Hello! How have you been over the past week? You remember all the consonants and vowels I taught you before, right?
Today, I'll show you how to combine consonants with diphthongs Number of Consonants and Vowels in Korean
there are 19 consonants and 21 vowels
Consonants (19 total)
Basic consonants: (14)
ㄱ(g), ㄴ(n), ㄷ(d), ㄹ(r/L), ㅁ(m),ㅂ(b),ㅅ(s),ㅇ(ng),ㅈ(j), ㅊ(ch),ㅋ(k), ㅌ(t),ㅍ(p), ㅎ(h)
Tensed consonants:(5)
ㄲ(kk), ㄸ(dd), ㅃ(bb),ㅆ(ss), ㅉ(jj)
Vowels (21 total)
single vowels:(10)
ㅏ(aa), ㅑ(ya), ㅓ(eo), ㅕ(yeo), ㅗ (o), ㅛ (yo), ㅜ (u), ㅠ (yu),ㅡ (eu), ㅣ(i)
ㅏ - a (as in father)
ㅑ - ya (as in yacht)
ㅓ - eo (as in sun)
ㅕ - yeo (as in young)
ㅗ - o (as in go)
ㅛ - yo (as in yoga)
ㅜ - u (as in blue)
ㅠ - yu (as in you)
ㅡ - eu (as in put),(but with lipsunrounded)
ㅣ- i (as in see)
Diphthongs(11)
ㅐ(ae), ㅒ(yae), ㅔ(e), ㅖ(ye),ㅘ(wa), ㅙ(wae), ㅚ(oe), ㅝ(wo), ㅞ(we), ㅟ(wi), ㅢ(ui)
ㅐ - ae (as in care)
ㅒ - yae(like yeah but with a sharper start)
ㅔ - e (as in bed)
ㅖ - ye (as in yes)
ㅘ - wa (as in wand)
ㅙ - wae (as in way)
ㅚ - oe(similar to weigh)
ㅝ - wo (as in wonder)
ㅞ - we (as in wet)
ㅟ - wi (as in week)
ㅢ - ui (as in nui; starts with eu and glides to i)
Let's go through the process of combining the 14 consonants with the 11 diphthongs in Korean
Step 1: Identify Consonants and Diphthongs
Each consonant has its own name, but I will omit the names and just tell you what sounds they make
Consonants:(14)
1.ㄱ (g)
2.ㄴ (n)
3.ㄷ (d)
4.ㄹ (r/l)
5.ㅁ (m)
6.ㅂ (b)
7.ㅅ (s)
8.ㅇ (ng)
9.ㅈ (j)
10.ㅊ (ch)
11.ㅋ (k)
12.ㅌ (t)
13.ㅍ (p)
14.ㅎ (h)
Diphthongs:(11)
1.ㅐ (ae)
2.ㅒ (yae)
3.ㅔ (e)
4.ㅖ (ye)
5.ㅘ (wa)
6.ㅙ (wae)
7.ㅚ (oe)
8.ㅝ (wo)
9.ㅞ (we)
10.ㅟ (wi)
11.ㅢ (ui)
Step 2: Combine Each Consonant with Each Diphthong
In Korean, a consonant can be combined with a diphthong to form a syllable
The combination creates a specific sound,which is pronounced as a single syllable
Example Combinations
Let’s take the consonant ㄱ (g) and combine it with various diphthongs:
ㄱ + ㅐ = 개 (gae)
ㄱ + ㅔ = 게 (ge)
ㄱ + ㅘ = 과 (gwa)
ㄱ + ㅢ = 긔 (gui)
This process can be repeated for each of the 14 consonantswith each of the 11 diphthongs
Complete Examples
Here's how the combinations look for all consonants with the diphthong ㅐ (ae):
ㄱ + ㅐ = 개 (gae)
ㄴ + ㅐ = 내 (nae)
ㄷ + ㅐ = 대 (dae)
ㄹ + ㅐ = 래 (rae)
ㅁ + ㅐ = 매 (mae)
ㅂ + ㅐ = 배 (bae)
ㅅ + ㅐ = 새 (sae)
ㅇ + ㅐ = 애 (ae)
ㅈ + ㅐ = 재 (jae)
ㅊ + ㅐ = 채 (chae)
ㅋ + ㅐ = 캐 (kae)
ㅌ + ㅐ = 태 (tae)
ㅍ + ㅐ = 패 (pae)
ㅎ + ㅐ = 해 (hae)
By combining each consonant with each diphthong,you can create various sounds and syllables in Korean
This process helps in understanding pronunciation and forming words You can continue this for all diphthongs
with all consonants to master the sounds of the Korean language!
Now, try combining the other diphthongs on your own in this way
Next time, let’s learn about combining tensed consonants with vowels,as well as consonant-vowel-consonant combinations
Have a great week, and see you again next time!