Compound Vowels · 이중 모음

2. How it works

2.1 Two vowels in one

A compound vowel is two basic vowels written together. You read them quickly as one sound. The first vowel is short and the second one carries the sound.

ㅗ + ㅏ = ㅘ   wa
ㅜ + ㅓ = ㅝ   wo
ㅡ + ㅣ = ㅢ   ui

There are three small groups. The ㅐ and ㅔ family, the w-vowels, and ㅢ.

2.2 The ㅐ and ㅔ family

ㅐ is ㅏ + ㅣ, and ㅔ is ㅓ + ㅣ. Today they sound almost the same, like the "e" in "bed". Most Koreans do not hear a difference when they speak.

ㅐ  ae    개  gae   dog
ㅔ  e     게  ge    crab

Adding a y-sound gives ㅒ yae and ㅖ ye. They are rare, and ㅖ is the common one. In 세계, the ㅖ is read "ye".

2.3 The w-vowels from ㅗ

When ㅗ comes first, you get a "w" sound. Think of ㅗ as a quick "oo" before the next vowel.

ㅗ + ㅏ = ㅘ   wa    사과 sa-gwa
ㅗ + ㅐ = ㅙ   wae   왜 wae
ㅗ + ㅣ = ㅚ   oe    회사 hoe-sa

ㅚ is written "oe", but today it sounds like "we". ㅙ and ㅚ and ㅞ are all close to "we". You can read them the same way at first.

2.4 The w-vowels from ㅜ

When ㅜ comes first, you also get a "w" sound. Here the second vowel is ㅓ, ㅔ or ㅣ.

ㅜ + ㅓ = ㅝ   wo    원 won
ㅜ + ㅔ = ㅞ   we    웨이터 we-i-teo
ㅜ + ㅣ = ㅟ   wi    귀 gwi

The vowel ㅝ is like "wo" in "wonder". ㅟ is "wi" as in "we" said with a short, tight "i".

2.5 The special vowel ㅢ

ㅢ is ㅡ + ㅣ. Say ㅡ and quickly slide to ㅣ. It has three readings, which depend on the position.

Start of a word      의사  ui-sa    doctor
After a consonant    희망  hi-mang  hope
Particle "of"        나의  na-e    my

After a consonant, ㅢ is just "i", so 희 is "hi". The particle 의 meaning "of" is often read "e".

2.6 All 11 at a glance

Remember: ㅙ ㅚ ㅞ all sound like "we". Do not worry about the spelling difference for now.