korean essay writing practice

Key to Korean Motivation & Resources for Learning Korean

TOPIK Beginner Writing Samples (Tests 10-20)

One of the BEST things I ever studied while preparing for the TOPIK test was the sample answers that the TOPIK website provides.

TOPIK Beginner Writing Topics & Samples (10-20).DOCX

So, I’ve decided to collect ALL the previous TOPIK Writing topics and examples provided by www.topik.go.kr into a single document. However, since there are so many, I’ve decided to split the larger document into 2 smaller parts with 10 previous tests each (TOPIK Writing began from test 10).

Here are Tests 10-20, while this link will take you to Tests 21-30 :

Why were these writing samples so great?

Simply, I could see some of the grammar structures and vocabulary that would give me more points on the test if I used them. If you want some specific examples of how I studied with these sample essays, check out my post on tests 21-30 where I detail some of the grammar structures I learned and used:

• TOPIK Beginner Writing Samples (Tests 21-30)

And if you just want to see the entire collection of Beginner Writing Topics, click below:

• TOPIK Beginner Writing Topics & Tips (한국어능력시험 초급 쓰기)

How have the TOPIK sample answers helped you on TOPIK?

Share this:

A note about topik registration in korea.

Warning: TOPIK II test locations fill up quickly! Less than 2 hours after registration opened, I was 17,878 in line. After 5 hours, everything that opened for registration today was full. Be early, or be sorry. (Or wait for IBT TOPIK from 2023.)

120 Days to TOPIK #1 – Gather Resources

Gather your resources! This is one of my favorite parts of any new Challenge because it can be fun to look over the kinds of materials you WANT to use and the kinds of things you WANT to learn (plus, Continue reading 120 Days to TOPIK #1 – Gather Resources

How I Will Study for the TOPIK II in 120 Days (and You Can Join Me)

Well, that was unexpected. I recently wrote a post outlining my plan to cram for the TOPIK II in 30 days. I had been planning to take the test on July 19, 2015. But, I guess plans change. As it turns Continue reading How I Will Study for the TOPIK II in 120 Days (and You Can Join Me)

One thought

• Pingback: Ket Sample Test – Migliore immagine della casa

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Korean Writing Practice Guide

• Everything About
• The Alphabet
• Common Phrases
• Beautiful Words
• Reading Hacks
• Writing Tips
• Pronunciation
• Expressing Emotions
• Telling Time
• Learn FASTER
• More Resources

By OptiLingo • 6 minute read

Supercharge Your Korean Writing Practice

At first glance, Korean writing looks similar to Chinese or Japanese. But fortunately, Korean is a much easier language to learn. The Korean alphabet , called Hangul, only has 24 letters and very few variations. It’s a logical writing system, and learning it can be a lot of fun. Use the following tips and tricks to perfect your Korean writing practice, and master the Korean language .

Hangul Is Easy to Learn

When starting your Korean writing practice, you will first need to understand the Korean alphabet. Fortunately, you can learn Hangul in under an hour. Just like English, the Korean alphabet has vowels and consonants. The modern Korean alphabet currently has 21 vowels and 19 consonants. And the shape of each letter gives you an idea of how it sounds.

The letters of the Hangul alphabet were designed to show the tongue’s position in the mouth when pronouncing that specific letter. However, pronouncing some letters isn’t as straightforward as it seems. Sometimes, a letter changes its sound depending on whether it’s at the beginning, middle, or end of a syllable.

Practice Writing Korean in Syllable Blocks

Crucial Korean Writing Rules

The below rules will help you learn about the structures and ultimately help you speed up your Korean writing practice. Following these rules is essential to writing in a way that’s accurate and easy to understand.

Vowel Placement

You need to understand that the Number 2 Block is always a vowel in Korean. This never changes. It remains a vowel regardless of how the “block” looks like.

Psst! Did you know we have a language learning app?

• It teaches you useful words and phrases.
• Presented in a natural, everyday context.
• Spaced out over time, so you absorb your new language organically.
• It’s kind of like learning the words to your new favorite song!

You’re only one click away!

Consonant Placement

The Number 1 and 3 Block (and sometimes the Number 4 Block) will always be consonants. Mastering these small but essential details will speed up your learning process and ensure that you understand the Korean writing system faster without much inconvenience or confusion.

Horizontal Vowels

When you’re writing a syllable with horizontal vowels, you need to write them underneath the consonant. That means the letters in the block go from top to bottom. See below for examples of the horizontal vowels in Korean. You should note how the block looks. And remember, the Number 2 Block is always a vowel.

ㄱ+ ㅗ, ㅛ, ㅜ, ㅠ and ㅡ

Vertical Vowels

If you’re writing a syllable with a vertical vowel, you continue from the left to the right. Below are examples of how vertical vowels look using the Korean writing system. See how vowels look in a syllable. And remember, the Number 2 Block is always a vowel.

