Final consonants (batchim)
A block can have a third letter at the bottom, called batchim (받침). It closes the syllable: 아 + ㄴ = 안 (an).
Good news: there are only 7 final sounds. Many letters share a sound at the bottom. ㄱ ㅋ ㄲ all sound like a short k, ㅂ and ㅍ like a short p, and ㄷ ㅅ ㅈ ㅊ ㅌ ㅎ like a short t.
Final k, t and p are not released. Your mouth gets ready to say them, then stops.
A few blocks even have two letters at the bottom, like 닮다 (to look alike). The tables after the cards show exactly which sound each one makes.
Tap each block to hear the final sound
1. The 7 final sounds
There are 27 ways to fill the bottom of a block, but only 7 sounds come out. Learn the 7 groups below and you can read any final consonant.
The group matters later, too. When lesson 8 says "a ㄱ-group final" or "a ㄷ-group final", it means every letter in that row.
| Sound | Letters at the bottom | Two-letter finals |
|---|---|---|
| k | ㄱ ㅋ ㄲ | ㄳ ㄺ |
| n | ㄴ | ㄵ ㄶ |
| t | ㄷ ㅌ ㅅ ㅆ ㅈ ㅊ ㅎ | — |
| l | ㄹ | ㄼ ㄽ ㄾ ㅀ |
| m | ㅁ | ㄻ |
| p | ㅂ ㅍ | ㅄ ㄿ |
| ng | ㅇ | — |
2. Two letters at the bottom
A two-letter final (겹받침, gyeopbatchim) still makes only one sound. Most of them keep the first letter: ㄳ ㄵ ㄶ ㄼ ㄽ ㄾ ㅀ ㅄ. Three keep the second letter: ㄺ ㄻ ㄿ.
An easy way to remember: the three that start with ㄹ and end in ㄱ, ㅁ or ㅍ drop the ㄹ. There are a few exceptions, such as 밟다 (to step on), said 밥따, but you can learn those as you meet them.
When the next block starts with silent ㅇ, both letters are heard: the first stays, the second moves over. 없어요 is said 업써요. You will see this in lesson 8.
Read your first words
You already know every letter in these words. Try reading each one before you look at the romanization.
Quick quiz
5 quick questions on this lesson.
Want to practice more? Try typing in Korean.