Lesson 006 — Basic Korean Consonants Part 1: ㄱ ㄴ ㄷ ㄹ ㅁ ㅂ ㅅ
Your first Korean consonants are not just shapes — they are letters you can name, recognize, and combine with vowels to read real blocks.
Beyond K Class · Learn Korean from Zero to Practical Korean · Hangul Foundation
⏱ 11 min read · 22 min practice · Updated May 31, 2026
Course: Learn Korean from Zero to Practical Korean
Lesson: 006 — Basic Korean Consonants Part 1: ㄱ ㄴ ㄷ ㄹ ㅁ ㅂ ㅅ
Module: Hangul Foundation
Level: Absolute beginner
Focus: First seven basic Korean consonants, their names, and simple example blocks
Listening support: Three audio clips for consonant names and example blocks
Today’s practice result: You can recognize ㄱ ㄴ ㄷ ㄹ ㅁ ㅂ ㅅ and read 가 나 다 라 마 바 사
Saved task: Write a seven-line consonant card: letter, name, sound, and example block
In the last lesson, you learned the ten basic Korean vowel sound blocks: 아 야 어 여 오 요 우 유 으 이. Those blocks used silent ㅇ at the beginning because they started with vowel sounds.
Now you will start learning consonants. In Korean, consonants are not just sounds. Each consonant also has a Korean name, just like the English letter B has a name and also represents a sound.
Today’s goal is simple: learn the first seven consonants, say their names slowly, and use them with ㅏ to read your first clean consonant-vowel blocks.
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to look at ㄱ ㄴ ㄷ ㄹ ㅁ ㅂ ㅅ, say their Korean names, understand their beginner-friendly sound guides, and read the example blocks 가 나 다 라 마 바 사.
• Recognize the first seven basic Korean consonants: ㄱ ㄴ ㄷ ㄹ ㅁ ㅂ ㅅ
• Say their Korean names: 기역, 니은, 디귿, 리을, 미음, 비읍, 시옷
• Understand simple beginner sound guides like g/k-like, n, and m
• Read seven example blocks: 가 나 다 라 마 바 사
• Avoid the common mistake of treating romanization as exact English spelling
R1. In Lesson 005, what did the beginning ㅇ do in blocks like 아 and 오?
Show answer
It worked as a silent placeholder. Korean blocks need a beginning position, so silent ㅇ fills that space when the block starts with a vowel sound.
R2. Which vowel letter appears in the block 아?
Show answer
The vowel letter is ㅏ. The complete sound block is 아.
R3. Is romanization the real goal of this course?
Show answer
No. Romanization is only temporary support. The real goal is to recognize and read Hangul directly.
This lesson teaches the first seven Korean consonants as real letters with names, sounds, and example blocks.
Do not try to memorize every pronunciation rule today. First, look at each consonant, say its Korean name, then read the example block with ㅏ. Your job today is recognition and first reading, not perfect native-like pronunciation.
▲ Lesson 006 introduces the first seven basic Korean consonants and their example blocks.
1. Why Korean consonant names matter
A consonant letter has a name and a sound. These are related, but they are not the same thing.
Letter: ㄱ
Korean name: 기역
Name pronunciation: giyeok / gi-yeok
Basic sound guide: g/k-like
Example block: ㄱ + ㅏ = 가
This matters because Korean learners often ask, “How do I pronounce ㄱ?” But there are two questions inside that one question:
→ ㄱ is called 기역.
Question 2: What sound does it usually make in a block?
→ In a simple beginner block like 가, it has a g/k-like sound.
Korean consonant sounds can shift depending on position and surrounding sounds. In this lesson, learn only the basic sound. More detailed pronunciation rules will come later.
2. The seven consonants: ㄱ ㄴ ㄷ ㄹ ㅁ ㅂ ㅅ
Here are the first seven consonants for this lesson. You may already recognize the example blocks from earlier reading practice, but today they have a new purpose: consonant identity and consonant names.
| Letter | Korean name | Name pronunciation | Basic sound guide | Example block |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ㄱ | 기역 | giyeok / gi-yeok | g/k-like | 가 |
| ㄴ | 니은 | nieun / ni-eun | n | 나 |
| ㄷ | 디귿 | digeut / di-geut | d/t-like | 다 |
| ㄹ | 리을 | rieul / ri-eul | r/l-like | 라 |
| ㅁ | 미음 | mieum / mi-eum | m | 마 |
| ㅂ | 비읍 | bieup / bi-eup | b/p-like | 바 |
| ㅅ | 시옷 | siot / si-ot | s-like | 사 |
▲ Each Korean consonant has a letter shape, a Korean name, a basic sound guide, and an example block.