ㄱ + ㅏ, ㅑ, ㅓ, ㅕand ㅣ

Create Korean Syllable Blocks in 3 Steps

Now that you know what the four most basic rules of Korean syllable building are, let’s take a look at a practical example. Writing a word in Korean is just a matter of combining consonants and vowels in order to create blocks. This kind of writing practice will give you a good foundation for the Korean writing system.

Let’s start with a one-syllable word: “bab”, which means “rice”.

Step 1: Determine the Vowel Type

You need to determine if the vowel you’re dealing with is a horizontal or vertical vowel. Our example, “bab”, a (ㅏ) is vertical. That means you’ll use one of the following:

Step 2: Does the Word End in a Consonant?

You should now move on and determine whether the syllable of the word ends in a consonant. If it ends in a consonant, you should fill Number Blocks 1, 2, and 3.

For the above example, the syllable ends in a consonant. That means you’ll use the following:

Step 3: Fill in the Gaps

You now need to combine the three letters. You should start by placing the first letter “b (ㅂ)”, followed by the middle letter “a (ㅏ)” and finally the last letter b (ㅂ)” into Number Blocks 1, 2 and 3 respectively.

See below how the combined letters will now appear in the Korean language as 밥.

Don’t Rely on English

When learning the Korean language, it’s vital that you abandon and forget all the English or Latin representations of the Korean sounds because it’ll leave you confused. Just come in with an open mind, looking forward to learning a new language.

This may be difficult at first, but if you are determined to learn the language, you’ll realize that keeping an open mind and being ready to learn was worth your time. Learning the Korean language is vital , especially if you are planning to live, work, or conduct business in Korea.

While you may get a translator to translate the language for you, it may be costly in the end. Just understand the language and it will be worthy during meetings or even business negotiations.

Korean Syllables Always Start with a Consonant

It’s important to note that every Korean syllable must start with a consonant. This makes it quite easy to note the beginning and end of the syllables.

However, syllables that begin with a vowel. For example, the famous Korean greeting, known as “ annyong haseyo “, may need a placeholder consonant ( not usually pronounced). The impact on the pronunciation is zero therefore, the syllable is written as a zero as well.

Writing Syllables That End with a Consonant

It’s important to note that there may be syllables that end in a consonant. This happens when there are two consonants in the middle of a word. One of the consonants forms the end of one syllable while the other forms the start of the next syllable.

Having a vowel and two consonants fit into a tiny square box may be a bit tricky, but it’s not impossible. In a number of such situations, you’ll need to write the first consonant and vowel next to each other and then put the last consonant below these two.

Get the Most Out of Your Korean Writing Practice!

To achieve Korean fluency and proficiency, you need more than just writing practice. You also need to practice speaking and pronunciation . The more you practice using your language skills, the easier it will be for you to speak naturally in any conversation.

And if you’re looking for a well-rounded Korean language learning program that prioritizes learning through speaking, then you need to try OptiLingo! OptiLingo is a convenient app that focuses on high-frequency phrases, helping you learn exactly how the locals speak.

Discover how much easier learning Korean can be. Try FREE today !

Related posts

10 Best Ways to Learn Korean

Learn Korean with K-Pop and Sing Your Way to Fluency!

Should You Learn Korean Or Japanese?

Learn Korean with 10 Easy Children’s Songs to Sing

Many people believe they aren’t capable of learning a language. we believe that if you already know one language, there’s no reason you can’t learn another..

• , May 30, 2023

Mastering Korean Writing In 6 Easy To Follow Steps

Welcome! Let’s learn Korean writing together.

Hangul, the Korean alphabet, may seem foreign now, but don’t worry. We’ll take it step by step.

Hangul is logical and easier than you might think. 

From the simple vowels and consonants, we’ll build up to syllables and words.

We’re aiming for a real understanding of writing in the Korean language here, not just memorization. 

So, are you ready?

Let’s get started with our step-by-step guide to mastering Korean writing.

A Brief History Of Korean Writing

Let’s take a quick detour down memory lane. 

The story of the Korean writing system starts before Hangul, back when Classical Chinese, or Hanja, was the standard. 

Yet, it was complex and not easily accessible for everyday folks. 

The Great King Sejong of South Korea saw this gap, and in the 15th century, he introduced Hangul, a writing system for all.

Hangul is smart and efficient. 

It’s not a random set of symbols but a system where shapes represent articulatory phonetics, mirroring how our mouth forms sound. 

For instance, the symbol ‘ㅁ’ represents ‘m’, resembling a mouth making the ‘m’ sound.

But enough of history. Let’s bring Hangul to life.

Let’s turn the page to the first chapter of your Hangul mastery!

1. Understanding The Basics Of Hangul

Right off the bat, Hangul can be deceptively simple. 

It all boils down to just 14 consonants and 10 vowels. That’s it! 

These symbols and sounds are the building blocks of the entire Korean language.

Learn The Basic Consonants And Vowels

Let’s start with Korean consonants. 

There are 14 of them: ㄱ (g/k), ㄴ (n), ㄷ (d/t), ㄹ (r/l), ㅁ (m), ㅂ (b/p), ㅅ (s), ㅇ (silent/ng), ㅈ (j), ㅊ (ch), ㅋ (k), ㅌ (t), ㅍ (p), ㅎ (h). 

