Hangul

1. Consonants () Consonant chart

Plain [k] [n] [t] [ r / l ] [m] [p] [s] [zero / ng ] [ch] [h] dictionary order: [ch'] [cc] [p'] [pp] [ss] [t'] [tt] Aspirated [k'] tensed [kk]

(), , (), , , (), (), , (), , , , ,

Aspirated ones are with more puff of air than the plain ones. As for tensed ones, you add more stricture, but without puff of air, when letting out the sound. Tensed ones are difficult for beginners, and many students take long time to acquire the correct pronunciation. is similar to g as in god. is similar to k as in sky. is similar to k as in kill. is similar to d as in do. is similar to t as in stop. is similar to t as in two. is similar to tt as in butter (not [t] but a flap like a Spanish [r]), in a syllable initial position.

is similar to l as in filling, in a syllable final () position. is similar to b as in bad. is similar to p as in spy. is similar to p as in pool. is similar to s as in astronaut. is similar to s as in suit. is similar to j as in jail. is similar to tz as in pretzel. is similar to ch as in charge. is similar to h as in hat.

2. Vowels () Vowel Chart

Simple [a] Palatalized [ya] labiovelarized

 [ae] [o^] [e] [o] [u] [u^] [i]

[yae] [yo^] [ye] [yo] [yu] [wa] [wae] [wo^] [we] [oe] [ui] [u^i]

dictionary order:

(, ), , (, ), , (, , ), , (, , ), , (), is similar to "Ah". is similar to "yard". is similar to "cut". is similar to "just" or "Eliot". is similar to "order". is similar to " Yoda". is similar to " Ungaro". is similar to "you". is similar to "good" or "le chatau". is similar to "easy". is similar to "add". is similar to "yam". is similar to " editor". is similar to " yes". is similar to " Wow!" or "what". is similar to "wagon". is similar to "Koeln". is similar to " one". is similar to " weather". is similar to "we" or "Oui!". Traditional vowel classification:
Traditionally, vowels are classified into three categories, that is yang (bright), yin (dark), and neutral. This classification is very important, for it will be used when we learn conjugation of predicates and some phonological aspects of Korean. The classification also principles the vowelhamp3ony phenomena that Korean has as a member of Altaic language family. The classification is as follows: yang (bright) - and series (, , , , ) yin (dark) - and series (, , , , ) neutral --

and

3. How to make a character out of alphabet

Each character is designed to represent one syllable, the structure of which may be described as (C)V(C), where C stands for a consonant, and V does a vowel--(C) means that the consonant in the position is optional.

+ (CC) V initial consonant vowel final consonant (coda) Some vowels are placed on the right side of the initial consonant; some are placed underneath the initial consonant: Vowels , , (and their derivatives, i.e. , , ,) are placed on the right; and vowels , , are placed undersneath the initial consonant. Final consonants are always placed at the bottom. E.g) +

(C)

+
+ +

+ + +

= = = = = =

[kam] [kuk]

+ +
+ +

[na] [hwa] [ae] [ot] [kot] [kkot] [pat] [hu^(r)k] [o^p] [tto^(r)p]

+ + + + + + +

= = = = = = =

+ +
+

+
+ +

NB) Final consonant clusters: , , , , , , , , , , Except for , , , , , , (ones with placed befre another consonant), when followed by another consonant or nothing, the second consonant of the cluster becomes silent. This second consonant will come alive when there is a vowel after it. = kap "price" + = kap kwa "price and" + = kapsi "price (with a subject particle)" Final clusters with '+consonant' fomp3ation are pronounced with slight irregularity. As for , , , , , the foregoing liquid sound [] of the cluster is ignored when followed by another consonant or nothing. This comes alive when the cluster is followed by another vowel. However, Seoul speakers (and many other regions too) tend to throw in a touch of liquid sound for the even when the cluster is followed by a consonant or nothing. = sa(l)m "a living" + = sal mi "a living (with a subject particle)" In clusters and , however, [] is alive even when followed by another consosnant. + = kku^l k'o "boil and.."

Korean lessons: Lesson 3

Phonological notes 1. Syllable-final Consonants ():
1) Theoretically, any consonant can be in the (syllable final) position. In reality, , , and are not used as . 2) Some of the consonants merge into one sound when they are in the syllable-final position. Orthographically, however, they remain different. Summarized as follows: consonant endings , , , , , , sound [k] [n] [t] examples , , , , , , all pronounced as [ ]

[l] [m] [p] [ng]

, both pronounced as []

3) These merged sounds regain their original values when they are followed by a zero-initial syllable (i.e. vowel). (topic/subject marker) + = [ kagi] (place marker) + = [ puo^k`e] (temporal marker) + = [ naje] (place marker) + = [ nach`e] (top./sub. marker) + = [ ibi] (top./sub. maeker) + = [ ip`i]

