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)
- See the complete 21-vowel system laid out for the first time
- Read 10 real Korean words using today's compound vowels
Quick recall from Lesson 6
Five compound vowels from last lesson — say them from memory before reading on: 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 the English "wa" in "water" or "wo" in "wonder" — that gliding motion is exactly right.
와 워 왜 웨 — Click to Learn Each One
Say the sound out loud before you flip each card. Notice how your lips move — they start rounded then open.
👆 Click to reveal sound, formation, and English comparison
Telling them apart in writing
These four vowels form two pairs that look and sound similar. The key is to recognise which base vowel (오 or 우) is on the left — that tells you which character you're reading.
| Character | Built from | Sounds like | Memory hook |
|---|---|---|---|
| 와wa | 오 + 아 | "wa" in water | 오 on the left, 아 stroke to the right — the simplest of the four |
| 왜wae | 오 + 애 | "weh" | 오 on the left, 애 (two vertical strokes) to the right |
| 워wo | 우 + 어 | "wo" in wonder | 우 on top — the stroke points down, unlike 와 which points right |
| 웨we | 우 + 에 | "weh" | 우 on top, 에 (two vertical strokes) below — rare in everyday words |
All 21 Korean vowels — you know them all
This is the complete set. 10 basic vowels, 11 compound vowels. From this point forward, no new vowels will ever appear. Every Korean word you read from here will use letters you already know.
19 vowels shown above. 왜 and 웨 complete the set of 21.
와 워 왜 웨 in syllable blocks
These four vowels are all horizontal-style — the consonant sits on top and the vowel spreads below. Click each syllable to check your reading.
👆 Say it first — then click to confirm
단어 — Words Using Today's Vowels
Each word contains at least one of today's four vowels (in green). Read aloud before tapping to reveal.
👆 Read first — then tap
쓰기 연습 — Trace the Vowels
These four are horizontal-style vowels — the main stroke runs left to right. Note how 와 and 왜 both begin with the 오 shape, while 워 and 웨 begin with 우.
Now write these syllable blocks — full consonant + vowel
왜 — Why Koreans Ask "Why?" Differently
왜 (wae) means "why" — and you'll notice it used very differently from English. In Korean conversation, asking 왜? on its own can sound quite blunt or even confrontational depending on tone. In everyday speech, Koreans often soften it with particles or phrases: 왜냐면 ("the reason is...") or 왜요? (polite "why?"). You also hear 왜 used as a conversational filler — almost like "hm?" or "yes?" 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 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 one. No looking back.
Combine 와 and 워 with all 14 consonants and write the resulting syllables. Notice that some combinations feel natural (봐 화 과) while others feel unusual — that's 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.
Look at the complete vowel map from Part 4 and cover the romanization column. Can you say every vowel from its Hangul alone? Time yourself — aim for under 30 seconds for all 21.
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.