Notice how some have two sounds? 

That’s because the pronunciation can change based on where they are in a word.

Now, onto vowels. 

There are 10 basic ones: ㅏ (a), ㅑ (ya), ㅓ (eo), ㅕ (yeo), ㅗ (o), ㅛ (yo), ㅜ (u), ㅠ (yu), ㅡ (eu), ㅣ (i). 

It may take some time to get these sounds right. 

So, practice Korean alphabet letters, and listen to Korean speech whenever you can.

2. Forming Syllables In Hangul

Mastered the basic sounds? Great! 

Now, we’re going to put these sounds together to form syllables. 

This is where Hangul really shines!

Combining Consonants And Vowels

Every Korean syllable starts with a consonant, followed by a vowel. 

They can be arranged in a square shape, with the consonant to the left and the vowel to the right, like “가” (ga). 

Or they can be arranged top to bottom, with the consonant on top and the vowel underneath, like “고” (go).

Also, some syllables have a third component, a final consonant, or “Batchim.” 

This goes underneath the vowel, forming a neat block, like “강” (gang). But we’ll dive deeper into “Batchim” later.

It’s like building blocks, really. 

By learning how to stack and arrange these Korean letters, you’ll soon find yourself forming words like “사랑” (Sarang – love) or “친구” (Chingu – friend). 

3. Exploring Complex Elements Of Hangul

By now, you’ve dipped your toes into Hangul’s waters. 

Now, let’s navigate the waves of double consonants, double vowels, and the often tricky ‘Batchim.’

Understanding Double Consonants And Vowels

First up, double Hangul consonants.

These are ㄲ (kk), ㄸ (tt), ㅃ (pp), ㅆ (ss), and ㅉ (jj). 

They have a stronger sound than their single counterparts. 

For instance, the Korean word “깎다” (to trim) starts with a double ‘ㄲ,’ which is pronounced with a stronger ‘k’ sound compared to the single ‘ㄱ.’

Double Korean vowels are a combo of two single vowels, creating new sounds altogether. 

Some examples include ㅐ (ae) as in “내” (my), and ㅒ (yae) as in “쌰” (slang for ‘hurry up’).

Grasping The Concept Of ‘Batchim’

The ‘Batchim’ is an essential character you’ll want to know. 

It’s like a secret agent working undercover at the end of a syllable block, changing the pronunciation game entirely. Here’s how it works.

Check out the syllable ’감’. 

Notice the ‘ㅁ’ just hanging out there at the bottom? 

That’s your ‘Batchim’!

It gives an ‘m’ sound to the end of the syllable. 

So, ‘감’ sounds like ‘gam,’ which is how you say ‘persimmon’ in Korean.

But the ‘Batchim’ isn’t a one-trick pony. 

Switch it out for a different character and have a new sound. 

For example, replace ‘ㅁ’ with ‘ㅂ’ and ‘감’ becomes ‘갑,’ pronounced ‘gap,’ meaning ‘sudden.’

Here’s the curveball: a ‘Batchim’ can change its tune based on the following syllable. 

Like a chameleon, it can match its sound to the first letter of the next syllable. 

So, if ‘갑’ is followed by a syllable starting with ‘ㅁ,’ the ‘ㅂ’ will sound like an ‘m’. 

So, ‘갑문’ (gapmun) ends up sounding like ‘gam-mun.’

4. Mastering Korean Writing Rules

With the sounds sorted, let’s dive into Hangul’s writing rules. 

Stroke order and spacing can make or break your Korean writing. 

Let’s take a close look.

Practicing Hangul Stroke Order

Picture yourself learning to dance. The order of steps is crucial, right? 

The same goes for the Hangul stroke order. It gives your writing fluidity and precision.

Look at the consonant ‘ㅁ.’ It’s four strokes forming a square. 

The dance begins with the top stroke: a horizontal line sweeping from left to right. 

Next, you draw the two vertical lines, starting from the left, then the right. 

Finally, the last step is the bottom stroke, moving from left to right again.

Take another consonant: ‘ㅅ’. It’s one single, elegant stroke. 

Your pen should dance along the page, moving in a natural flow.

Remember, the stroke order is a rule, not a suggestion. 

Learning Hangul Spacing Rules

Korean doesn’t use spaces to separate syllables. 

Instead, they are used to break up words or phrases.

Imagine you’re writing ‘저는 학생입니다’ (I am a student). 

You won’t space out every syllable like ‘저 – 는 – 학 – 생 – 입 – 니 – 다’. 

Instead, the sentence is grouped into words: ‘저는 / 학생입니다.’ 

Notice how ‘학생입니다’ is written as one word? 

That’s because it forms one cohesive idea.

Understanding this crucial difference will make your Korean writing more authentic. 

Don’t worry if it feels a bit foreign at first. That’s perfectly normal.

5. Expanding Your Knowledge

Alright, you’ve grasped the basics. Now let’s take it further. 

