Weekend Reading Practice: Decoding Everyday Korean Words and Signs in Hangul

How to Use This Practice Chapter

Your goal is to decode Hangul the way you would in real life: quickly, accurately, and without “guessing.” For each item, follow the same routine:

• Step A — Split into syllable blocks (each block is one beat).
• Step B — Mark any 받침 (final consonant) in each block.
• Step C — Apply sound rules only if needed (linking to a following vowel, or common tensing/assimilation patterns).
• Step D — Say it out loud once slowly, then at normal speed.

When you see → below, it shows a helpful “spoken flow” after applying rules (when applicable).

1) Ultra-Short Signage Words (Real-Life Speed Drills)

These are the kinds of words you’ll see on doors, walls, and counters. We’ll decode them systematically.

출구 (Exit)

• Blocks: 출 / 구
• Batchim: 출 has ㄹ as 받침
• Rule check: Next block starts with ㄱ (not a vowel), so no linking from ㄹ.
• Read: 출구 (keep the ㄹ closed in the first block)

입구 (Entrance)

• Blocks: 입 / 구
• Batchim: 입 has ㅂ 받침
• Rule check: Next starts with ㄱ (not a vowel), so no vowel-linking. In natural speech, the ㅂ 받침 is held and released into the next sound.
• Read: 입구

화장실 (Restroom)

• Blocks: 화 / 장 / 실
• Batchim: 장 has ㅇ 받침
• Rule check: No special linking needed (next starts with ㅅ, not a vowel).
• Read: 화장실

계산대 (Checkout counter)

• Blocks: 계 / 산 / 대
• Batchim: 산 has ㄴ 받침
• Rule check: Next starts with ㄷ (not a vowel), so no linking.
• Read: 계산대

Fast “Door Scan” Drill

Read each line twice: first slowly (block by block), then at normal speed.

• 출구
• 입구
• 화장실
• 계산대
• 입구 / 출구
• 화장실 / 계산대

2) Common Public-Facing Words + Simple Menu Items

Now move from “sign labels” to everyday nouns you’ll see on maps, storefronts, and menus.

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Public places & transportation

Menu-style basics (brand-neutral)

“Map & Menu” Mixed Drill

Cover the romanization in your mind (don’t translate). Just decode Hangul.

• 버스
• 지하철
• 약국
• 병원
• 카페
• 커피
• 차
• 물
• 카페 물
• 약국 입구

3) Read → Cover → Write → Read Again (RCWR) Cycles

This cycle builds automaticity: reading and writing reinforce each other. Use a timer if you want: 30–60 seconds per set.

Cycle Instructions

1. Read the list aloud once, slowly.
2. Cover the list (use your hand or a paper).
3. Write the items from memory in Hangul (don’t worry about beauty; aim for correct blocks and 받침).
4. Read again what you wrote, then uncover and compare.

RCWR Set A (Signs)

• 출구
• 입구
• 화장실
• 계산대

RCWR Set B (Public places)

• 버스
• 지하철
• 약국
• 병원
• 카페

RCWR Set C (Menu basics)

• 커피
• 차
• 물
• 카페

Self-check rubric (quick)

• Did you keep the same number of blocks as the original?
• Did you place the 받침 in the correct block (not drifting into the next one)?
• Did you confuse any similar vowels (ㅓ/ㅗ, ㅏ/ㅓ, ㅜ/ㅡ, ㅐ/ㅔ)?
• Did you accidentally write a tense consonant (ㄲ/ㄸ/ㅃ/ㅆ/ㅉ) when it wasn’t there?

4) Error-Correction Practice (Spot What Changed)

Each pair is intentionally similar. Your job: (1) circle the block that changed, (2) name what changed (받침? vowel? tense consonant?), (3) read both out loud.

