In the last part of our diphthong series, we will learn ㅚ (oe), ㅟ (wi), and ㅢ (ui). These vowels can be confusing because their spelling and pronunciation sometimes differ. By practicing carefully, you will be able to use them correctly.
Step 1: Learning ㅚ (oe)
- Formation: ㅚ = ㅗ (o) + ㅣ (i)
- Pronunciation: Historically pronounced “oi,” but in modern Korean, it is usually pronounced like “we” or simply “e.”
- Examples:
- 외국 (oeguk/we-guk) – foreign country
- 죄 (joe/je) – sin, crime
👉 Note: ㅚ often sounds very close to 왜 (wae) and 웨 (we). For beginners, it’s okay to treat them as similar.
Step 2: Learning ㅟ (wi)
- Formation: ㅟ = ㅜ (u) + ㅣ (i)
- Pronunciation: Short “oo” plus “ee” → “wi.”
- Examples:
- 귀 (gwi) – ear
- 쥐 (jwi) – mouse
👉 Be careful not to pronounce it like English “we.” The Korean sound is tighter and smoother.
Step 3: Learning ㅢ (ui)
- Formation: ㅢ = ㅡ (eu) + ㅣ (i)
- Pronunciation: This is the trickiest diphthong in Korean. It changes depending on its position:
- At the beginning of a word: pronounced [ɰi] (ui) → 의사 (uisa) – doctor
- After a consonant: often pronounced [i] → 희미 (himi), 무늬 (muni)
- As a possessive particle (의): usually pronounced [e] → 나의 (nae) → [네]
- Examples:
- 의자 (uija) – chair
- 의미 (uimi) – meaning
Writing Practice
- Practice writing 외, 위, 의 several times while saying them out loud.
- Example: 외국 / 귀 / 의자
Vocabulary Practice
Say each word three times:
- 뇌 (noe) – brain
- 회사 (hoesa) – company
- 귀 (gwi) – ear
- 쥐 (jwi) – mouse
- 의사 (uisa) – doctor
- 의미 (uimi) – meaning
Activity: Newspaper Hunt
- Print a short Korean newspaper article.
- Students work in pairs to underline all diphthongs (외, 위, 의).
- The team that finds the most words wins.
👉 This activity strengthens reading skills and helps learners notice diphthongs in real-life materials.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing ㅚ, ㅙ, and ㅞ – they are often pronounced the same.
- Forgetting that ㅢ changes sound depending on position.
- Saying “wi” like English “we” instead of the Korean version.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You have completed the full Korean diphthong series (이중 모음).
From ㅑ to ㅢ, you have now learned all the combined vowels in Hangul. This knowledge will make your Korean reading smoother and your pronunciation more natural. Keep practicing every day, and soon these sounds will become second nature.