Here, we’ll delve into Hanja and the art of Seoye. 

These are important aspects of Korean writing that go beyond the essentials.

Introduction To Hanja

First, we’ll tackle Hanja, Chinese characters incorporated into the Korean writing systems.

In Korean, words like “학교” (school) or “사랑” (love) are usually written in Hangul. 

But they can also be written in Hanja as “學校” and “愛.”

Hanja is not commonly used in day-to-day life anymore.

Still, you’ll find it in academic texts, newspapers, and formal documents. 

It’s also prevalent in names.

For example, the name “지혜” (JiHye) can be written in Hanja as “智慧,” meaning wisdom.

Understanding some basic Hanja can help you decipher complex words and enrich your Korean vocabulary.

Experiencing Korean Calligraphy (Seoye)

Next up is Seoye, Korean calligraphy. 

This is a traditional art form where writing becomes a visual masterpiece.

In Seoye, artists use a brush and ink to create each Hangul character. 

They focus on the balance and harmony of the strokes. 

Each character should be clear and elegant, like a piece of artwork.

Seoye is not just about penmanship. It’s about expression and style. 

It’s a way to connect with the cultural heritage of Korea and experience the language in a unique way.

6. Regular Practice And Continued Learning

We’re almost at the finish line, but remember that language learning is a marathon, not a sprint. 

To truly master Korean writing, you need to weave it into your daily routine. 

Here are some practical tips for regular practice and continued learning.

Writing Practice

Daily writing practice is paramount. It’s the key to getting comfortable with Hangul, Hanja, and even Seoye. 

And the best part? 

There are a multitude of resources to help you along the way!

Try writing simple sentences, then gradually move on to paragraphs and, eventually, entire essays. 

There are also many websites and apps that offer structured practice for the modern Korean alphabet. 

For instance, some websites allow you to write in Korean and get feedback from native speakers.

Don’t forget about the old-fashioned way either: keeping a daily journal in Korean. 

This not only helps your writing but also improves your Korean vocabulary and grammar usage.

Reading Korean Texts

Reading Korean texts is just as crucial as writing. 

It helps reinforce what you’ve learned while exposing you to new vocabulary and sentence structures.

Start with children’s books or graded readers, as they usually use simpler language and short sentences. 

As your confidence grows, move on to Korean newspapers, novels, or webtoons. 

Websites like Naver Webtoon provide a vast selection of Korean comics that cater to different language levels .

Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself. 

The more you read, the more you’ll understand the nuances of Korean writing. 

Just remember, every new word or phrase you learn is a victory. 

Keep going, and soon, you’ll be reading and writing in Korean like a pro!

Learn More About Korean Writing With Ling!

Let’s face it. You’ve just begun an exciting ride into Korean writing. 

But remember, this isn’t the end. It’s the start of your adventure into a new language.

Now, here’s the best part. 

The Ling app , a cleverly crafted language app, is ready to join you in your journey. 

Think of it as a travel buddy but for language learning. 

The Ling app offers engaging, bite-sized lessons that cater to all, from beginners to seasoned language learners.

And Korean is just the beginning. 

Ling proudly hosts over 60 different languages. So, who knows? 

Today you’re exploring Korean. Tomorrow you could be diving into Tagalog or Thai. 

The possibilities are endless with Ling!

The next step? 

Grab your phone and download the Ling app from Google Play and App Store . 

It’s time to transform your language-learning experience!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

People also read

No Telugu On Babbel: Try The #1 Best Alternative

What makes learning with ling special, interactive exercises.

Improve your pronunciation by starting a conversation with our app’s interactive chatbot

Engaging activities

Practice your skills with mini-games and track your progress with fun quizzes

Mix of languages

Choose from over 60 languages, both big and small, and listen to audio from native speakers

Proven results

Backed by linguistic research, our learning methods can help you achieve fluency in record time

Southeast Asia

East europe.

© 2024 Simya Solutions Ltd.

• Create learn Korean practise worksheets

How to use this Korean worksheet generator?

This generator can be used to create PDF writing sheets for Korean. These worksheets will help Korean learners practice writing Hangul. Enter the Korean text that you want and then you can get custom PDF Korean worksheets to practice your Korean.

The standard (basic) settings will show you how different characters can be arranged. When using the basic settings the characters and/or letters are set to fade automatically across from strong to almost invisible across the page. (If you use advanced settings, this will be labelled "Gradual fade settings"). There is also Korean romanization above the characters in the copybook worksheets.

There are loads of ways to customize these Korean writing worksheets depending on the learners' needs in the Advanced Settings. You can choose the size of the paper, whether it is portrait or landscape, the size of the rows. There is also the option to change the Korean worksheet font, change the romanization location, change the size of the hangul and Hanji. You can even add titles to the page so for example "Korean Lesson Sheet Number 1" etc. 

