟ	[wi] wi	wi 위	Lesson 7
ㅠ	[ju] yu	yu 유	Lesson 6
ㅡ	[ɯ] eu	eu 으	Lesson 2
ㅢ	[ɰi] ui	ui 의	Lesson 7
ㅣ	[i] i	i 이	Lesson 2

A vowel never stands alone in writing — it takes a silent ㅇ in front: 아, 어, 의.

FAQ

How many letters are in the Korean alphabet?

24 basic letters (14 consonants, 10 vowels). Counting the 5 doubled consonants (ㄲ ㄸ ㅃ ㅆ ㅉ) and 11 combined vowels (ㅐ ㅒ ㅔ ㅖ ㅘ ㅙ ㅚ ㅝ ㅞ ㅟ ㅢ), you will meet 40.

What order are Korean letters in?

Dictionary order is the order of the tables above: ㄱ ㄲ ㄴ ㄷ ㄸ ㄹ ㅁ ㅂ ㅃ ㅅ ㅆ ㅇ ㅈ ㅉ ㅊ ㅋ ㅌ ㅍ ㅎ for consonants, and ㅏ ㅐ ㅑ ㅒ ㅓ ㅔ ㅕ ㅖ ㅗ ㅘ ㅙ ㅚ ㅛ ㅜ ㅝ ㅞ ㅟ ㅠ ㅡ ㅢ ㅣ for vowels.

How long does it take to learn Hangul?

Most people can read simple words within a few hours of focused study. The hard part is not the shapes but a few sounds English does not have, such as ㅡ and the ㄱ / ㅋ / ㄲ contrast — that is what the lessons spend their time on.

Start the free course from Lesson 1.

Now say it out loud — and hear what to fix

The HanDa app turns these lessons into speaking drills: read a word aloud and it tells you which sound slipped. Free for 7 days.

Download for iPhone Download for Android