3. Learn each consonant one by one
Read each card slowly. First say the Korean name. Then read the example block.
ㄱ
Korean name: 기역
Name pronunciation: giyeok / gi-yeok
Basic sound: g/k-like
Example block: ㄱ + ㅏ = 가
Beginner note: In simple reading practice, think of 가 as a g/k-like start plus ㅏ.
ㄴ
Korean name: 니은
Name pronunciation: nieun / ni-eun
Basic sound: n
Example block: ㄴ + ㅏ = 나
Beginner note: This is one of the easier sounds for English speakers to recognize.
ㄷ
Korean name: 디귿
Name pronunciation: digeut / di-geut
Basic sound: d/t-like
Example block: ㄷ + ㅏ = 다
Beginner note: Do not force it to be exactly English d or exactly English t. Learn it as a Korean sound first.
ㄹ
Korean name: 리을
Name pronunciation: rieul / ri-eul
Basic sound: r/l-like
Example block: ㄹ + ㅏ = 라
Beginner note: Korean ㄹ is not exactly English r and not exactly English l. For now, recognize it as an r/l-like Korean sound.
ㅁ
Korean name: 미음
Name pronunciation: mieum / mi-eum
Basic sound: m
Example block: ㅁ + ㅏ = 마
Beginner note: This is also one of the easier consonants to hear and repeat.
ㅂ
Korean name: 비읍
Name pronunciation: bieup / bi-eup
Basic sound: b/p-like
Example block: ㅂ + ㅏ = 바
Beginner note: Do not lock it into one English letter. Korean ㅂ can feel closer to b or p depending on position and context.
ㅅ
Korean name: 시옷
Name pronunciation: siot / si-ot
Basic sound: s-like
Example block: ㅅ + ㅏ = 사
Beginner note: In 사, think of a simple s-like sound. More sound changes will come later.
4. Build blocks with ㅏ
You already saw the ㅏ vowel in earlier lessons. Today, we use it again for a new reason: to attach it to consonants and read simple blocks.
consonant + ㅏ = readable block
ㄱ + ㅏ = 가
ㄴ + ㅏ = 나
ㄷ + ㅏ = 다
ㄹ + ㅏ = 라
ㅁ + ㅏ = 마
ㅂ + ㅏ = 바
ㅅ + ㅏ = 사
Read the full line slowly:
You are not re-learning the ㅏ-row from zero. You are using familiar blocks for a new purpose: identifying the consonant inside each block.
5. Pronunciation Audio
Listen slowly first. Then repeat each item out loud. The goal is not speed — it is clean recognition and confident first pronunciation.
Korean: 기역 · 니은 · 디귿 · 리을 · 미음 · 비읍 · 시옷
Reading: giyeok · nieun · digeut · rieul · mieum · bieup · siot
Listening focus: Hear the Korean names of the first seven consonants.
Korean: 가 · 나 · 다 · 라
Reading: ga · na · da · ra
Listening focus: Hear the first four consonants combined with ㅏ.
Korean: 마 · 바 · 사 · 가 나 다 라 마 바 사
Reading: ma · ba · sa · ga na da ra ma ba sa
Listening focus: Hear the last three blocks, then the full Lesson 006 sequence.
6. Beginner sound cautions
Some Korean consonants do not map perfectly to English. This is normal. The beginner-friendly labels below are only support tools.
| Consonant | Beginner label | What to remember |
|---|---|---|
| ㄱ | g/k-like | Do not force one fixed English letter. |
| ㄷ | d/t-like | It can feel like something between English d and t for beginners. |
| ㄹ | r/l-like | It is a Korean ㄹ sound, not a perfect English r or l. |
| ㅂ | b/p-like | Learn the Korean sound first instead of chasing exact English spelling. |
Korean pronunciation has position-based changes, final consonant rules, and sound-combination rules. You will learn those step by step. Today, keep the goal smaller: recognize the consonant, say its name, and read the simple block.
