● KONGLE
Level 0 · Unit 3 · Building Syllables · 7 min

Compound Vowels

Read and pronounce the seven compound vowels ㅘ ㅝ ㅙ ㅞ ㅚ ㅟ ㅢ, each built from vowels you already know.

Compound vowels combine two vowels you already know

These seven vowels aren't new shapes — each one glues together two vowels you've already learned. ㅗ+ㅏ becomes ㅘ, ㅜ+ㅓ becomes ㅝ, and ㅡ+ㅣ becomes ㅢ. You say them as one smooth glide, not two separate sounds.

ㅙ, ㅞ, and ㅚ sound nearly identical today

In modern spoken Korean, ㅙ, ㅞ, and ㅚ have all merged into roughly the same 'we' sound — native speakers rely on spelling, not sound, to tell them apart. Don't stress over hearing a difference between them; even Koreans can't reliably do it by ear. Focus on recognizing the written shapes instead.

ㅘ
와 wa

ㅗ (o) + ㅏ (a) glide together — say 'o' then 'a' fast to land on 'wa', like 'wa' in wander.

사과 sagwa apple
ㅝ
워 wo

ㅜ (u) + ㅓ (eo) glide together into 'wo', like 'wo' in won't said quickly.

뭐 mwo what — the single most useful word in K-dramas
ㅙ
왜 wae

ㅗ (o) + ㅐ (ae) glide into 'wae', close to the English word wet said with rounded lips.

돼지 dwaeji pig
ㅞ
웨 we

ㅜ (u) + ㅔ (e) glide into 'we', just like the English word wet.

웨이터 weiteo waiter (loanword)
ㅚ
외 oe

ㅗ (o) + ㅣ (i) glide into a rounded 'we' sound, said with your lips pursed.

회사 hoesa company
ㅟ
위 wi

ㅜ (u) + ㅣ (i) glide into 'wi', like 'wee' in week with rounded lips.

귀 gwi ear
ㅢ
의 ui

ㅡ (eu) + ㅣ (i) glide into 'ui' — flatten your mouth on 'eu', then slide quickly to 'i'.

의자 uija chair
과자 gwaja snack, cookie

과자 (gwaja) — ㄱ+ㅘ=과 uses the compound vowel; 자 is a plain ㅈ+ㅏ syllable you already know.

화가 hwaga painter

화가 (hwaga) — ㅎ+ㅘ=화, then ㄱ+ㅏ=가. Same ㅘ sound as 사과, just with a different starting consonant.

Say it out loud

사과 sagwa apple

Listen, then repeat aloud. Matching the rhythm matters more than perfection.

Check yourself