How to Learn Hangeul Part 3/4

Right. You have now learned all the vowels and consonants. You've been practicing reading loanwords. If you are in Korea, I'm sure you've been sounding things out. (In Western-style cafes and restaurants you can read more loanwords, I'm sure.) In this lesson we're going to learn the remaining vowel combinations, how to say sh, and read some more loanwords. 가자! ('Sko!)

Vowel Combinations

You've already learned all the vowels, but some vowel combinations turn out sounding different than you'd expect. Korean treats the sounds w and y as vowels. 


Y


(Because we like you. Mickey Mouse Club? Anyone?) If you see a double line attached to a regular vowel, it means there's a y sound before the vowel. Gentlemen, start your flashcards.

ㅕ yeo

ㅑ ya

ㅠ yu

ㅛ yo

ㅒ yae

ㅖ ye

(If you recall,  ㅐ and ㅔ are actually pronounced the same. Similarly, ㅒ and ㅖ are both pronounced "yay" by almost all Koreans.)

If you continue to study Korean, you'll see ㅛ at the end of a lot of sentences. "-yo" is the polite, or honorific, verb ending.


W


Adding a ㅗ or a ㅜ to any other vowel puts a w sound in front of that vowel. Whether or not a vowel takes ㅗ or ㅜ depends on whether it is a dark or a bright vowel.

ㅘ wa

ㅝ weo

ㅚ we

ㅟ wi

ㅙ wae 

ㅞ we 

(I'm sure you're wise by now to the fact that both ㅙ and ㅞ are pronounced like the English word "way." Good news! ㅚ is pronounced like "way" too.)

And the one that has no English equivalent

Maybe this one is just in here because learning Hangeul was too easy. Remember the ㅡ vowel that you make by making a grimace while you make a u sound with the back of your throat? To make this diphthong (vowel combination), say the  ㅡ vowel and then quickly say ㅣ. It helps if you don't move your lips. Keep them stretched wide across your face (like you've been off guard by a would-be photographer although you don't want your picture taken) as you make both sounds. Don't try to be perfect. Just keep going.

ㅢ eui

If you want to hear this vowel, copy this Hangeul syllable: 의. Then, go to Google Translate and paste the syllable into the box on the left. Finally, click on the volume sign to hear a native speaker say the vowel.

SH

This is pretty simple. When Koreans see a ㅅ + ㅣ, it is pronounced "shee." The Korean language does not allow the pronunciation "see." (If you've ever taught low-level Koreans English, you may have noticed their love of "sheefood".)

시 shee

This rule also applies in some (rare) vowel combinations.

쇼 shyo

쇠 shwe

More Reading Practice

After you more or less have a handle on the vowel combinations, try reading the following loanwords:

컴퓨터
샌드위치 
위스키
콜라  
주스
카메라
노트북
피아노
아이스크림
테니스
오아시스
오렌지
레몬






Now try reading these proper nouns:


뉴질랜드
애슐리
뉴욕비너스
파키스탄
스웨덴
스위스
서울
보츠와나
베네수엘라
과테말라
필리핀
덴마크





















Answers:

computer
sandwich
whiskey
cola
juice
camera
notebook (meaning laptop)
piano
ice cream
tennis
oasis
orange
lemon






New Zealand 
Ashley 
New York
Venus
Pakistan
Sweden
Swiss (meaning Switzerland)
Seoul
Botswana
Venezuela
Guatemala
Philippines
Denmark