Hangul · vowels
Hangul vowels and the two block layouts
Hangul vowels are built from vertical, horizontal, and short strokes. Their direction determines the block layout: vertical vowels go beside the consonant, while horizontal vowels go below it.
Start with orientation
ㅏ, ㅑ, ㅓ, ㅕ, and ㅣ are vertical shapes and sit to the right of an opening consonant. ㅗ, ㅛ, ㅜ, ㅠ, and ㅡ are horizontal shapes and sit below it.
The short stroke's side matters: ㅏ points right while ㅓ points left; ㅗ points up while ㅜ points down. Compare the pairs as relationships instead of isolated drawings.
Compound vowels combine familiar pieces
Modern Hangul also uses combined forms such as ㅘ, ㅝ, ㅢ, ㅐ, and ㅔ. Learn the base orientations first so these compounds remain combinations rather than eleven unrelated additions.
Reference
Hangul vowel chart
Compare each written vowel with its reading and the explanation attached to it.
Open your mouth naturally for ㅏ. It is close to the vowel in father, but a is only a rough English guide to the Korean sound.
Start with a quick y sound and move straight into ㅏ: that makes ㅑ. The second short stroke signals the y sound, and it is still one syllable.
Keep your lips relaxed and do not round them for ㅓ. English has no exact match. The spelling eo is only a label; do not pronounce it as two sounds.
Start with a quick y sound and move into ㅓ: that makes ㅕ. It is one syllable even though the English spelling yeo has three letters.
Round your lips for ㅗ. Its short stroke points up, and the letter sits below the first consonant in a syllable block.
Start with a quick y sound and move into ㅗ: that makes ㅛ. Its two upward strokes distinguish it from ㅗ.
Round your lips for ㅜ. Its short stroke points down, the opposite direction from ㅗ.
Start with a quick y sound and move into ㅜ: that makes ㅠ. The two downward strokes signal the y sound.
Keep your lips flat instead of rounded, and pull your tongue slightly back for ㅡ. English has no exact match.
ㅣ is close to the vowel in machine. Its single upright stroke also forms the base of ㅏ, ㅓ, ㅑ, and ㅕ.
ㅐ is ae; in modern Seoul speech it is often very close to ㅔ.
ㅔ is e; many modern speakers pronounce it nearly the same as ㅐ.
ㅒ is the y-vowel related to ㅐ and is close in modern speech to ㅖ.
ㅖ is the y-vowel related to ㅔ and stays within one syllable.
ㅘ combines ㅗ and ㅏ into one wa vowel.
ㅙ combines ㅗ and ㅐ; in modern speech it is often close to ㅞ and ㅚ.
ㅚ is conventionally romanized oe but is commonly pronounced close to we in modern Korean.
ㅝ combines ㅜ and ㅓ into one wo-like vowel.
ㅞ combines ㅜ and ㅔ; it is close to ㅙ and ㅚ for many speakers.
ㅟ combines ㅜ and ㅣ into one wi vowel.
ㅢ combines ㅡ and ㅣ. Its pronunciation changes in some grammatical positions, but the full form is learned first.
Try it now
Practice hangul vowels and the two block layouts
Choose an answer, read the explanation, and finish the short set without leaving this page.