Korean Consonants Part 1 - ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄷ the First Sounds of Hangeul

sSee previous episodes 👉 What is Hangeul?

1. Consonants: The Foundations of Korean Sound 

In Korean, the alphabet begins with consonants—simple symbols that represent single sounds. There are 14 basic consonants in Hangeul, and they are used in nearly every syllable block you’ll read or write.

This lesson will cover the first three

• ㄱ (giyeok)
• ㄴ (nieun)
• ㄷ (digeut)

Even with just these three, you can begin reading basic words, forming sounds, and understanding how Korean syllables are built. Let’s begin with ㄱ.

2. ㄱ — Giyeok (like “g” or “k”) 

📌 Shape & Meaning

ㄱ looks like an angled corner or a bent arm. It was designed to represent the back of the tongue touching the soft palate, as in sounds like “g” and “k”.

🗣️ Pronunciation

ㄱ is somewhere between G (as in “go”) and K (as in “kite”).

It sounds more like a soft “g” when placed at the beginning of a word, and more like a “k” when at the end.

• Example (initial): 가다 (ga-da) – to go 
• Example (final): 국 (guk) – soup 

💡 Tip

There is no exact English equivalent. Try saying “go” gently without voicing too much air. That’s close to how ㄱ works in Korean.

3. ㄴ — Nieun (like “n”)

📌 Shape & Meaning

ㄴ looks like an “L” shape and symbolizes the tongue touching the upper gums, just like the sound “n”.

🗣️ Pronunciation

This consonant is straightforward—it’s almost identical to the English “n” in words like “no” or “nice”.

• Example: 나무 (na-mu) – tree 
• Example: 눈 (nun) – snow or eye (context changes meaning) 

🔍 Cultural Note

The word 눈 (nun) shows how one spelling can mean multiple things in Korean depending on context and pronunciation. Mastering consonants like ㄴ helps you recognize this quickly.

4. ㄷ — Digeut (like “d” or soft “t”) 

📌 Shape & Meaning

ㄷ is shaped like a square without the bottom. It represents the tongue touching the front of the mouth, just like the English “d” or “t”.

🗣️ Pronunciation

• Sounds like a soft “d” when used at the beginning of a word.
• Sounds like a soft “t” when used as the final consonant.

• Example (initial): 다리 (da-ri) – leg / bridge 
• Example (final): 곧 (got) – soon 

⚠️ Common Mistake

Many learners pronounce ㄷ too strongly, like the English “t” in “top.” In Korean, ㄷ is softer—more like a muted “d”.

5. Combining Consonants with Vowels 

Now that you’ve met ㄱ, ㄴ, and ㄷ, it’s time to pair them with vowels. Korean syllables are created by combining one consonant + one vowel, and sometimes a final consonant.

Examples with ㅏ (a):

• 가 (ga)
• 나 (na)
• 다 (da)

With just these three consonants and one vowel, you’ve already got three valid Korean syllables!

Try more combinations

• 구, 누, 두 (gu, nu, du)
• 기, 니, 디 (gi, ni, di)

6. Visual Summary Table

In this early stage of learning, instead of a table, let’s describe the key properties of these consonants clearly

• Giyeok (ㄱ) makes a sound between “g” and “k”, depending on where it is in a syllable.
• Nieun (ㄴ) is consistent and soft, like the English “n”.
• Digeut (ㄷ) varies between “d” and “t” depending on position, but always softer than in English.

7. Practice Time! Try Reading These Words 

Now let’s practice with real Korean words using these three consonants.

1. 가구 (ga-gu) – furniture 
2. 나다 (na-da) – to appear / happen 
3. 누나 (nu-na) – older sister (used by males) 
4. 기다 (gi-da) – to wait
5. 고기 (go-gi) – meat
6. 단어 (da-neo) – vocabulary word 
7. 눈물 (nun-mul) – tear
8. 달 (dal) – moon
9. 국가 (guk-ga) – nation

Don’t worry if you don’t understand the meanings yet. The goal is to recognize the shapes, sounds, and combinations.

8. Pronunciation Drills (Repeat After Me) 

Let’s try some pronunciation exercises to build confidence. Say these out loud

• 가 나 다
• 구 누 두
• 기 니 디
• 고기, 나무, 다리
• 단어, 눈, 곧

Listen to native audio (YouTube or app recommended) and mimic the sound. Focus on natural flow, not just individual letters.

9. Reflection: How Did It Feel?

Learning your first three consonants means you’ve already unlocked a major part of the Korean reading system.

You’re not just memorizing letters—you’re building a skill that will carry you through every future lesson.

Take a moment to reflect: 

• Can you recognize ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄷ at a glance?
• Are you able to distinguish their sounds?
• Do you feel more confident reading simple words?

If so, you’re on the right track. If not, review this lesson once more—repetition is part of mastery.

🔁 Quick Recap

• ㄱ: “g/k” sound, soft depending on position 
• ㄴ: “n” sound, consistent 
• ㄷ: “d/t” sound, soft and subtle 
• When paired with vowels, they form syllables like 가, 나, 다 
• With just three consonants, you can read dozens of real Korean words 

🧭 Coming Up Next

In Lesson 3, we’ll cover the next group of consonants

• ㄹ (rieul)
• ㅁ (mieum)
• ㅂ (bieup)

These letters introduce new tongue and lip movements—and a few surprises when it comes to pronunciation!