Character display means whether you just see one hangul individually or a word together. Ie one line of just 안 followed by 녕 or one line of 안녕 followed by 안녕. You can choose how dark the characters are so that you can work out the best copy book for you. There are lots of different Korean grid styles which you can use on the advanced systems depending on which one you are most used to. You can also change the row or column spacing.

Other pages and resources

Korean tools, korean converters.

• Create a picture of the text
• Korean To Unicode Conversion
• Count Korean Characters
• Change Korean Text Orientation
• Chinese to Hangeul
• Jumble Up Korean Sentences
• Korean Sentence Fill In The Gap
• Create Korean Blank Spaces
• Create Korean Random Number Bingo Sheet
• Create Korean Number Bingo Sheet

Create Korean Scrolls

Learn korean.

• Type in Korean Hangeul
• Romanise Korean Text Hangeul
• Korean numbers to numbers

Chinese Tools

Starting learning chinese.

• Find your Chinese name
• Animated stroke order for Chinese characters
• Listen to Chinese text read aloud - Enter Chinese text and get the pronunciation
• Convert Chinese into Zhuyin
• Chinese Pinyin
• Type in Chinese online (IME)
• Traditional/simplified Chinese conversion
• Turn Chinese text into an image

Character converters

• Convert TXT files from simplified Chinese to Traditional Chinese
• Chinese Traditional/Chinese Simplified Subtitles (SRT) Conversion
• Chinese to Unicode
• Chinese character count tool
• Chinese and pinyin to Katakana
• Chinese and pinyin convert into Hangul
• Convert Chinese text into Cyrillic (Russian)
• Wade Giles conversion
• Discover if text is simplified / traditional

Printable worksheet creators

• Create Chinese character practise writing sheets
• Jumble up Chinese sentences
• Chinese Sentence Fill In The Gap
• Test vocab knowledge with spaces for students
• Create Chinese Number Bingo Sheet
• Create Chinese Random Number Bingo Sheet
• Test stroke order with word searches
• Create Chinese New Year scrolls

Chinese vocabulary

• Chinese family terms
• Look Up Chinese antonyms
• Chinese Chengyu (Idioms) Look Up
• Chinese Periodic Table
• Turn digit numbers into Chinese text numbers
• Chinese Numbers to English Numbers

Have fun learning

• Look up Flags in Chinese by Emoji
• Chinese astrological year
• Change Chinese colour by tone
• Change Chinese text orientation
• Pinyin with numbers/Pinyin with tones conversion

Cantonese Tools

Learn cantonese basics.

• Animated stroke order for Cantonese characters
• Listen to Cantonese text
• Cantonese to Jyutping converter (Cantonese pinyin)
• Create a picture from Cantonese text

Generate Cantonese worksheets

• Create Cantonese Writing Sheets with Jyutping
• Cantonese Sentence Fill In The Gap
• Create Cantonese Number Bingo Sheet
• Create Cantonese Random Number Bingo Sheet
• Cantonese Sentence Create Blank Spaces
• Cantonese Stroke Order Word Search Creator
• Jumble Up Cantonese Sentences
• Learn Cantonese Discounts

Cantonese Converters

• Cantonese to simplified Chinese Conversion
• Unicode Conversion

Educational websites

• Learn Chinese Tools
• Learn Russian Tools
• Learn Vietnamese Tools
• Learn Hindi Tools
• Learn Thai Tools
• Learn Cantonese Tools
• Learn English Tools
• Learn Japanese Tools
• Learn Urdu Tools

You may also be interested in:

This resource allows you to create sets of three Korean scrolls. You can add your text, choose whether you want the text to be black or gold, and the size you want to print. You can also print the scrolls so that each banner is A4 size. You can use Hangul or Hanja.

Support LearnKoreanTools.com and sign-up for ad-free

LearnKoreanTools.com has been going for many years. We are constantly improving the website and finding more ways to help teachers and learners of Korean. If you want to enjoy an ad-free experience, this is available for $3.28/month. You can sign up via our Patreon page. This price is in USD but you can be charged in most local currencies. We have other packages available.

Korean stories, made simple

Improve your Korean reading skills with traditional Korean stories, translated and designed for learners.

Featured Stories

Read our carefully selected stories to boost your korean skills.

호랑이와 곶감 | The Tiger and the Dried Persimmon

A tiger is hungry and there is a house nearby with a mother and her baby. What will the tiger do?

의좋은 형제 | The Good Brothers

In a quaint village, two brothers, each leading different lives, showcase the depth of their bond through subtle and thoughtful acts.

콩쥐팥쥐 | Kongjwi and Patjwi

Kongjwi is a kind girl mistreated by her stepmother and stepsister. Her goodness brings magical help and leads to a life-changing meeting.

흥부와 놀부 | Heungbu and Nolbu

Two brothers with contrasting personalities have interactions with a swallow, lead to very different outcomes.

바보 | The Fool

A naive young man tries to sell some cloth but has some trouble getting money from the buyer.

푸른 구슬 | The Blue Bead

A lucky couple have an amazing life thanks to a golden carp.

Learners Reviews

Tens of thousands of Korean learners are using StoryKorean.

