Learn Korean · Hangul foundations
Lesson 2 · Five tense consonants
Your goal: Recognize all five tense consonants and combine them with familiar vowels.
Before you start: Review the 14 basic consonants, 10 basic vowels and simple block layouts in Lesson 1.
Look → build → cover → try again. This is written practice, not a listening test. Answers are not saved.
Spot the change—not just the color.
Today: Compare 가 and 까. Only the starting consonant changes.
1. Plain starting letter
Notice the first consonant.
2. Tense starting letter
ㄲ fills ONE consonant position.
3. The vowel stays
Change ㄱ to ㄲ. Keep ㅏ.
Tap your answer
Change only ㄷ to its tense partner in 다.
Try first. Then read the explanation.
Try now: change ㄷ to its tense partner in 다.
Check your answer
따. ㄸ is one starting consonant; ㅏ stays on the right.
Now use the activities below. Start with one small set; return for the rest.
Small session 1
Spot the plain and tense pairs
You already met 14 basic consonants and 10 basic vowels. Five tense consonants complete the modern consonant inventory: ㄲ ㄸ ㅃ ㅆ ㅉ. Each occupies one consonant position, even though its shape repeats a basic form.
ㄷ → ㄸ
ㅂ → ㅃ
ㅅ → ㅆ
ㅈ → ㅉ
Tense does not mean “say it twice,” “make it longer,” or simply “make it louder.” Written comparison is useful, but hearing and producing the contrast needs reliable audio and speaking feedback.
Try first: Which tense letter repeats the shape of ㅂ?
Check your answer and why
ㅃ, named 쌍비읍 (ssangbieup). It fills one starting position.
Small session 2
Explore five tense letters
Open one card. Compare the model, copy it, then close the card and redraw from memory.
ㄲ 쌍기역 · ssanggiyeok
Explore this letter: shape, build and practice
Two ㄱ shapes sit side by side in one consonant space.
Name: 쌍기역 (ssanggiyeok). Reading key: kk.
Build: ㄲ + ㅏ → 까 (kka). This is a syllable example, not necessarily a standalone word.
Copy the shape on paper. Cover it, redraw it, then check the opening, corners or repeated parts.
ㄸ 쌍디귿 · ssangdigeut
Explore this letter: shape, build and practice
Two ㄷ shapes share one consonant space.
Name: 쌍디귿 (ssangdigeut). Reading key: tt.
Build: ㄸ + ㅏ → 따 (tta). This is a syllable example, not necessarily a standalone word.
Copy the shape on paper. Cover it, redraw it, then check the opening, corners or repeated parts.
ㅃ 쌍비읍 · ssangbieup
Explore this letter: shape, build and practice
Two ㅂ shapes share one consonant space.
Name: 쌍비읍 (ssangbieup). Reading key: pp.
Build: ㅃ + ㅏ → 빠 (ppa). This is a syllable example, not necessarily a standalone word.
Copy the shape on paper. Cover it, redraw it, then check the opening, corners or repeated parts.
ㅆ 쌍시옷 · ssangsiot
Explore this letter: shape, build and practice
Two ㅅ shapes share one consonant space.
Name: 쌍시옷 (ssangsiot). Reading key: ss.
Build: ㅆ + ㅏ → 싸 (ssa). This is a syllable example, not necessarily a standalone word.
Copy the shape on paper. Cover it, redraw it, then check the opening, corners or repeated parts.
ㅉ 쌍지읒 · ssangjieut
Explore this letter: shape, build and practice
Two ㅈ shapes share one consonant space.
Name: 쌍지읒 (ssangjieut). Reading key: jj.
Build: ㅉ + ㅏ → 짜 (jja). This is a syllable example, not necessarily a standalone word.
Copy the shape on paper. Cover it, redraw it, then check the opening, corners or repeated parts.
Small session 3
Build and compare blocks
Keep the vowel ㅏ fixed. The first four rows compare plain → aspirated → tense; the last compares plain → tense. These are syllable examples, not necessarily standalone words.
다 · 타 · 따
바 · 파 · 빠
자 · 차 · 짜
사 · 싸
With vertical ㅏ, place the consonant on the left. With horizontal ㅜ, place it above the vowel.
Try first: Build ㄲ + ㅜ. Does doubling the written consonant make two syllables?
Check your answer and why
꾸 (kku), one block and one syllable. The tense consonant goes above ㅜ.
Try first: Change only the starting consonant in 자 to its tense counterpart.
Check your answer and why
짜 (jja): ㅉ + ㅏ. The vowel and side-by-side layout stay the same.
Small session 4
Recall without the models
Try first: Hide the cards. Write the five tense consonants. Then build ㄸ + ㅏ, ㅃ + ㅜ, and ㅆ + ㅣ.
Check your answer and why
Five letters: ㄲ ㄸ ㅃ ㅆ ㅉ. Blocks: 따 (tta), 뿌 (ppu), 씨 (ssi). The middle block uses a below-vowel layout; the others use right-side vowels.
Try again later: name each repeated shape and build a fresh block without the guide. If shapes are mixed up, return to Session 2; if placement is wrong, return to Session 3. This self-check does not assess pronunciation or award a level.
Optional review · two familiar layouts with ㄷ and ㄹ
Original AI-generated learning illustration retained from the earlier draft. The selectable Korean text below supplies the actual examples.
ㄷ has a top, left side and bottom, open on the right. ㄹ has a stepped shape. With ㅏ, put the consonant left; with ㅗ, put it above.
ㄷ + ㅗ → 도
ㄹ + ㅏ → 라
Try first: Build ㄹ + ㅗ, then replace the consonant with ㄱ.
Check your answer and why
로 (ro), then 고 (go). Both use the stacked layout. If you made 라, the vowel needs changing; if the letters sit side by side, change their arrangement.
도 is Romanized do, not pronounced like the English word “do.” Romanization is not exact English sound. Before vowels here, ㄹ is a brief tongue-tip tap rather than a sustained English r. Close the answer and rebuild tomorrow.
Keep your learning path small
Next comes Lesson 3: 11 additional vowel letters. Batchim (final consonants) has its own Lesson 4; this lesson practices starting consonants only.
Sources · what we checked
- National Institute of Korean Language: letters and syllable positions — checked 2026-10-29
- National Institute of Korean Language: Romanization — checked 2026-10-29
- National Institute of Korean Language: standard pronunciation rules (Korean) — checked 2026-10-29
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