Hangul in a nutshellLanguage
How Hangeul letters stack into blocks
Hangeul letters are not written in a line. They are grouped into syllable blocks of an initial consonant, a vowel and an optional final consonant.
24 basic letters19 initial · 21 medial · 27 finalSilent ㅇUpdated Oct 20, 2026
Study Hangeul
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Korean keyboard stickers (Softamm, 5-in-1)
Stickers that put Hangeul on your keyboard so you can type Korean words.
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Official product image
Korean Alphabet Hangul Flashcards (CARDDIA)
Flashcards for the Hangeul letters, handy for learning how letters form blocks.
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Hangeul Master (TTMIK Books)
A beginner book for learning to read and write Hangeul.
The letters
The National Institute of Korean Language lists 24 basic consonant and vowel letters and 16 compound letters. In the spelling system there are 19 initial consonants, 21 medial vowels and 27 final consonants.
Making a block
Each syllable has an initial sound and a medial sound, and a final consonant is optional. For example 꿀벌 (kkul-beol, “bee”) is two blocks, not a string of single letters.
The silent ㅇ
When a syllable begins with a vowel, a ㅇ fills the initial position and makes no sound. In 우유 (uyu, “milk”) two ㅇ letters hold the initial places.