Highly recommend “I like this app a lot. It’s really helpful for improving your Korean.”

Simple and Lovely “I've been looking for something like this for ages. I found it through a random google search and I'm very pleased with it so far. I can't wait for all the stories available on the site to also be available on the app, I like re-reading them to reinforce the words”

i love this app “i’m so glad the website finally got an app. it is so convenient and the gui is very nice. it really is a great app and helps reinforce grammar and vocabulary.”

“There needs to be more apps like this, I love the fact there is instant translation below. Best korean story app for learning Korean.”

“Awesome app, it works great! The buttons are really responsive. Everything is neat and pleasant to look at. Ads are not intrusive.”

“This is such a great app to widen vocabulary, it's good to have difficulty levels and word definitions”

“Great if you are learning Korean, it also has stories for higher level readers very good👍”

“Very good app with English translations and vocabularies.”

“Now, I have worked through all the available 'Beginner' and 'Intermediate' stories. This reading practice has been outstanding. In all my years of exposure to Korean, I have found nothing to match your stories. ... I sincerely thank you for your excellent work.”

“A very good app for learning Korean Language esp on reading part.”

“안녕! this is my opinion on “story Korean” so, this is a great app! ... This app is super effective and I can now read almost as fast in korean as in English! 100% recommend!”

How it works

Follow these simple steps to improve your Korean

Start with a story that matches your Korean level

Choose from a variety of stories that align with your current skill in Korean.

Read the story and use English translations

Improve your comprehension by reading the stories and checking the English translations to learn new words.

Test your knowledge with a quiz

Take a short quiz to test your understanding of the story and review the vocabulary you’ve learned.

Korean writing – How to form syllable blocks and words

Last modified: Apr 03, 2024 | 7 min read | By Laura Toyryla

Korean writing, at first glance, may appear to be similar to Chinese or Japanese , especially if this is a new language to you. But upon a closer look, especially with a piece of text in each language placed next to each other, it’s easy to see Korean is quite different.

Some may even be mind-blown when they realize that Korean isn’t written by characters but with their own alphabetic system. This can certainly gain one’s interest in how Korean writing works.

This article aims to offer you an overview of how to write words in Korean and, eventually, full sentences to help with your Korean fluency .

Below is a free PDF guide that you can download and take with you:

• 1.1 Chinese vs Japanese vs Korean writing
• 1.2 The Korean alphabet
• 1.3 Hangeul stroke order
• 2.1 Basic rules of forming Korean syllables
• 2.2 How to easily create Korean syllable blocks?
• 2.3 Korean writing practice with syllable blocks

Introduction to the Korean writing system

Before we head on to the system of Korean writing, it’s best to take note of the following important points.

Chinese vs Japanese vs Korean writing

In a beginner’s eyes, writing systems look the same and can often be confusing to learn. The difference between Chinese, Japanese, and Korean writing can sometimes be hard to distinguish at first glance. Thankfully, compared to Japanese and Chinese, Korean is much easier to learn.

The Chinese writing system uses characters or a combination of writing systems. Similarly, the Japanese writing system uses Hiragana, Katakana , and Kanji . On the other hand, Korean has a set of alphabets they use for everything, and that’s it. It should only take you a few hours at most to learn and memorize each letter !

The Korean alphabet

The Korean alphabet is comprised of Hangul consonants and Korean vowels. There are 14 Korean consonants and 10 Korean vowels , plus some additional combinations.

If you’d like to know how to write Korean letters , you can start by learning the Korean alphabet together with us. You’ll also find a Korean Alphabet Chart in our article. This resource is helpful even if Korean is a new language to you. If you have to go check out the Korean alphabet article first, don’t fret – it only takes a little bit of your time to learn Hangeul, and then you can come back here!

Hangeul stroke order

If you’ve already concluded that step and learned about the stroke order, you can continue diving deeper into the Korean writing system.

As you learn Hangul, do take the time to learn the specific stroke order of each letter . After that, you’ll finally be ready to practice more aspects of the writing system with us in this article!

South Korea also uses Chinese characters called hanja , but they are not used as widely. These Chinese characters have Korean pronunciations. You may want to learn them for fun, but they’re not essential for survival .

Korean syllable blocks

Writing in Korean is done through syllables. That means that while each Korean or Hangul alphabet is its own letter, none of them appear alone. Instead, two or more of the Korean alphabet letters are constructed into one block. Therefore, each Korean word also comprises one or more syllables.

Basic rules of forming Korean syllables

There are numerous ways each letter can be combined into a syllable. However, there are certain rules for constructing the letters within a syllable.

Start with a consonant

The first rule of thumb is that each syllable block begins with a consonant. This means that when the syllable technically only consists of a vowel, it gets combined together with the letter ㅇ, so the first letter is still a consonant—for example, the Korean vowel ㅏis not written as ㅏ but as 아.

Although the letter ㅇ normally has an “ng” sound, in these instances, it’s quiet and simply added there due to the Korean writing rules. Of course, no syllable can exist without at least one vowel included, either.

