You finished this day
Vowels that start with w
Today's seven vowels look complicated and are not. Six of them start with ㅗ or ㅜ, which shortens into a w, and the seventh, ㅢ, joins ㅡ to ㅣ. By the end you can read 사과 (sagwa), 'apple', and 의사 (uisa), 'doctor', and you will know the three ways ㅢ is said.
When ㅗ or ㅜ runs into another vowel in the same block, it shortens into a w: ㅗ with ㅏ gives ㅘ (wa), ㅜ with ㅓ gives ㅝ (wo), and ㅜ with ㅣ gives ㅟ (wi). The pairings follow the bright and dark split from day 1, so ㅗ combines with ㅏ and ㅐ, and ㅜ with ㅓ and ㅔ, while ㅣ can join either. In the block, the ㅗ or ㅜ goes under the consonant and the second vowel sits on the right, so the vowel wraps round the corner. Three of them, ㅙ, ㅚ and ㅞ, are all said we in normal speech, so treat the difference as spelling, as with ㅐ and ㅔ on day 6. ㅢ has three pronunciations: ui at the start of a word, as in 의사; i after a consonant or later in a word, so 회의 (hoeui), 'meeting', is said hoei; and e when it is the particle 의, 'of'.
ㅘ 와
- Sound
- wa, as in 와
- How it sounds
- wa as in 'wagon', said as one syllable.
- Memory hook
- ㅗ and ㅏ written together, the ㅗ below and the ㅏ on the right. Run o into a quickly and you get wa.
- Watch for
- Pronouncing two syllables, o and a, instead of one quick wa.
ㅙ 왜
- Sound
- wae, as in 왜
- How it sounds
- we as in 'wet'.
- Memory hook
- ㅗ plus ㅐ: o gliding into the e sound.
- Watch for
- Expecting it to sound different from ㅚ and ㅞ; all three are usually said we.
ㅚ 외
- Sound
- oe, as in 외
- How it sounds
- Written as ㅗ plus ㅣ, but in modern speech usually said we, the same as ㅙ.
- Memory hook
- ㅗ with ㅣ on the right. The spelling kept the older sound, and the pronunciation moved on.
- Watch for
- Following the romanisation and saying 'oh-ay', when 회사 is said close to hwesa.
ㅝ 워
- Sound
- wo, as in 워
- How it sounds
- w followed by the unrounded ㅓ, close to the 'wo' of 'wonder'.
- Memory hook
- ㅜ and ㅓ joined: u sliding into eo.
- Watch for
- Saying a round 'woe'; the vowel after the w is ㅓ, not ㅗ.
ㅞ 웨
- Sound
- we, as in 웨
- How it sounds
- we as in 'wet', the same as ㅙ and ㅚ in normal speech.
- Memory hook
- ㅜ plus ㅔ: u gliding into e.
- Watch for
- Trying to keep it apart from ㅙ and ㅚ in speech, when the difference is only in the spelling.
ㅟ 위
- Sound
- wi, as in 위
- How it sounds
- wi as in 'we', said as one short syllable.
- Memory hook
- ㅜ with ㅣ on the right: u sliding into i.
- Watch for
- Stretching it into two syllables, oo and ee, instead of one quick wi.
ㅢ 의
- Sound
- ui, as in 의
- How it sounds
- At the start of a word it is ㅡ sliding into ㅣ, said quickly as one syllable. After a consonant or later in a word it is usually said i, and as the particle 의 'of' it is usually said e.
- Memory hook
- ㅡ plus ㅣ, the flat ground and the standing person. Start with the lips spread for ㅡ and slide to ㅣ.
- Watch for
- Using the full ui everywhere, including in 회의 'meeting', where the second syllable is said i.
Read these
Every word here uses only letters you have met so far. Say it before you press the speaker.
Write today's letters
- Top to bottom, left to right.
- Horizontal strokes are written left to right, vertical ones top to bottom.
- Many corners are turned without lifting the pen, so ㄱ and ㄴ are each a single stroke.
- ㅇ is drawn anticlockwise, starting from the top.
- Vowels follow the same order: ㅏ and ㅜ start with the long line, while ㅓ and ㅗ start with the short stroke.
- In a block, write the consonant first, then the vowel, then any final consonant.
Two passes each: trace it with the guide on, then write it from memory with the guide off and let the guide come back over your strokes. The second pass is the one that teaches you anything.
Check yourself
8 questions. Get 5 right to finish the day.