Korean Lesson 1: Pronounce the Alphabet

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Korean Lesson 1: Pronounce the Alphabet

Learn how to pronounce the Korean alphabet with Professor Oh:

The 14 Korean consonants paired with the vowel ㅏ(ah)

  1. 가 (gah) = It may sound like a K, but there is another Korean consonant that has a stronger K sound (ㅋ). Think of ㄱ as a soft G sound.
  2. 나 (nah) = So easy that it's amazing.
  3. 다 (dah) = Might sound like "tah," however the ㅌ consonant has a stronger T pronunciation. Think of ㄷ as a soft D.
  4. 라 (lah) = The ㄹ consonant has a rolling L sound. It may sound like an R, however Koreans do not have a consonant that is a 100% R equivalent. Thus if a native Korean says, "Rock and roll," it'll sound more like "Lock and Loll." Note: in some cases when paired with other characters, 라 (lah) has a crisp L sound without the roll. i.e. 몰라 (molla) and 몰라 (ramyeon).
  5. 마 (mah) = Here's a simple one. Sounds like the second "ma" in "mama."
  6. 바 (bah) = It may sound like a P, but there is another Korean consonant with a stronger P sound (ㅍ). Think of ㅂ as a soft B sound.
  7. 사 (sah) = Another epically simple one. Did you know 사 means the number "four"?
  8. 아 (ah) = The ㅇ consonant, which looks like a circle, is silent. However when paired with other characters, the ㅇ consonant can take the sound of a previous consonant.
  9. 자 (jah) = Might sound like "cha," however the ㅊ Korean consonant has a stronger "ch" pronunciation. Think of ㅈ as a soft J sound.
  10. 차 (cha) = Pronounced the same as the Cuban dance "Cha Cha." Did you know 차 can mean "tea" and "car"? No? Now you do!
  11. 카 (kah) = Yes. An easier one to pronounce.
  12. 타 (tah) = Happy birthday. Another simple one!
  13. 파 (pah) = Guess what? 파 means "spring onion."
  14. 하 (hah) = Pronounced the same as the "ha" when someone laughs "hahaha."

The 10 vowels paired with the silent consonant "ㅇ"

  1. 아 (ah)
  2. 야 (yah)
  3. 어 (uh)
  4. 여 (yuh)
  5. 오 (oh)
  6. 요 (yoh)
  7. 우 (ooh)
  8. 유 (you)
  9. 으 (euh)
  10. 이 (e)

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Oh Yes Tastes Like Heaven (Snack Tub Korea #5)

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Oh Yes Tastes Like Heaven (Snack Tub Korea #5)

Today we eat Hot Crab Chips (핫꽃게랑/hot-ggot-ge-rang) and Oh Yes (오예스). Crabs versus Chocolate. Spicy versus Sweet. Bring it on. My taste buds were born ready. Hopefully the crab chips aren't too spicy or else it's gonna be an adventure when it comes out of the other end. Watcha waiting for? Let's dive into Professor Oh's snack tub.

Spicy in a friendly manner, Hot Crab Chips is love at first crunch. Crispy yet fluffy, the experience is comparable to biting into a firm cloud. These crabbies are the perfect snack for roadtrips, lunch breaks, beach bums and you name it. Hot Crab Chips, you deserve 6 out of 5 kpop stars. The first Korean snack to surpass 5 kpop stars!

OH YES, we move onto our second snack. You see what I did there? Oh Yes comes from same family of Choco Pie and Ghana (eaten in episode 1).  Their blood is made of refined carbs and chocolate. It turns out Oh Yes is the yummiest of all its siblings. It's a legit 6 out of 5 kpop stars. Episode 5 is the most satisfying snack bath yet!

Time for some improv cooking. Using today's snacks we make ice cream.

Happy responsible snacking! Don't forget to eat your carrots and peas :)

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12 Fun & Easy Korean Expressions & Sounds

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12 Fun & Easy Korean Expressions & Sounds

Want to sound like a native Korean? Or just plain desire to understand more of your favorite Korean dramas? Watch KWOW #110 to learn some popular Korean expressions and sounds (below).

There are tons, tons, tons of Korean expressions and sounds. Some are classics while others are passing trends. Here's the list of the ones featured in the episode:

  1. Aish/아이씨: darnit, ah crap, oh man
  2. Nyam nyam nyam/냠냠냠: munching sounds, the Korean way of saying America's "nom nom nom"
  3. Ae/에이: roughly translates to "Aw~ Come on," can sound highly aegyo depending on how you say it, use when someone rejects your request
  4. Uh/어: heard often when Koreans are on the phone, the Korean way of saying "yeah" and "uhuh."
  5. The airy huh: very common sound in Korean dramas, used when expressing disbelief with an "omg, what did you just say to me?" face
  6. Ooh-ah/우아: a Korean way of saying "wow"
  7. Ayah!/아야!: the Korean "ouch," the shorter way to say it is "Ah! 아!" Use this when you have sharp and sudden pain, i.e. papercut. Make a longer "Ah/아" if you're sick in bed, have a stomachache or are experiencing brain freeze.
  8. Ah-HH-hh/아~ (see KWOW #110 at 3:08): a long AH with a raised middle then back down is equivalent to "oh-HH-hh." Like when someone says in America, "OhhHHhhhh, I see."
  9. The suck-in-the-air-through-your-teeth sound effect (watch KWOW #110 at 3:33 for demo): use when in pain or when someone is about to do something after you told them not to, i.e. your little brother reaching for the cookie jar, your cat jumping on the dinner table.
  10. Ya/야: means "hey" in most situations. There are multiple ways of using YA. Yell it out loud when frustrated (like when you're fighting and you're at a loss for words) and if someone wronged you (i.e. a pickpocket snatched your purse).
  11. Ya, ya, ya/야, 야, 야: meaning "hey, hey, hey," this expression is often seen in Korean dramas with policemen and gangsters. Remember to include hand and arm motions as shown in the video (4:45)!
  12. The long Ya/야 with a genuine smile: sounds more like "wow" than "hey," use when impressed with something or someone, i.e. your friend can drink a ridiculous amount of soju and is still alive, you saw the Grand Canyon for the first time and are blown away by its awesome-ness.

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