So you’ve learnt the alphabet!

(If you haven’t learnt the basic consonants and vowels yet check out the first chapter here)

Now it’s time to master pronunciation of the compounded vowels!

Below is a guide of the letters and their pronunciation. 

Like before make sure to have:

A work book

A pen or pencil

Now that you have those two items lets get straight into it!

Korean Compound Vowel Pronunciation Grid

Hangul	Sound	Pronunciation Guide	Example Sound
와	wa	wa	water
왜	wae	we	wedding
외	oe	we	wedding
워	wo	wuh	wonder
웨	we	we	wedding
위	wi	wee	week
의	ui	ui / ee / eh	see / eh
애	ae	eh	bed
에	e	eh	bed
얘	yae	yeh	yeah
예	ye	yeh	yes

Visual Sound Pattern Grid (Most Helpful for Beginners)

This shows the pattern clearly:

	ㅏ (a)	ㅓ (eo)	ㅐ / ㅔ (ae / e)	ㅣ (i)
ㅗ (o)	와 (wa)	워 (wo)	왜 / 외 (we)	위 (wi)
ㅜ (u)	—	—	웨 (we)	—
ㅡ (eu)	—	—	—	의 (ui)

Simple Blog Explanation Version

Think of it like this:

• Add W sound to vowels:
  
  • 와 = wa
    
  • 워 = wo
    
  • 왜 / 외 / 웨 = we
    
  • 위 = wi
    
• 의 is special:
  
  • ui (start of word)
    
  • ee (middle)
    
  • eh (possession)

Quick Practice Grid

Hangul	Say it out loud
와	wa
왜	we
외	we
워	wo
웨	we
위	wee
의	ui

Feel free to practice this pronunciation as many times as you need. Writing down the letters as you are pronouncing them is the best way to memorise. 

In the next chapter we will be learning the most important phrases to know for your trip in Korea!