Lesson 3 Use of Consonants (자음) and Vowels (모음)

Vowels in the korean languages may be attached to the left, right or beneath each other in order to form a word, the following are examples of their use : -


가 = ka 거 = keo 겨 = kyeo
갸 = kya 기 = ki 고 = ko

바 = pa 버 = peo 부 = pu
뵤 = pyo 지 = chi 저 = cheo
즈 = chu 조 = cho 마 = ma
머 = meo 무 = mo 나 = na
너 = neo 이 = i 야 = ya
디 = ti 고 = ko 댜 = tya
요 = yo 오 = o 도 = to
드 = tu 두 = too 그 = ku



When constructing a word, you must add a mixture of consonants and vowels, beginning with the consonant at the beginning of the word. In some cases, there is no need to use a consonant at the beginning in which case ㅇ (null character) is used.
ㅇ + ㅏ = 아 a
ㄹ + ㅡ + ㅁ = 름 rum
ㄱ + ㅏ + ㅁ = 감 kam
ㄲ + ㅜ + ㅇ = 꿍 kkoong
ㅇ + ㅗ + ㅅ = 옷 ot
ㅇ + ㅓ + ㅂㅅ = 없 eop
ㄲ + ㅗ + ㅊ = 꽃 kkot
ㅎ + ㅏ + ㄴ = 한 han
ㄱ + ㅡ + ㄱ = 극 guk

More on constructing words
A syllable that consists of a consonant and a "vertical vowel" is written with the consonant on the left and the vowel on the right
ㄴ + ㅏ = 나
n + a = na

A syllable that consists of a consonant and a "horizontal vowel" is written with the consonant on top and the vowel underneath:
ㅁ + ㅗ = 모
m + o = mo

If a syllable has a consonant, vowel, and consonant, the final consonant, called patch'im (meaning "supporting floor" in Korean) goes to the bottom -- or floor -- of that syllable.
ㅁ + ㅏ + ㄴ = 만
m + a + n = man