Typing Korean on phones and computers

The most widely used Korean layout is 두벌식 (dubeolsik), meaning "two sets." Consonants sit on the left-hand side and vowels on the right-hand side. The dubeolsik arrangement is the national standard, KS X 5002, so almost every keyboard sold in Korea follows it. Once you learn it, typing on any Korean computer feels familiar.

세벌식 (sebeolsik), "three sets," gives separate keys to initial consonants, vowels and final consonants. Because final consonants have their own keys, syllables assemble very clearly, and some fans find it comfortable for fast typing. It has far fewer users, though, so beginners usually find it more practical to start with the standard dubeolsik layout.

The standard dubeolsik layout puts consonants on the left-hand side and vowels on the right-hand side, with ㅠ as the only vowel on the left. The number and symbol rows are nearly the same as an English keyboard. If your keys have no Hangul printed on them, open your operating system's on-screen keyboard viewer or use Hangul key stickers to learn the positions.

On a dubeolsik keyboard, hold Shift and press the consonant. Shift with ㅂ, ㅈ, ㄷ, ㄱ, ㅅ gives ㅃ, ㅉ, ㄸ, ㄲ, ㅆ. The vowels work the same way: Shift with ㅐ and ㅔ gives ㅒ and ㅖ. On a phone's QWERTY Korean keyboard, tap the Shift arrow first and then the letter.

No. With dubeolsik you simply type consonants and vowels in order, and the input system assembles the syllables. Typing ㅎ, ㅏ, ㄴ gives 한. If you then type a vowel, the ㄴ jumps to start the next syllable, so ㅎㅏㄴㅏ becomes 하나 (hana). Watch the screen as you type to make sure the blocks come out the way you intended.

Type the two consonants one after the other. For 닭 (dak, chicken), press ㄷ, ㅏ, ㄹ, ㄱ, and the system combines ㄹ and ㄱ into the final ㄺ. For 앉다 (anda, to sit), press ㅇ, ㅏ, ㄴ, ㅈ, ㄷ, ㅏ. If a block comes out wrong, press the right arrow key to finish the syllable and try again.

On a Korean keyboard, press the 한/영 (han/yeong) key to the right of the space bar. On other keyboards with the Korean input method added, the right Alt key often does the same job. You can also click the 한 or A indicator in the taskbar at the bottom right of the screen to toggle the input mode.

On Windows, open Settings, go to Time and language, then Language, and add Korean. On a Mac, open System Settings, choose Keyboard, and add Korean 2-Set (dubeolsik) under Input Sources. Menu names change slightly between operating system versions, so check the official help pages if something looks different on your device.

On a Mac you usually press Control plus Space to change input sources, and depending on your settings, Caps Lock can toggle between Korean and English. You can also pick the language from the input menu in the menu bar. Shortcuts can be customized, so when using someone else's Mac, check the menu bar first.

Go to Settings, then General, Keyboard, Keyboards, and tap Add New Keyboard, then choose Korean. While typing, tap the globe button to switch languages, or press and hold it to see a list of all your keyboards and pick Korean directly. Menu names may differ slightly depending on your iOS version.

Open the settings of your default keyboard or Gboard, add a language, and choose Korean. You can usually select a QWERTY (dubeolsik) layout or a keypad layout such as Cheonjiin. Switch languages with the globe key or by long-pressing the space bar, depending on the keyboard. Menus vary a little by phone maker, so look for Languages in the keyboard settings.

천지인 (cheonjiin) means "heaven, earth, human," and it builds every vowel from three keys: a dot for heaven (·), a horizontal line for earth (ㅡ) and a vertical line for human (ㅣ). Pressing ㅣ then · makes ㅏ. Inspired by the vowel design principles of Hunminjeongeum, it was widespread on older keypad phones and is still available as an option.

There is no right answer, so choose what feels comfortable. The QWERTY layout matches computer dubeolsik, so you learn both at once. Cheonjiin has bigger keys, which many people find easier for one-handed typing. Learners often start with QWERTY because the same muscle memory works on a laptop, then try Cheonjiin out of curiosity.

Your input language was set to English while you pressed the keys for Hangul, so the English letters on those same keys came out as a meaningless string. Press the Korean and English switch key and type again. Korean speakers make this slip all the time, and it is even a running joke online when someone posts a message in the wrong mode.

Yes. Most smartphone keyboards support Korean voice input. Tap the microphone button on the keyboard, speak Korean, and your words appear as text. It doubles as pronunciation practice: if the sentence comes out exactly as you meant, your pronunciation is clear enough to be understood. Always reread the result, since names and slang can be misheard.

Yes. Many phone keyboards offer a handwriting mode where you draw Hangul on the screen and it turns into text. This is handy for copying an unfamiliar word from a sign or menu so you can look it up. Writing with the correct stroke order tends to improve recognition, so it pairs well with handwriting practice.

In the Windows Korean input method, type a word in Hangul and press the 한자 (hanja) key to see a list of matching Chinese characters. On keyboards without that key, the right Ctrl key often does the same job. It is handy when you want to see the characters behind a four-character idiom or a name.

They help, but do not rely on them completely. Phone keyboards suggest common words, so slang and names can be changed in odd ways. Reread important messages before sending them. When spelling is unclear, checking the National Institute of Korean Language's Standard Korean Language Dictionary is a good habit that also builds your vocabulary.

First learn finger positions without looking at the keys. As with English typing, your index fingers rest on the F and J keys, which have small bumps. Repeat short sentences with a typing practice program or app, then try typing out favorite song lyrics or drama lines to keep it fun while your speed grows.

Just press consonant keys in a row. Without a vowel, ㅋㅋ (laughter) or ㅎㅎ (a soft smile) stay as separate consonants and do not combine into syllables. On phones, many people find QWERTY faster for this than Cheonjiin, which needs repeated taps on the same key. Keep these out of formal writing such as emails or applications.