Word Building - How Syllables Form Meaningful Words
Now that you know how to make syllables, let's learn how syllables combine to create words! Korean words can be made of one or more syllables, and each word has meaning just like in English.
mul = water
ga-bang = bag
com-pyu-teo = computer
Let's learn some basic Korean words. Click on each word to hear its pronunciation!
Korean has two number systems. The Sino-Korean set is used for dates, money, phone numbers and minutes. Click to listen:
The native set is used for counting things, people, and your age — one apple, two cats, three hours:
Korean family words depend on who is speaking — some are used by everyone, some differ by gender:
The basic color words — add 색 (saek, meaning color) to be explicit, like 빨간색 for the color red:
Words you'll actually use at a Korean table:
Animal names — several appear in the typing game too:
Parts of the body — short, common, and full of 받침 practice:
Whole phrases you can read now — the fastest way to feel progress. Click and repeat out loud:
Let's see how some words are built step by step:
ga (individual character) + bang (room) = gabang (bag)
hak (learning) + gyo (teaching) = hakgyo (school)
Three syllables combine to make the word for cat
Korean words often have logical meanings based on their parts, just like compound words in English:
com-pyu-teo = computer
Borrowed from English "computer"
jeon-hwa = telephone
전 (electric) + 화 (talk)
saeng-il = birthday
생 (life) + 일 (day)
Excellent! You now understand how syllables combine to create meaningful words. Ready to learn how words combine to make sentences?