2. Rules of Pronunciation 2.1. Liason ( carry-over)

1) A is carried over by the following syllable when the following syllable starts with a zero-initial. ex) [] [] [] [ ] [] [] 2) The second part of a double is carried over by the folowing syllable when the following syllable starts with a zero-syllable. ex) [] [] [] [] [] []

2.2. Nasalization
When a final (non-nasal) consonant is followed by a nasal initial (,), the non-nasal consonant absorbs the nasality, keeping its place of articulation. Remember, '' in the initial position is not a nasal consonant but a zero. , , , , , , / before or , ex) [] [] []

2.3. Aspiration

When [h] is adjacent, a consonant is influenced and aspirated. / before or after

 ex)

[] []

[] []

2.4. Palatalization

When or is followed by [i], a paplatalization occurs. [t] [ch] [t`] [ch`] / before ex) [] []

[]

2.5. Liquidation
ex) [] [] /before another

Korean lessons: Lesson 4

Base forms and Stems
In a language, we find three basic ways of describing facts: description of action, state, and identity. To describe an action, we use verbs. For example, in English, we say "I eat lunch," which describes the action ('eating') of the subject ('I'). To describe a state, we use adjectives. When we say, "I am tall," it describes the state ('being tall') of the subject ('I'). Describing an identity is relating one thing to another, characterizing the property of the subject. To say "I am a student" is characterizing a property of the subject ('I'), by identifying the subect as a student. When we talk about facts that happened in the past, or a something that will happen in the future, the story is not simple. In English, if the your action of eating had happened in the past, you need to use a different form of the verb, i.e., "I ate lunch." If you used to be quite tall for your age in the past, but it is not the case now, you have to say, "I was tall." For similar reasons, we say, "I was a student." In order to differentiate the mode of facts, such as tense, we make variation on the predicates--in other words, verbs, adjectives, and noun phrases, etc. This variation is called "conjugation." Like English, Korean also uses this conjugation of predicates. Therefore, in a verb predicate, for example, we see a part that is constant in all kinds of sentences, and the other part that changes according to the modes of facts. (Think of "push, pushes, pushed, pushing..." in English. "Push" is the constant, where "-es", "-ed", and "-ing" are alternating.) The constant part is called the 'stems'. The conjugation in Korean is made by attaching different suffixes to the stems.

 stem "to go/leave"

mid-polite suffix (present tense)

"", a lexical verb stem, is attached with a mid-polite suffix "", making a present-tense predicate. ("-" has more stories. We will learn them later.) Subjects can be omitted in many simple everyday-conversational sentences, as long as they are obvious by the context. ""thus can be used in the sense of "I go," "you go," or sometimes, "He goes," etc. With an intonation rising at the end ( ), it can be a question, "Do you go (Are you leaving?)" or "Shall we go?", etc. It can even be taken as an imperative sentence, "Go (Leave)!" A stem is a part of a verb predicate, not a whole word. When we list it in dictionaries, or refer to it as a word--just as when we say "to go" or "to eat" as words--, we add "" at the end of a stem. Thus, Stem + = Base Form + = (Base Form, "to go")

High-polite -
When addressing a senior (in terms of age or social ranking), a high-polite stle of speech is used. "-" is a typical suffix of this style. A simple "How are you?" is made as the following. stem "to be well" high-polite suffix (present tense)

"" is a stem, the base form of which is "". Apart from the politeness of the style, "-" can be used you use "", as in "You go (Please leave)" or "Do you go (Are you leaving)?", "He/She goes", or "Does he/she go", etc. However, you may not want to use it when the subject is you, the subject. For the added politeness by "--" is for the subject, not the addressee, whereas "-" is for the addressee, as it is used in the mid-polite style.

Practice

Using the given words, make different sentences as seen in the key. 1. [verbs] --- (to meet), (to sleep), (to buy), (to ride), (to dig) <Key> (to go): . ? ! . ? ! I/you go. He/she goes. Do you go? Does he/she go? Please go!

2. [adjectives] --- (to be expensive), (to be salty), (to be cold) <Key> (to be cheap) : . ? 3. '-' verbs and adjectives <Key> It's cheap. Is it cheap?

(adj.) (to be healthy) (verb) (to study), (to work)

(adj.) (to be well): (verb) (to do) :

? ? !

Are you well (How are you)?

Do you do (it)? Do (it)!

Korean lessons: Lesson 5 Nominal predicates : "--"

