Your goal
Learn ㅡ and ㅣ and make 으/이 and 느/니. At the end, build six syllables yourself.
Before you start
In 거, ㅓ is to the right of ㄱ. In 고, ㅗ is below ㄱ. Do you remember both layouts?
Left
Right
Above
Below
Explore the situation
ㅡ is a long horizontal line. ㅣ is a long vertical line. Unlike ㅗ/ㅜ and ㅏ/ㅓ, neither has an added short line.
| Shape | Completed syllable | Layout |
|---|---|---|
| ㅡ | 으 | ㅇ above · ㅡ below |
| ㅣ | 이 | ㅇ on the left · ㅣ on the right |
Learn the key points
Above
Below
Left
Right
Above
Below
Left
Right
느 and 니 use the same ㄴ. In 느, ㅡ goes below; in 니, ㅣ goes on the right. Listen for the difference between the sounds too.
| Vowel group | Consonant and vowel positions | Vowels learned so far |
|---|---|---|
| Vertical vowels | Consonant on the left · vowel on the right | ㅏ · ㅑ · ㅓ · ㅕ · ㅣ |
| Horizontal vowels | Consonant above · vowel below | ㅗ · ㅛ · ㅜ · ㅠ · ㅡ |
How to make the sound
Try each sound briefly. These are starting cues, not an automatic pronunciation judgement.
으 · 이
For 으, keep lips unrounded with the back of your tongue high. For 이, raise the front of the tongue. Try moving from 우 toward 으 by unrounding the lips.
Listen and read
Listen to 으/이 and 느/니 as pairs. Then use the familiar consonant ㅁ to compare 므/미.
Compare the sounds
Try it with help
Choose one consonant from ㅇ, ㄴ and ㅁ, and one vowel from ㅡ and ㅣ. Check the vowel's position, then read the completed syllable.
Examples by condition
| Consonant | Vowel | Final consonant | Syllable |
|---|---|---|---|
| ㅇ | ㅡ | None | 으 |
| ㅇ | ㅣ | None | 이 |
| ㄴ | ㅡ | None | 느 |
| ㄴ | ㅣ | None | 니 |
| ㅁ | ㅡ | None | 므 |
| ㅁ | ㅣ | None | 미 |
Write 으, 니 and 므 on paper. Change only the vowel to make 이, 느 and 미. Do not fill a final-consonant position.
Practice
These choices check the two vowels and their positions. They are not a record of syllables you have constructed yourself.
1. ㅇ + ㅡ = ?
- 이
- 으
- 우
2. Choose the vowel in 니.
- ㅡ
- ㅏ
- ㅣ
3. In 느, where is ㅡ relative to ㄴ?
- Below
- Right
- Above
4. ㅁ + ㅣ = ?
- 므
- 마
- 미
Try a new situation
Build six syllables without looking at a completed model. Select a layout for the given letters and type the syllable, or write it on paper first.
Build six syllables yourself
ㅇ + ㅡ
- Side by side
- Top and bottom
ㄴ + ㅣ
- Side by side
- Top and bottom
ㅁ + ㅡ
- Side by side
- Top and bottom
ㅇ + ㅣ
- Side by side
- Top and bottom
ㄴ + ㅡ
- Side by side
- Top and bottom
ㅁ + ㅣ
- Side by side
- Top and bottom
After building the syllables, practice reading them. The optional sound-and-card result is separate from the six written combinations.
Tasks
Read the text and practise saying it aloud.
First order
- 니 → 니
- 으 → 으
- 미 → 미
- 느 → 느
- 이 → 이
- 므 → 므
Review order
- 미 → 미
- 느 → 느
- 으 → 으
- 니 → 니
- 므 → 므
- 이 → 이
Check your learning
These six questions check letters and positions. Consider your six written combinations and reading aloud separately.
1. ㄴ + ㅡ = ?
- 느
- 니
- 누
2. ㅇ + ㅣ = ?
