🅱️ Let's Start with Korean Consonants!
Welcome back! In this lesson, we’re going to learn the first five basic Korean consonants. These are the building blocks of Hangeul, and they’re much easier than you think!
🧱 What Are Consonants in Korean?
Consonants are sounds made by stopping or restricting airflow in your mouth. Just like in English, Korean consonants are combined with vowels to form syllables.
✋ The First 5 Consonants You Should Know
| Hangeul | Romanization | Sound | English Example | Shape Tip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ㄱ | g/k | Between 'g' and 'k' | go, skill | Looks like the tongue touching the back of the mouth |
| ㄴ | n | 'n' sound | nice | Represents the tongue touching the upper front |
| ㄷ | d/t | Soft 'd' like in dog | dot, stop | Similar to ㄱ, but with tongue placement further forward |
| ㅁ | m | 'm' sound | mom | Looks like a square mouth when lips are closed |
| ㅅ | s | 's' as in snake | sun | Shaped like teeth |
🎧 Pronunciation Tip
In Korean, many consonants are softer than their English equivalents. For example, ㄱ is between a “g” and a “k.” Don’t stress too much—Koreans will understand you even if it’s not perfect!
📌 Practice Time!
- Say each letter out loud 3 times.
- Try writing them on paper — yes, by hand!
- Match the sound with the shape in your mind.
📚 Coming Up Next:
In Lesson 3, we’ll look at the basic Korean vowels — simple but powerful!