Korean Lesson #1
Okay... please don't hate me if this is lame. I must keep repeating that I really don't know what I'm doing. :P
Today, I'm gonna teach you the basics to reading hangul. The components of the hangul alphabet are known as Jamo. There are 51 of them. Yes, yes. I know you are probably groaning to yourself, "Why so many?" but it sure beats learning 600 different kanji. Haha. Plus, 24 of these Jamo represent letters in the latin alphabet. So, reading hangul is like reading a word.
Let's start off with 14 consonant letters:
ㄱ = k/g ㄴ = n
ㄷ = t/d ㄹ = r/l
ㅁ = m ㅂ = p/b
ㅅ = s ㅈ = j/ch
ㅊ = ch' ㅋ = g' / k'
ㅌ = d' ㅍ = p'
ㅎ = h
* note that letters with a ' after them just means that it is said with a sharper sound.
ㅇ is harder to explain. It can be read as "ng" or can be used at the beginning of a jamo when nothing can go with or before it.
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Next are the 10 vowels:
ㅏ = a ㅓ = eo
ㅗ = o ㅜ = oo or u
ㅡ = eu ㅣ = i
ㅑ = ya ㅕ = yeo
ㅛ = yo ㅠ = yoo or yu
There are double vowels and consonants, too, but we'll worry about them after.
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So let's try putting some of these together, okay? Starting with the name for Korea: HanGuk.
han = ㅎ + ㅏ + ㄴ = 한
guk = ㄱ + ㅜ + ㄱ = 국
Therefore: HanGuk = 한국
Wanna try another one? Okay, let's say the word for love: Sarang.
sa = ㅅ + ㅏ = 사
rang = ㄹ + ㅏ + ㅇ = 랑
Therefore: Sarang = 사랑
To know when each pile of symbols begin and end, you listen to how the word is said. Each syllable will normally have its own pile of jamo.
As for the short form for Hello/Goodbye: Annyeong, it's a little harder because there are two uses of the ㅇ jamo.
an = ㅇ + ㅏ + ㄴ = 안
nyeong = ㄴ + ㅕ + ㅇ = 녕
Therefore: Annyeong = 안녕
Since 'a' or ㅏ cannot be used by itself or to start hangul, the ㅇ must be used. However, the ㅇ also forms the ending of nyeong.
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Okay, now for the 11 double vowels:
ㅐ = ae ㅒ = yae
ㅔ = e ㅖ = ye
ㅘ = wa ㅙ = wae
ㅚ = oe ㅝ = wo
ㅞ = we ㅟ = wi
ㅢ = ui
Double consonants are just that... doubled:
ㄲ = kk/gg ㄸ = tt/dd
ㅃ = pp/bb ㅆ = ss
ㅉ = jj
----
Now you can form more words. :D Let's try the full korean word for hello: Annyeonghaseyo.
an = ㅇ + ㅏ + ㄴ = 안
nyeong = ㄴ + ㅕ + ㅇ = 녕
ha = ㅎ + ㅏ = 하
se = ㅅ + ㅔ = 세
yo = ㅇ + ㅛ = 요
Therefore: Annyeonghaseyo = 안녕하세요
----
Now feel free to practice with some words, or putting together the Jamo. Try these words:
Japan = ilbon
South Korea = namhan
sand = morae
karaoke = noraebang
woman = yeoja
man = namja
The answers will be in the next lesson. So for now, 안녕!!!
Today, I'm gonna teach you the basics to reading hangul. The components of the hangul alphabet are known as Jamo. There are 51 of them. Yes, yes. I know you are probably groaning to yourself, "Why so many?" but it sure beats learning 600 different kanji. Haha. Plus, 24 of these Jamo represent letters in the latin alphabet. So, reading hangul is like reading a word.
Let's start off with 14 consonant letters:
ㄱ = k/g ㄴ = n
ㄷ = t/d ㄹ = r/l
ㅁ = m ㅂ = p/b
ㅅ = s ㅈ = j/ch
ㅊ = ch' ㅋ = g' / k'
ㅌ = d' ㅍ = p'
ㅎ = h
* note that letters with a ' after them just means that it is said with a sharper sound.
ㅇ is harder to explain. It can be read as "ng" or can be used at the beginning of a jamo when nothing can go with or before it.
-----
Next are the 10 vowels:
ㅏ = a ㅓ = eo
ㅗ = o ㅜ = oo or u
ㅡ = eu ㅣ = i
ㅑ = ya ㅕ = yeo
ㅛ = yo ㅠ = yoo or yu
There are double vowels and consonants, too, but we'll worry about them after.
-----
So let's try putting some of these together, okay? Starting with the name for Korea: HanGuk.
han = ㅎ + ㅏ + ㄴ = 한
guk = ㄱ + ㅜ + ㄱ = 국
Therefore: HanGuk = 한국
Wanna try another one? Okay, let's say the word for love: Sarang.
sa = ㅅ + ㅏ = 사
rang = ㄹ + ㅏ + ㅇ = 랑
Therefore: Sarang = 사랑
To know when each pile of symbols begin and end, you listen to how the word is said. Each syllable will normally have its own pile of jamo.
As for the short form for Hello/Goodbye: Annyeong, it's a little harder because there are two uses of the ㅇ jamo.
an = ㅇ + ㅏ + ㄴ = 안
nyeong = ㄴ + ㅕ + ㅇ = 녕
Therefore: Annyeong = 안녕
Since 'a' or ㅏ cannot be used by itself or to start hangul, the ㅇ must be used. However, the ㅇ also forms the ending of nyeong.
-----
Okay, now for the 11 double vowels:
ㅐ = ae ㅒ = yae
ㅔ = e ㅖ = ye
ㅘ = wa ㅙ = wae
ㅚ = oe ㅝ = wo
ㅞ = we ㅟ = wi
ㅢ = ui
Double consonants are just that... doubled:
ㄲ = kk/gg ㄸ = tt/dd
ㅃ = pp/bb ㅆ = ss
ㅉ = jj
----
Now you can form more words. :D Let's try the full korean word for hello: Annyeonghaseyo.
an = ㅇ + ㅏ + ㄴ = 안
nyeong = ㄴ + ㅕ + ㅇ = 녕
ha = ㅎ + ㅏ = 하
se = ㅅ + ㅔ = 세
yo = ㅇ + ㅛ = 요
Therefore: Annyeonghaseyo = 안녕하세요
----
Now feel free to practice with some words, or putting together the Jamo. Try these words:
Japan = ilbon
South Korea = namhan
sand = morae
karaoke = noraebang
woman = yeoja
man = namja
The answers will be in the next lesson. So for now, 안녕!!!