- 으
- 우
- 이
3. In 이, where is ㅣ relative to ㅇ?
- Below
- Right
- Above
4. ㅁ + ㅡ = ?
- 므
- 미
- 모
5. Choose the horizontal vowel ㅡ.
- ㅣ
- ㅜ
- ㅡ
6. Which syllable has its vowel to the right of the consonant?
- 누
- 니
- 느
Reflect on your reading
Tick only what you actually checked. Feedback from another person is optional and is not required to finish the lesson.
Answers and explanations
Show answers and explanations
Practice questions
1. ㅇ + ㅡ = ?
Answer: 으
Place ㅡ below ㅇ to make 으.
- 이 — 이 has ㅣ on the right.
- 우 — 우 contains ㅜ.
2. Choose the vowel in 니.
Answer: ㅣ
니 combines ㄴ and ㅣ.
- ㅡ — ㅡ would make 느.
- ㅏ — ㅏ would make 나.
3. In 느, where is ㅡ relative to ㄴ?
Answer: Below
The horizontal vowel ㅡ goes below the consonant.
- Right — In 니, ㅣ is on the right; 느 has a different layout.
- Above — ㄴ occupies the upper position.
4. ㅁ + ㅣ = ?
Answer: 미
Put ㅣ to the right of ㅁ to make 미.
- 므 — 므 has ㅡ below.
- 마 — 마 has ㅏ on the right.
Learning check
1. ㄴ + ㅡ = ?
Answer: 느
Place ㅡ below ㄴ to make 느.
- 니 — 니 uses ㅣ.
- 누 — 누 uses ㅜ.
2. ㅇ + ㅣ = ?
Answer: 이
Place ㅣ to the right of ㅇ to make 이.
- 으 — 으 contains ㅡ.
- 우 — 우 contains ㅜ.
3. In 이, where is ㅣ relative to ㅇ?
Answer: Right
The vertical vowel ㅣ goes to the right of ㅇ.
- Below — ㅡ goes below, but ㅣ goes on the right.
- Above — 이 does not use a top-and-bottom layout.
4. ㅁ + ㅡ = ?
Answer: 므
Put ㅁ above ㅡ to make 므.
- 미 — 미 uses ㅣ.
- 모 — 모 uses ㅗ.
5. Choose the horizontal vowel ㅡ.
Answer: ㅡ
ㅡ is a horizontal line with no added short line.
- ㅣ — ㅣ is a vertical line.
- ㅜ — ㅜ has a short line pointing down.
6. Which syllable has its vowel to the right of the consonant?
Answer: 니
In 니, ㅣ is to the right of ㄴ.
- 누 — In 누, ㅜ is below.
- 느 — In 느, ㅡ is below.
Build six syllables yourself
ㅇ + ㅡ
으
Top and bottom
ㄴ + ㅣ
니
Side by side
ㅁ + ㅡ
므
Top and bottom
ㅇ + ㅣ
이
Side by side
ㄴ + ㅡ
느
Top and bottom
ㅁ + ㅣ
미
Side by side
Task transcripts
Opening these transcripts marks this lesson’s sound-and-card tasks as supported practice.
Model order
으 · 이 · 느 · 니
First order
니 · 으 · 미 · 느 · 이 · 므
Alternate order
미 · 느 · 으 · 니 · 므 · 이
Review and continue
Come back to these
Later today
Hide ㅡ and ㅣ, write them from memory, then combine them as 으 and 이.
One recall task
Write ㄴ + ㅣ in one block.
Change the order
Build ㅁ+ㅡ, ㅇ+ㅣ and ㄴ+ㅡ without a model.
Check again
Group the ten basic vowel letters by their layouts, then read 으, 이, 느 and 니 again.
Review what felt difficult
The two layouts are confusingReview where the vowels go in 거 and 고. →ㅡ and ㅣ are difficult to hearListen to two syllables repeatedly and try reading them. Do not infer pronunciation from a visual score. →Repeat an activity whenever you need more practice.