E in Korean: the Vowel ㅔ (에)

In dictionary order ㅔ (e) is vowel number 6 of 21, after ㅓ and before ㅕ. With 3 strokes, ㅔ (e) has the same stroke count as 7 other vowels, namely ㅐ, ㅑ, ㅕ, ㅚ, ㅛ, ㅟ, and ㅠ.

Spread the lips slightly and keep the mouth half open, as in the e of English 'bed'. In modern speech ㅔ and ㅐ are pronounced alike.

ㅔ (e) is a vertical vowel and sits to the right of the consonant: 세계 (world), 제일 (first). Alone it is 에, which is also a common particle meaning at or to.

Because ㅔ (e) stands tall, the consonant must squeeze to the left. In 게 (ge) the ㄱ (giyeok) is narrow and the vowel takes the right-hand side of the block.

On its own the sound ㅔ is written 에 (e), with a silent ㅇ (ieung) standing in for the missing consonant.

ㅔ takes three strokes in total.

Loanwords help here: 게임 (game) and 센터 (center) use ㅔ for English e. Read a few and trace them.

To tell ㅔ from ㅐ in writing, look at the short stroke: in ㅔ it points left, outside the two lines; in ㅐ it sits between them.

Learners often mix the spelling of 에 and 애. The place particle is always 에 (학교에, to school), never 애.

A word pair shows the contrast: 게 (crab) versus 개 (dog). In the case of ㅔ (e), in the first word the vowel is ㅔ (e), in the second it is ㅐ.

ㅔ is ㅓ and ㅣ (i) written together, and its name is 에. Its short stroke points left, as in ㅓ.

In 에어컨 (air conditioner), ㅔ sits in the first block 에, which is ㅇㅔ and is read e.

In 네 (yes), ㅔ sits in the first block 네, which is ㄴㅔ and is read ne.

In 세계 (world), ㅔ sits in the first block 세, which is ㅅㅔ and is read se.

In 메뉴 (menu), ㅔ sits in the first block 메, which is ㅁㅔ and is read me.

The first block of 테이블 (table) is 테, built as ㅌㅔ and read te; the vowel is ㅔ.

Put ㅔ (e) behind each basic consonant and the row starts 게 (ge), 네 (ne), 데 (de), and 레 (re); only the front of the block changes.

ㅔ (e) is easiest to hear by reading the whole row aloud, once for every opening position.

Add a final consonant to 에 (e) and the vowel stays put while the ending changes: 엑 (ek), 엔 (en), 엘 (el), 엠 (em), 엡 (ep), 엥 (eng).

The sound of ㅔ (e) is steady in every one of them; only the closing consonant changes the end of the block.

Close 에 with ㄱ and you read 엑 (ek), closing on a quiet k. Close 에 with ㄴ and you read 엔 (en), closing on a hummed n. Close 에 with ㄹ and you read 엘 (el), closing on a tongue-tip l.

Close 에 with ㅁ and you read 엠 (em), closing on a lip-closed m. Close 에 with ㅂ and you read 엡 (ep), closing on a lip-closed p. Close 에 with ㅇ and you read 엥 (eng), closing on the ng of song.

Continue with ㅕ (yeo). Compare ㅔ and ㅐ side by side on the vowel chart; trace ㅔ.

Print the ㅔ (e) worksheet when you are ready: one page, built from the facts above, with the strokes to trace and a letter-spotting game.