ㄱ

g / k

Since this can be both voiceless and voiced, foreigners may think of it as 'g' or 'k'. However, it is a bit less voiced than 'g', and less strong than 'k'.

k as in kiss, but relaxed

ㄴ

n

As in "nice".

ㄷ

d / t

Since this can be both voiceless and voiced, foreigners may think of it as 'd' or 't'. However, it is a bit less voiced than 'd', and less strong than 't'.

t as in tall, but relaxed

ㄹ

r / l

Koreans don't hear the difference between 'r' and 'l'. This symbol, depending on situation, can come out as either 'r' or 'l'.

ㅁ

m

As in "mother"

ㅂ

b / p

Since this can be both voiceless and voiced, foreigners may think of it as 'b' or 'p'. However, it is a bit less voiced than 'b', and less strong than 'p'.

p as in park, but relaxed

ㅅ

s

The sound is not as strong as the English 's', but close

ㅇ

none / ng

This symbol when appearing as the first consonant does not have any sound. It acts as a placeholder for aesthetic reasons.

ㅈ

j / ch

Since this can be both voiceless and voiced, foreigners may think of it as 'j' or 'ch'. However, it is a bit less voiced than 'j', and less strong than 'ch'.

ㅊ

ch

This is the real voiceless 'ch' sound

ㅋ

k

The is the real voiceless 'k' sound

ㅌ

t

This is the real voiceless 't' sound

ㅍ

p

This is the real voiceless 'p' sound

ㅎ

h

This is about as strong as the English 'h'. Definitely less strong than the German version

ㄲ

gg

The sound is stronger, voiced 'g'.

k as in skill, tense, tight, no aspiration

ㄸ

dd

The sound is stronger, voiced 'd'

t as in star, tense, tight, no aspiration

ㅃ

pp

p as in spa, tense, tight, no aspiration

ㅆ

ss

This is, maybe, slightly stronger than the English 's'

ㅉ

jj

this sound is stronger, voiced 'j'

tch as in matchmaker, tense, tight, no aspiration

ㅏ

a

as in father

ㅐ

ae

a as in bat

ㅑ

ya

as in yard

ㅒ

yae

ya as in yap or Yankie

ㅓ

ㅔ

e

as in bet

ㅕ

you

as in yonder or young

ㅖ

ye

as in yep

ㅗ

o

as in boy

ㅘ

wa

the first vowel sound of wide or wow

ㅙ

wae

wa of wax

ㅚ

wi

French oui

ㅛ

yo

as in yoga (push your lips out)

ㅜ

u

as in boot (push your lips out)

ㅝ

ㅞ

'wea' in 'weapon' Supposedly "heavier" sound than ㅙ, but sometimes they are hard to tell apart.

wa of wet (same as ㅟ)

ㅟ

we

as in wet

ㅠ

yu

as in you (push lips out)

ㅡ

u

u as in pull

c' in 'cream' without the 'k' sound. This is a bit tricky. This symbol is also used for those cosonants that appear by themselves in English (e.g., 't' in 'part'). Hangul cannot have just the consonants, so this vowel usually is added in those cases (트 in 파트)

ㅢ

ㅣ

i

ee as in feet