Basic Vowels · 기본 모음

3. Reading practice

Practice 1 — Single syllables

Read each syllable aloud. The romanization shows the sound, and the arrow shows the usual meaning or use.

아
a
→ the sound "ah", also "oh!" in surprise

야
ya
→ "hey!", used with close friends

어
eo
→ "uh", also "huh?"

여
yeo
→ the sound "yuh"

오
o
→ the number five

Notice that many single syllables are real words. Even one vowel with a silent ㅇ can carry meaning.

Practice 2 — Words with ㅏ and ㅣ

These words use only the vertical vowels you have seen so far, plus ㅇ.

아이
a-i
→ child

이
i
→ tooth

아야
a-ya
→ ouch

Read left to right, one syllable at a time. Each syllable gets about the same length, and the hyphen in the romanization shows where one syllable ends.

Practice 3 — Words with ㅗ and ㅜ

Now try the horizontal vowels. Look at where the stroke points before you read.

오이
o-i
→ cucumber

우유
u-yu
→ milk

여우
yeo-u
→ fox

우유 is a good test. The first syllable has ㅜ, and the second has the y-vowel ㅠ. If you can tell them apart, you understand the stroke logic.

Practice 4 — Minimal pairs

A minimal pair changes only one vowel. Say both words slowly and hear the difference.

아
a
→ ah

어
eo
→ uh

오
o
→ oh

우
u
→ oo

으
eu
→ flat "oo"

이
i
→ ee

Say the six sounds in a row, from the widest mouth to the narrowest. Your lips round for 오 and 우, and they stay flat for 으 and 이.