7. Practice Drill
Try first. Then open the answer.
1. ㄱ = ?
Show answer
2. ㄹ = ?
Show answer
3. ㅂ = ?
Show answer
Combine each consonant with ㅏ.
1. ㄴ + ㅏ = ?
Show answer
2. ㄷ + ㅏ = ?
Show answer
3. ㅁ + ㅏ = ?
Show answer
4. ㅅ + ㅏ = ?
Show answer
8. Quick Check
Try answering first, then open each card to check your understanding.
Q1. What is the Korean name of ㄷ?
01 Show answer
ㄷ is called 디귿.
Q2. Which consonant is called 미음?
02 Show answer
ㅁ is called 미음.
Q3. What block do you get from ㄹ + ㅏ?
03 Show answer
ㄹ + ㅏ = 라.
Q4. Should you treat ㄱ as exactly English G every time?
04 Show answer
No. For beginners, g/k-like is safer. Korean sounds do not always match English letters exactly.
9. Speaking, Writing, and Listening Missions
Say the consonant names slowly: 기역, 니은, 디귿, 리을, 미음, 비읍, 시옷.
Write each pair three times: ㄱ-가, ㄴ-나, ㄷ-다, ㄹ-라, ㅁ-마, ㅂ-바, ㅅ-사.
Play Audio 3 once. Then say the line 가 나 다 라 마 바 사 out loud three times. Focus on clean recognition, not speed.
10. Today’s Saved Practice
ㄱ — 기역 — giyeok — g/k-like — 가
ㄴ — 니은 — nieun — n — 나
ㄷ — 디귿 — digeut — d/t-like — 다
ㄹ — 리을 — rieul — r/l-like — 라
ㅁ — 미음 — mieum — m — 마
ㅂ — 비읍 — bieup — b/p-like — 바
ㅅ — 시옷 — siot — s-like — 사
11. Save Your Output
Before moving on, write one short line using today’s blocks:
Then write the consonant under each block:
나 → ㄴ
다 → ㄷ
라 → ㄹ
마 → ㅁ
바 → ㅂ
사 → ㅅ
12. Course Flow Preview
✅ Lesson 005: You learned the ten basic vowel sound blocks.
✅ Lesson 006: You are learning the first seven basic consonants.
⏭ Lesson 007: You will learn the remaining basic consonants, including ㅇ, ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅋ, ㅌ, ㅍ, and ㅎ.
⏭ Lesson 008: You will build more Korean blocks by combining consonants and vowels.
13. Final Thought
Today’s lesson may look simple, but it gives you an important foundation. Once you can name consonants and recognize them inside blocks, Korean writing becomes less like a picture and more like a system.
ㄱ ㄴ ㄷ ㄹ ㅁ ㅂ ㅅ are your first seven basic Korean consonants, and you can already use them to read 가 나 다 라 마 바 사.
🔗 Continue Learning
👉 Previous Lesson: Lesson 005 — Basic Korean Vowels for Beginners: 아 야 어 여 오 요 우 유 으 이
👉 Next Lesson: Lesson 007 — Basic Korean Consonants Part 2: ㅇ ㅈ ㅊ ㅋ ㅌ ㅍ ㅎ (Coming soon)
👉 Full Roadmap: Learn Korean from Zero to Practical Korean — 100 Lessons
These are optional posts that support today’s lesson. They are useful, but they are not required before the next lesson.
👉 Lesson 001 — What Is Hangul? The Korean Alphabet Explained for Absolute Beginners👉 Lesson 003 — How to Read Your First Korean Syllable Blocks
👉 Lesson 004 — Korean Letters vs Syllable Blocks: See Them Inside Real Words
💬 Your Turn
Which consonant feels easiest to remember today: ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄷ, ㄹ, ㅁ, ㅂ, or ㅅ?
Try writing one comment using the letter and its example block. For example: ㄴ — 나.
• National Institute of Korean Language — Names of Korean letters
• National Institute of Korean Language — Explanation of Hangul letter names
This lesson uses official Korean letter-name references, beginner-safe pronunciation explanations, and lesson-specific spoken audio. Detailed sound-change rules are intentionally saved for later lessons.
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