Korean Vowels: 21 Letters with Sounds and Shapes
Korean vowels explained: the chart of 21 letters, basic and compound vowels, diphthongs, how they sit in a block, and how to pronounce them.
What are the Korean vowels?
Korean has 21 vowels: 10 basic vowels, ㅏ ㅑ ㅓ ㅕ ㅗ ㅛ ㅜ ㅠ ㅡ ㅣ, and 11 compound vowels such as ㅐ, ㅔ and ㅘ made by joining them. The basic vowels are one stroke or two, they sit to the right of or below the consonant, and each has its own page with a sound guide and worksheet.
Korean vowels: counts and where to go next
Korean vowels
Korean vowels
Korean vowel chart
| Vowel | Name | Sounds like | Sits | Strokes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ㅏ | 아 (a) | a, as in arm | right of the consonant | 2 |
| ㅐ | 애 (ae) | ae, between the a of bad and the e of bed | right of the consonant | 3 |
| ㅑ | 야 (ya) | ya, as in yacht | right of the consonant | 3 |
| ㅒ | 얘 (yae) | yae, a rare glide that sounds close to ye | right of the consonant | 4 |
| ㅓ | 어 (eo) | eo, as in the u of sun | right of the consonant | 2 |
| ㅔ | 에 (e) | e, as in egg | right of the consonant | 3 |
| ㅕ | 여 (yeo) | yeo, like yu in young | right of the consonant | 3 |
| ㅖ | 예 (ye) | ye, as in yes | right of the consonant | 4 |
| ㅗ | 오 (o) | o, as in oh | below the consonant | 2 |
| ㅘ | 와 (wa) | wa, as in water | right and below | 4 |
| ㅙ | 왜 (wae) | wae, like the we in wet | right and below | 5 |
| ㅚ | 외 (oe) | we, as in wet | right and below | 3 |
| ㅛ | 요 (yo) | yo, as in yo-yo | below the consonant | 3 |
| ㅜ | 우 (u) | oo, as in moon | below the consonant | 2 |
| ㅝ | 워 (wo) | wo, as in won | right and below | 4 |
| ㅞ | 웨 (we) | we, as in wet | right and below | 5 |
| ㅟ | 위 (wi) | wi, as in we | right and below | 3 |
| ㅠ | 유 (yu) | yu, as in you | below the consonant | 3 |
| ㅡ | 으 (eu) | eu, with spread, flat lips | below the consonant | 1 |
| ㅢ | 의 (ui) | ui, from eu sliding to ee | right and below | 2 |
| ㅣ | 이 (i) | ee, as in bee | right of the consonant | 1 |
The table lists every vowel with its name, its sound, the way it sits in a block and its stroke count.
Free printable worksheet sets for the vowels
One tracing worksheet for each of the 21 vowels. Pick one, flip through it, then download the PDF for your paper size.
The 10 basic Korean vowels
Their shapes came from three building blocks: a dot for the sky, a flat line for the earth and a standing line for a person.
Vertical and horizontal vowels
Korean compound vowels and diphthongs
| Vowel | Made of | Name | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|---|
| ㅐ | ㅏ + ㅣ | 애 | ae, between the a of bad and the e of bed |
| ㅒ | ㅑ + ㅣ | 얘 | yae, a rare glide that sounds close to ye |
| ㅔ | ㅓ + ㅣ | 에 | e, as in egg |
| ㅖ | ㅕ + ㅣ | 예 | ye, as in yes |
| ㅘ | ㅗ + ㅏ | 와 | wa, as in water |
| ㅙ | ㅗ + ㅐ | 왜 | wae, like the we in wet |
| ㅚ | ㅗ + ㅣ | 외 | we, as in wet |
| ㅝ | ㅜ + ㅓ | 워 | wo, as in won |
| ㅞ | ㅜ + ㅔ | 웨 | we, as in wet |
| ㅟ | ㅜ + ㅣ | 위 | wi, as in we |
| ㅢ | ㅡ + ㅣ | 의 | ui, from eu sliding to ee |
Eleven vowels are made by writing two vowels together. Most of them glide from the first sound to the second, which is why they are often called diphthongs.
ㅐ and ㅔ: two vowels that sound alike
ㅐ and ㅔ were once different sounds, but in modern speech most speakers say them almost the same. Listening for the difference is rarely necessary, but you still need to spell them correctly: 개 (dog) is written with ㅐ and 게 (crab) with ㅔ.
A quick way to tell them apart in writing is to remember a few common words and let the spelling come from them.
Korean vowel pronunciation
Korean vowels are steadier than English vowels. Hold the shape of your mouth still while you say them, and avoid sliding into the second sound unless the letter has a glide.
The vowel ㅡ is the one English speakers find hardest: spread the lips flat, keep the jaw nearly closed and say a short “eu”.
Writing a vowel on its own
Vowel pairs that are easy to mix up
Mirror-image vowels differ only by the side the short stroke points to. In ㅏ the short line points right and in ㅓ it points left, so 가 (ga) and 거 (geo) look alike but sound different. In ㅗ the short line points up and in ㅜ it points down, which is the whole difference between 고 (go) and 구 (gu).
Two more vowels differ by the direction of the main line: ㅡ lies flat while ㅣ stands upright, as in 그 (geu) and 기 (gi). The double-stroke vowels ㅑ, ㅕ, ㅛ and ㅠ add a second short line and a y glide in front of the same sound, so 야 (ya) is 아 (a) with a quick y.
The compound vowels are combinations: ㅘ is ㅗ + ㅏ, ㅝ is ㅜ + ㅓ and ㅟ is ㅜ + ㅣ, and each is read as a quick slide from the first part to the second, so 와 (wa) is oh and ah said as one sound.
Say each pair slowly in front of a mirror: ㅗ and ㅜ round the lips, while ㅏ and ㅓ keep them relaxed and the mouth open.
Try it in the syllable builder
Try it yourself
Build a block with ㅇ and ㅏ and see how it is read. Open the syllable builder with ㅇ and ㅏ ready
Korean vowels FAQ
How to pronounce Korean vowels?
Keep your mouth still while you say each vowel and give it one clear sound: ㅏ as in father, ㅗ as in oh, ㅜ as in moon. The compound vowels start with the first part and glide into the second.
Where can I find the Korean vowel chart?
The chart at the top of this page lists all 21 vowels with their names, sounds, position in a block and stroke counts, and every row links to a letter page.
What are the basic Korean vowels?
The ten basic Korean vowels are ㅏ, ㅑ, ㅓ, ㅕ, ㅗ, ㅛ, ㅜ, ㅠ, ㅡ and ㅣ. Everything else is made by combining them.
What are the Korean vowel sounds?
Each basic vowel has one main sound: a, ya, eo, yeo, o, yo, u, yu, eu and i. The compound vowels add glides, and the table above lists them all.
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