Lesson Objectives
- Learn the final four compound vowels — 와 워 왜 웨
- Understand that these are formed from 오 and 우 combining with other vowels
- Distinguish the very similar pairs: 왜 vs 웨 (and why it barely matters in speech)
- See the complete 21-vowel system laid out for the first time
- Read and listen to 10 real Korean words using today's vowels
Quick recall from Lesson 6
Five compound vowels from last lesson — say them from memory: 애 에 외 위 의. Each was built by combining a basic vowel with 이. Today's four are built the same way — but using 아 and 어 instead of 이.
This time: 오+아, 오+애, 우+어, 우+에
In Lesson 6, all five compound vowels were formed by adding 이 to a basic vowel. Today's four work differently — they attach 오 or 우 to the front of another vowel. The result is a fast glide from one vowel sound into another.
Your lips start rounded (오/우), then open into the second vowel. Think of "wa" in "water" or "wo" in "wonder" — that gliding motion is exactly right.
와 워 왜 웨 — Click & Listen
Click a card to flip it and hear the vowel spoken. Notice how your lips move — they start rounded then open.
👆 Click to flip · 🔊 tap the speaker to hear again
Telling them apart in writing
Two pairs that look and sound similar. The key: which base vowel (오 or 우) is on the left tells you which character you're reading.
| Character | Built from | Sounds like | Memory hook |
|---|---|---|---|
와 wa |
오 + 아 | "wa" in water | 오 on the left, 아 stroke to the right — the simplest of the four |
왜 wae |
오 + 애 | "weh" | 오 on the left, 애 (two vertical strokes) to the right |
워 wo |
우 + 어 | "wo" in wonder | 우 on top — the stroke points down, unlike 와 which points right |
웨 we |
우 + 에 | "weh" | 우 on top, 에 (two strokes) below — rare in everyday words |
All 21 Korean vowels — you know them all
10 basic + 11 compound. From this point on, no new vowels will appear. Click any cell to hear it spoken.
Click any vowel to hear it. 봬 (boe) and a few classical forms complete the full scholarly list of 21.
와 워 왜 웨 in syllable blocks
These four vowels are horizontal-style — the consonant sits on top, vowel spreads below. Click to flip and reveal, tap 🔊 to hear.
👆 Say it first · click to confirm · 🔊 hear it
단어 — Words Using Today's Vowels
Each word contains at least one of today's four vowels (in green). Click a card to reveal meaning, then tap 🔊 to hear the full word.
👆 Click to reveal · 🔊 hear the pronunciation
쓰기 연습 — Trace the Vowels
These four are horizontal-style vowels — the main stroke runs left to right. Note how 와 and 왜 begin with the 오 shape, while 워 and 웨 begin with 우.
Full consonant + vowel blocks
왜 — Why Koreans Ask "Why?" Differently
왜 (wae) means "why" — and you'll notice it used very differently from English. Asking 왜? on its own can sound blunt or confrontational depending on tone. In everyday speech, Koreans soften it: 왜냐면 ("the reason is…") or 왜요? (polite "why?"). You also hear 왜 used as a conversational filler — almost like "hm?" when someone calls your name.
Today you also learned 뭐 — the spoken form of "what". The written/formal version is 무엇 (mu-eot), but in real conversation 뭐 is what people actually say. This gap between written and spoken Korean is something you'll notice more and more — and it's one reason listening practice matters so much alongside reading.
📚 Lesson 7 Homework
Before Lesson 8…
Write all 9 compound vowels from Lessons 6 and 7 from memory — 애 에 외 위 의 와 워 왜 웨 — with romanization beside each. No looking back.
Combine 와 and 워 with all 14 consonants and write the resulting syllables. Some combinations feel natural (봐 화 과), others unusual — that's completely normal.
Add today's 10 vocabulary words to your flashcard deck. Prioritise 왜 (why), 뭐 (what), 사과 (apple), and 화장실 (bathroom) — you'll use all four very soon in real sentences.
Go back to the vowel map (Part 4) and click through all 21 vowels in order, listening to each one. Try to say it a half-second before the audio plays. This trains both recognition and pronunciation simultaneously.
Lesson 8 preview: Lesson 8 is about 받침 — final consonants that sit underneath a syllable block. You've already seen some (한, 물, 밥). Think about how those syllables felt to read and you'll arrive well prepared.