You’ve now learned the basic Korean vowels. In this final lesson of our Hangul vowel series, we will focus on pronunciation comparison. Some Korean vowels sound very similar, but if you practice carefully, you’ll learn to tell them apart.
ㅓ (eo) vs. ㅗ (o)
- ㅓ [eo]: Open your mouth naturally, lips relaxed. Similar to “uh” in sun.
- ㅗ [o]: Round your lips like a circle. Similar to “o” in go.
👉 Practice:
- 어 (eo, uh)
- 오 (o, oh)
- 오이 (oi, cucumber)
ㅡ (eu) vs. ㅜ (u)
- ㅡ [eu]: Keep lips flat, pulled back. Sound has no English equivalent.
- ㅜ [u]: Push lips forward and round them. Like “oo” in food.
👉 Practice:
- 으 (eu, uh sound)
- 우 (u, woo)
- 아우 (au, younger sibling / exclamation)
ㅗ (o) vs. ㅜ (u)
- ㅗ [o]: Lips are rounded but not pushed forward too much.
- ㅜ [u]: Lips are more rounded and pushed forward.
👉 Practice:
- 오 (o, oh)
- 우 (u, woo)
- 아이 (ai, child)
Writing Practice
When writing syllables with vowels:
- Always start with ㅇ if there is no consonant.
- Write the vowel in the correct stroke order (top to bottom, left to right).
✍ Examples:
- 어 = ㅇ + ㅓ
- 오 = ㅇ + ㅗ
- 으 = ㅇ + ㅡ
- 우 = ㅇ + ㅜ
Vocabulary Practice
Here are some beginner-friendly words with the vowels:
- 이 (i, this / tooth)
- 오이 (oi, cucumber)
- 아이 (ai, child)
- 아우 (au, younger sibling)
💡 Use flashcards with pictures to connect meaning, sound, and spelling.
Fun Practice Game: Word Making
- Prepare vowel cards (아, 어, 오, 우, 으, 이, 에, 애).
- A teacher or friend says a word.
- Players quickly combine the cards to make the word.
- The fastest or most accurate team scores points.
👉 Example words: 아이 (ai), 오이 (oi), 아 (a), 애 (ae).
Common Mistakes
- Mixing up ㅓ and ㅗ → Remember: ㅓ = lips relaxed, ㅗ = lips rounded.
- Confusing ㅡ and ㅜ → ㅡ = flat lips, ㅜ = rounded lips forward.
- Forgetting ㅇ when writing vowel-only syllables.
Key Takeaways
- Korean vowels may look and sound similar, but lip shape is the key difference.
- Practice by comparing pairs: ㅓ/ㅗ, ㅡ/ㅜ, ㅗ/ㅜ.
- Use listening, repetition, and writing drills to build confidence.
- Now you know all the basic Korean vowels! 🎉
What’s Next?
Congratulations—you’ve finished learning the Korean vowels! 🥳
In the next part of this series, we’ll start learning Korean consonants (자음). Consonants combine with vowels to form complete syllables, which is the foundation of reading and writing Korean.
Learn Basic Korean Vowels(1): A Beginner’s Guide to Hangul
Learn Korean Vowels (2) 아, 어, 오, 우: Pronunciation and Writing Guide
Learn Korean Vowels (3) ㅡ, ㅣ, ㅔ, ㅐ: Pronunciation and Writing Guide
Learn Korean Vowels (4) 으, 이, 에, 애: A Beginner’s Guide to Hangul