Consider the vowel placement

The way each syllable is constructed depends on the vowel used. If it’s a vertical vowel, in other words, ㅣ, ㅏ, ㅓ, and so on, then the initial consonant is placed on the left side of the vowel.

If the vowel is horizontal, so ㅜ, ㅡ, ㅗ, and so on, then the first consonant should be placed above the vowel. Additionally, it is possible to have one final consonant, two final consonants, or none. Below we have illustrated possible block combinations of syllables.

It is not formed in a horizontal line

To illustrate further, when you write using Latin characters and many otherworldly languages, you will simply place each letter in a sequence. Like this:

K + O + R + E + A = Korea.

However, in the Korean language, you will have to place them into specific blocks, which together then form the word.

So, in the case of the same word, but in Korean, it would look like this:

ㅎ + ㅏ + ㄴ ㄱ + ㅜ + ㄱ = 한국.

This is an excellent example of forming the block using both a vertical vowel and a horizontal vowel.

As you may notice, writing it as ㅎㅏㄴㄱㅜㄱ wouldn’t even make any sense. Therefore, using blocks to write comprehensively makes the most sense.

How to easily create Korean syllable blocks?

Now that we have covered the basic rules of writing syllables, it’s time to start looking at practical examples of them. By learning Korean and practicing this, you establish a great foundation of writing skills in Korean.

Step 1: Figure out which vowel you are using

As the vowel used in the syllable determines the placement of the Korean consonants, this is your starting point for building one. Are you using a horizontal or vertical vowel?

Step 2: Determine whether your syllable ends with a vowel or a consonant

If the syllable ends with a vowel, you will only need two letters to complete it. However, if you add one or two consonants after the vowel, you need to leave space for them below the first two letters in the syllable.

Step 3: Create the syllable block

Now that you have determined the ingredients of the syllable block, you can “fill in the blanks,” so to speak. Note that English and other language sounds are unreliable for telling you how each block should be formed. Hence, it’s best for you to master Korean pronunciation while forming syllables.

Korean writing practice with syllable blocks

Now that you know the rules for writing a word and have a step-by-step guide for creating them, it’s time to start your writing practice!

First and foremost, practice reading and writing syllables with only one consonant and vowel, as presented below. This is how Korean children learn to read and write, too.

Writing words with one syllable

Of course, many blocks of syllables include 3 or even 4 Korean letters. You can practice forming these blocks first for one-syllable words before moving on to more complex ones. Below are a few examples of their romanized Korean version .

In the case of the last word, 닭 (dak | chicken) , you may have noticed we also come across some specific pronunciation rules. When there are two final consonants, one may become a silent one, as in this example.

However, the pronunciation also depends on which syllable follows it. Thus, depending on the word as a whole, the ㄱ may also become audible while ㄹ will become silent, or they may both get pronounced! You can start learning Korean pronunciation with our guide, which has been linked above.

Writing words with two or more syllables

Next, let’s go over some longer words for practice.

By now, you should be properly familiar with the Korean alphabet letters and how to form syllables and Korean words. If you are also well-versed in pronouncing Korean words, then creating those syllables presented above should be easy.

Now that you have better knowledge of writing in Korean , you can practice writing different words and even your Korean name! If you don’t have one yet, learn how to have your own Korean name through our full article about it here .

Next up on your road toward Korean fluency is writing practice on those Korean blocks! Perhaps you could do so with the help of our article on the most common Korean words and nouns ? Also, let us know what you thought of the Korean way to construct syllable blocks in the comments!

Related Posts

Korean Anki: A Great Tool for Learning Words

Last modified: Jun 30, 2021 | 6 min read | By 90 Day Korean

Stop Studying Korean for the TOPIK

Last modified: Sep 02, 2022 | 3 min read | By 90 Day Korean

Korean Onomatopoeia (의성어) – Animal sounds you will love

Last modified: Apr 09, 2024 | 3 min read | By 90 Day Korean

20 thoughts on “Korean writing – How to form syllable blocks and words”

Same question as I had before but with “ㄹ“ how will I know when it makes an “l” sound or an “r” sound? How can I tell?

Hi! The ㄹ is a unique sound. It’s not an R or an L exactly. It can be a range of sounds between R, L, or an R/L blend. Koreans don’t distinguish between R and L, it’s the same sound to them. Therefore, when you’re pronouncing the ㄹ, You can use R, L, or R/L.

How do I know when “ㄱ” will be pronounced with a “g” or a “k” sound? How can I tell?

The ㄱ can be a “G”, “K”, or a blend between the two. Korean sounds don’t match 100% with English sounds. A simple way to think of Korean letters is that they have sounds that are similar to some English sounds, but they have a range of sounds that can be produced. ^^

Also, when writing 소녀 (girl), can you write it as 소녀 and s ontop of o and n and then you with a O and then you? Does it matter which way?

Hi Roby! If you change the way it’s written, that means that it won’t be read as “girl”. For example, if you write 손여, it wouldn’t be read as “girl”.

