Unit 19 · ㅐ, ㅔ, ㅒ and ㅖ · Read

ㅐ, ㅔ, ㅒ and ㅖ

Read ae, e and their y partners.

Meet the letters

Tap a card and listen. Try saying it too.

ㅐIn 애
i

ae. Often pronounced like ㅔ in modern standard speech.

ㅔIn 에
i

e. Often merges with ㅐ; still learn the distinct spelling.

ㅒIn 얘
i

yae. A y glide with ㅐ.

ㅖIn 예
i

ye. A y glide with ㅔ; pronunciation varies in some consonant contexts.

Build a syllable

A quick first step: fit the new letters into a block. Next, find syllables in words and practise reading, listening and writing.

1 · Start2 · Vowel
ㅇㅐ
애
ㅇ + ㅐ
1 · Start2 · Vowel
ㅇㅔ
에
ㅇ + ㅔ
1 · Start2 · Vowel
ㅇㅒ
얘
ㅇ + ㅒ
1 · Start2 · Vowel
ㅇㅖ
예
ㅇ + ㅖ

Words to read

dog

개

doggae
yes

네

yesne
this child (casual)

얘

this child (casual)yae
clock

시계

clocksigye
Reading tips

ㅐ · ae · Often pronounced like ㅔ in modern standard speech.

ㅔ · e · Often merges with ㅐ; still learn the distinct spelling.

ㅒ · yae · A y glide with ㅐ.

ㅖ · ye · A y glide with ㅔ; pronunciation varies in some consonant contexts.

Many speakers pronounce ae and e alike. Look at the letters to learn these spellings.

Read dog, yes, this child and clock. Match the written syllables; the listening choices never pit merged spellings against each other.

Reading practice

First, place the new letters

Copy this block using its start, vowel and any ending.

애
1 · Start2 · Vowel
12
□
Start → vowel

First, place the new letters

Copy this block using its start, vowel and any ending.

에
1 · Start2 · Vowel
12
□
Start → vowel

First, place the new letters

Copy this block using its start, vowel and any ending.

얘
1 · Start2 · Vowel
12
□
Start → vowel

First, place the new letters

Copy this block using its start, vowel and any ending.

예
1 · Start2 · Vowel
12
□
Start → vowel

Find the syllable in its word

Match each syllable to the highlighted part of a word.

Hear the whole word

Listen. Find its printed word.

Read without a sound hint

Read the words. Match their pictures.

Sound to spelling

Listen. Choose the word you studied.

Spelling to sound

Read the word. Choose its sound.

네

Sound to spelling

Listen. Choose the word you studied.

Spelling to sound

Read the word. Choose its sound.

시계

Write the word

Look and listen. Write the word with consonants and vowels.

dog

Write the word

Look and listen. Write the word with consonants and vowels.

yes

Write the word

Look and listen. Write the word with consonants and vowels.

this child (casual)

Write the word

Look and listen. Write the word with consonants and vowels.

clock

Finish practice to save this unit.

You can read and write this

Read ae, e and their y partners.

Next unit
dog

개

dog
yes

네

yes
this child (casual)

얘

this child (casual)
clock

시계

clock
Use a Korean keyboard

The on-screen keys use consonant and vowel elements and join them into ordinary written words.

For your own typing, enable a Korean two-set keyboard on your device. Enter the start, vowel and optional final consonant in order.

All letters

ㅇIn 아
i

silent initially / ng finally. A syllable needs an initial consonant position. ㅇ fills it silently before a vowel; at the bottom of 강, it is ng.

ㅏIn 아
i

a. An open a. With a vertical vowel, the initial consonant sits on the left.

ㅣIn 이
i

i. A clear ee vowel.

ㅗIn 오
i

o. A rounded o. A horizontal vowel goes underneath the initial consonant.

ㅜIn 우
i

u. A rounded oo vowel.

ㅠIn 유
i

yu. A y glide plus ㅜ.

ㄴIn 나
i

n. Tongue at the ridge behind the upper teeth.

ㅁIn 마
i

m. Close the lips.

ㄷIn 다
i

d/t (lax). Another lax stop; listen to its position in words.

ㅅIn 사
i

s. Before 이 it is commonly nearer sh.

ㅓIn 어
i

eo / ʌ. An open unrounded vowel; not a sequence e + o.

ㅡIn 으
i

eu / ɯ. A high unrounded vowel; not oo. Keep the lips unrounded.

ㄹIn 라
i

r/l. Often a short tap between vowels and l at the end of a syllable.

ㅂIn 바
i

b/p (lax). A lax lip stop; voicing varies with position.

ㄱIn 가
i

g/k (lax). A Korean lax stop. Its voicing depends on position; it is not simply an English g everywhere.

ㅋIn 카
i

kʰ (airy). A stronger puff of air than lax ㄱ.

ㄲIn 까
i

kk (tense). Firm tense articulation; not two separately spoken k syllables.

ㅑIn 야
i

ya. The extra stroke adds a y glide.

ㅕIn 여
i

yeo. A y glide plus ㅓ.

ㅛIn 요
i

yo. A y glide plus ㅗ.

ㅌIn 타
i

tʰ (airy). A puff of air; not English th.

ㄸIn 따
i

tt (tense). Firm articulation; no separate extra syllable.

ㅍIn 파
i

pʰ (airy). A puff of air after the lips open.

ㅃIn 빠
i

pp (tense). Firm lip closure.

ㅆIn 싸
i

ss (tense). A tense s; compare ㅅ.

ㅈIn 자
i

j/ch (lax). A lax joined consonant; listen rather than substituting one English sound.

ㅊIn 차
i

chʰ (airy). An airy joined consonant.

ㅉIn 짜
i

jj (tense). A tense joined consonant.

ㅎIn 하
i

h. An h sound; it can interact with following consonants.

ㅐIn 애
i

ae. Often pronounced like ㅔ in modern standard speech.

ㅔIn 에
i

e. Often merges with ㅐ; still learn the distinct spelling.

ㅒIn 얘
i

yae. A y glide with ㅐ.

ㅖIn 예
i

ye. A y glide with ㅔ; pronunciation varies in some consonant contexts.

ㅘIn 와
i

wa. ㅗ plus ㅏ in one syllable.

ㅝIn 워
i

wo. ㅜ plus ㅓ.

ㅟIn 위
i

wi. ㅜ plus ㅣ.

ㅙIn 왜
i

wae. ㅗ plus ㅐ.

ㅚIn 외
i

oe / we. Commonly pronounced like we in contemporary speech.

ㅞIn 웨
i

we. ㅜ plus ㅔ.

ㅢIn 의
i

ui. Often eu + i initially. In common positions and in the possessive particle, pronunciation can change; listen to 의사 and the course phrases.