Sample Dialogues
By 'nominal predicate', we mean a predicate of a sentence that describes the subject by identifying it with another noun: "I am a student." For verbs and adjectives, we learned that there are base forms and stems. We thus get base forms, "" for "to go", and "" for "to be cheap", etc. Now, we are facing a new problem. If there is no such thing as the English verb "to be", how are we going to say such sentences as "I am a student"? Many languages lack the verb like "to be," which can be used both in nominal predicates and adjectival predicates. ("I am a student" and "I am tall".) In order to relate two nouns (i.e., the subject and the nominal complement), such languages use so-called 'copula'. In Korean, that copula is "-". "-" is of course the base form, which still has to be conjugated to be used in actual sentences. Hence, "" ("to be a student"); "" ("to be clouds"). True stories of the present-tense suffix - and - In Lesson 4, - and - were introduced. It was, however, not exactly everything that we should know about them. 1) Mid-polite suffix -/ Verbs and adjectives that we practiced with for - suffix in Lesson 4 have something in

common: they all have the stem ending in vowel ? without any patch'im followed ('', ' ', '', etc.) Those whose stems end otherwise, should take either - or -. The last vowel of the stem decides which of the two to take. Once again, the vowel harmony principle ('yang with yang; yin with yin') applies: If the stem has a yang vowel at the last syllable, use -; If the stem has a yin or neutral vowel at the last syllable, use -. (For yang/yin/neutral vowels, see Lesson 2.) : + - to be small "It's small." or "He/She is small."? : + - () to come "Come!" or "I come" or "He/She comes." [] : + - [] to be alright "It's OK." : + - () to give "Give (me, etc.)!" or "I give." : + - to eat "Eat!" or "I eat." or "He/She eats." [] : + - [] to read "Read!" or "I read." or "He/She reads." In fact, is a contraction [ + - () ], so are the others in Lesson 4. (NB) - verbs and adjectives are rather peculiar. For them, - is assumed instead of . This may sound quite overwhelming, but - words are in fact easier. All the - stems with no exception appear as -.

to work to study to be nice (person)

2) High-polite suffix -() Although not so complicated as -/, this suffix also has its own rules: If the stem ends without a patch'im, use -; If the stem ends with a patch'im, use -. : + to laugh : + : + : + ""

[]

Finally, we arrive the detail structure of ". XXX(name)." Since personal names are the same as nouns, we use the nominal-predicate copula, -. In order to make it into a real sentence, we need to add either - or - in place of the base-form making - after --. For is a neutral vowel, - is added. - had gone through a certain phonological change in modern Seoul speakers' speech, and ended in -.

 + - "I am Oh Young Kyun." Similarly, : "I am / You are a student" or "He/She is a student" : "It's a train." There are two forms to spell this -: - and -. As far as we are concerned, just - suffice. Practice 1. Using the following words, make sentences with -/ and -() conjugation. Please give at least one possible translation for each sentence. Also, mark each word whether it is a verb (V) or an adjective (A). <Key> "to be good" (A) . ? . ? "to work" (V) . ? . ? "It is good." "Is it good?" "He/She is good." "Is he/she good?" "I work." "Do you work?" "He/she works." "Is he/she working?"

<Words> [] (to be hated) (to wear, put on) (to see) (to be small) (to buy) (to be expensive) (to read) (to be OK) (to be comfortable) [] (to be cold) (to be many/much) (to laugh) [] (to be healthy) (to study) 2. Using the following nouns, make dialogues. (And translate them.) <Key> : a duck <Nouns> (tree); (pants) (banana)

A-? Is that a duck?

B- , . Yes, it is a duck.

(baby) (butterfly) (star)

(hat) (car) (bear)

Korean lessons: Lesson 6

Subject marker: -/ As mentioned in Lesson 1, Korean is an agglutinating language. It means that Korean uses little grammatical devices attached to words to specify their roles in a sentence. English is not an agglutinating language, employing rather a fixed word order and prepositions in order to specify the role of each part. A subject of a sentence is the agent (doer) of the action described by the sentence. Assuming that a state of being can also be treated as an action, a subject can take any kind of predicate, i.e., a verbal, an adjectival, or a nominal predicate. Think of "S goes," "S is bad," and "S is a man." In each case, S is the subject. To mark this subject, Korean attaches either or to it. - is used when the subject word ends without a final consonant (patch'im), whereas - is for those ending without a final consonant. Only nouns can be subjects in Korean, such is the case in English. In other words, when you see a part of a sentence attached with - or -, you will know that it must be a noun. However, you might hear sometimes people say sentences without using subject markers / for subjects. It is because the sentences were simple and a conversational reality is presumed. For these sentences, subject markers can be replaced by a short pause. In sentences the structure of which is complex, or in written forms, the markers should be specified.

Finally, we get a sentence meaning, "The embassy is far." Now, let's look at some more examples. subject predicate . . . . . These pants are comfortable. The train is coming. The teacher is laughing. That (over there) is a school. This is a bear.

<practice> Use the following pairs of words to make sentences in mid-poite style. Don't forget to use subject markers, and to translate each sentence, as given in the above examples. subject predicate (this person) (friend) 1. (rose) (to be expensive) 2. (water) (to be cold) 3. (tree) (to be good) 4. (that person) (to be healthy) 5. (money) (to be many/much) 6. (baby) 7. (this [thing]) (hat; cap) 8. (here; this place) 9. (to be small) 10. (studying) (to be dislikable) 11. (car) (to come) 12. (to work) 13. (home) (where) 14. (who) 15. (book) (to be cheap) 16. (America) 17. (this computer) (to be okay) 18. (a younger sibling) (to sleep) 19. (homework) 20.