Hi, I’ve been using Duolingo and the website to learn Hangul but there’s one thing I don’t understand. How do I know if the letters are going to be one on top of the other, 3 or 4? 서 (2) 삼 (3) 없 (4) Hope this makes sense, thank you

When a syllable ends with a consonant, you would put the initial consonant and vowel on top of the final consonant. ^^

Hello i have read your note above but still i couldn’t understand is that 1) how do we write in hangul if consonant is followed by another consonant and not a vowel 2) how do we write in hangul if the vowel is followed by another vowel next to it 3) for example in writing paris pari in korean its written as 파리 Why i thought it would be 팔 ㅣ 4) how do u suggest to hold the writing system for one word with different hangul like for Key its 키 or 열 쇠 how should i learn that quickly

Hi, If you are asking when writing English words into Korean, there are a few rule for them. If consonant is followed by another consonant and not a vowel, you can add ㅡ. e.g. desk-> 데스크. Korean letters always start with a consonant. And they can end with both a vowel or consonant. If the vowel is followed by another vowel next to it, you can add ㅇ. e.g. boy -> 보이, pari -> 파리 or 팔이. For words like 키 and 열쇠, you can use either one. There are many Korean words like that, so you can pick whichever is easier for you to learn. ^^

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

• LEARN KOREAN FROM ZERO
• INTRODUCTION TO TOPIK
• TOPIK IBT – COMPLETE GUIDE
• REGISTER FOR TOPIK TEST
• TOPIK 2024 SCHEDULE
• CHECK YOUR TOPIK RESULT
• DOWNLOAD PAST PAPERS
• TOPIK MOCK TEST
• TOPIK PREP CLASSES
• KOREAN GRAMMAR COURSE
• TIPS & RESOURCES
• LATEST CONTENT
• TOPIK UPDATES
• KOREAN LEARNING TIPS
• KOREAN GRAMMAR
• KOREAN VOCABULARY
• SCHOLARSHIPS
• STUDY PACKAGE

The Only Guide You Need to Pass TOPIK Test

Best Self-Study Material to Prepare for TOPIK Test

New TOPIK II Writing: 중-고급 [Expert Feedback]

As you know, TOPIK-I has two sub levels – 1 & 2 while TOPIK-II has 4 sub-levels – 3, 4, 5 and 6. As far as the difficulty level of the  TOPIK test is concerned, the beginner level test, i.e. TOPIK-I is much easier because it just has comprehension based questions – Listening and Reading, but the TOPIK-II is quite difficult – especially the Writing section. The writing section has no multiple choice questions but just 2 short-answer questions and 2 essay questions. The essay part plays a big role in your TOPIK result as it makes 80%  of the whole writing paper. So, if you are planning to appear in Intermediate-Advanced level TOPIK, you should start working on your Korean essay writing skills. You can practice by writing essays on the topics from past TOPIK papers or you can practice with the New TOPIK format sample paper. Or, you can enrol into our TOPIK II Writing Crash Course.

• Feedback about parts of your writing that are wrong or can be improved.
• Feedback about good and strong points of your writing
• Feedback on overall Essay development and structure
• Feedback on the language (grammar/vocabulary) used in the essay.
• Expert suggestions for improvements
• Feedback on parts of your writing that are incorrect and can be improved.
• Feedback on good and strong points of your writing.
• Feedback on overall Essay development and structure.

*Note: Please mention your correct Order No. and e-mail ID. Checking your essays and giving feedback may take some time. So, please be patient. Thank you.

Dr. Satish Satyarthi

Satish is the Founder and CEO of TOPIK GUIDE. He is passionate about languages. He created TOPIK GUIDE website to help Korean language learners learn Korean effectively, succeed in TOPIK test and achieve their goals. He has a PhD in Korean language. His research area has been 'Teaching Korean as a Foreign Language (외국어로서의 한국어교육)'. He is a Seoul National University (GKS) alumni. He has been active in Korean language teaching and research for more than 10 years. We are a team of passionate researchers from Seoul National University specializing in Korean language and linguistics. We are committed to helping international students prepare for the TOPIK test. You can connect with us on Facebook , Twitter , Google+ or YouTube

are you offering Expert Feedback without buying the package? i mean charging for the service separately, or charging for feedback for each essay sent. I think that way will be more convenient for people who only need to check their writing…

Currently we are offering this service only to those who purchase our study package but we are planning to offer it as a separate service soon.

I’m really impressed by Expert Feedback but I wonder if every week will have different questions and different topics for us to write or this is the only one that you offer? Is it ok if I wrote about another topic and send to you for the helping? I’m preparing for the topik test in March and I want to improve my listening skill, can your book help me that? I’m very appreciated if you can reply my comment. Thank you.

We have separate video tutorials for listening sections of TOPIK and they will definitely help you. We offer free feedback on two essays on any topic of your choice. But someone requests are we give brief feedback on additional essays as well.

So do you give free feedback on only two essays?

Session expired

Please log in again. The login page will open in a new tab. After logging in you can close it and return to this page.