A) 받침 changes (final consonant differences)

• 물 vs 문 (받침 ㄹ vs ㄴ)
• 산 vs 살 (받침 ㄴ vs ㄹ)
• 약 vs 양 (받침 ㄱ vs ㅇ)
• 입 vs 일 (받침 ㅂ vs ㄹ)

B) Vowel swaps (same consonants, different vowel)

• 카 vs 커 (ㅏ vs ㅓ)
• 구 vs 고 (ㅜ vs ㅗ)
• 차 vs 처 (ㅏ vs ㅓ)
• 계 vs 게 (ㅖ/ㅔ family look-alike; focus on the vowel shape)

C) Tense consonants (plain vs tense)

• 사 vs 싸 (ㅅ vs ㅆ)
• 다 vs 따 (ㄷ vs ㄸ)
• 바 vs 빠 (ㅂ vs ㅃ)
• 자 vs 짜 (ㅈ vs ㅉ)

D) Block boundary awareness (same letters, different grouping)

These force you to respect syllable blocks. Read each slowly, tapping once per block.

• 병원 (병/원) vs 병 (병)
• 지하철 (지/하/철) vs 지하 (지/하)
• 화장실 (화/장/실) vs 화장 (화/장)

5) Mini Assessment (30–40 Items) + Decoding-Step Answer Key

Instructions: For each item: (1) split into blocks with a slash, (2) underline any 받침, (3) if the next block begins with ㅇ (vowel-initial), check whether linking changes the flow, (4) read aloud.

Assessment List (40 items)

Answer Key with Decoding Steps

Note: For single blocks, the “blocks” step is just the one block. For multi-block words/phrases, the key shows block splits and where 받침 appears. If a word naturally flows due to a vowel-initial next block, it’s noted.

1) 가: blocks 가 | 받침 none | read 가
2) 나: blocks 나 | 받침 none | read 나
3) 다: blocks 다 | 받침 none | read 다
4) 바: blocks 바 | 받침 none | read 바
5) 사: blocks 사 | 받침 none | read 사
6) 싸: blocks 싸 | 받침 none | tense ㅆ | read 싸
7) 차: blocks 차 | 받침 none | read 차
8) 물: blocks 물 | 받침 ㄹ | read 물
9) 문: blocks 문 | 받침 ㄴ | read 문
10) 산: blocks 산 | 받침 ㄴ | read 산
11) 살: blocks 살 | 받침 ㄹ | read 살
12) 약: blocks 약 | 받침 ㄱ | read 약
13) 양: blocks 양 | 받침 ㅇ | read 양
14) 출구: blocks 출/구 | 받침 ㄹ in 출 | no linking | read 출구
15) 입구: blocks 입/구 | 받침 ㅂ in 입 | no linking | read 입구
16) 화장실: blocks 화/장/실 | 받침 ㅇ in 장 | no linking | read 화장실
17) 계산대: blocks 계/산/대 | 받침 ㄴ in 산 | no linking | read 계산대
18) 버스: blocks 버/스 | 받침 none | read 버스
19) 지하철: blocks 지/하/철 | 받침 ㄹ in 철 | read 지하철
20) 약국: blocks 약/국 | 받침 ㄱ in 약 | read 약국
21) 병원: blocks 병/원 | 받침 ㅇ in 병 | next block vowel-initial (ㅇ) so it flows smoothly | read 병원
22) 카페: blocks 카/페 | 받침 none | read 카페
23) 커피: blocks 커/피 | 받침 none | read 커피
24) 차: blocks 차 | 받침 none | read 차
25) 물: blocks 물 | 받침 ㄹ | read 물
26) 입구 출구: blocks 입/구 + 출/구 | 받침 ㅂ in 입, ㄹ in 출 | read 입구 출구
27) 화장실 입구: blocks 화/장/실 + 입/구 | 받침 ㅇ in 장, ㅂ in 입 | read 화장실 입구
28) 계산대: blocks 계/산/대 | 받침 ㄴ in 산 | read 계산대
29) 버스: blocks 버/스 | 받침 none | read 버스
30) 지하철 출구: blocks 지/하/철 + 출/구 | 받침 ㄹ in 철, ㄹ in 출 | read 지하철 출구
31) 약국 입구: blocks 약/국 + 입/구 | 받침 ㄱ in 약, ㅂ in 입 | read 약국 입구
32) 병원 입구: blocks 병/원 + 입/구 | 받침 ㅇ in 병, ㅂ in 입 | 병/원 flows (vowel-initial 원) | read 병원 입구
33) 카페: blocks 카/페 | read 카페
34) 카페 물: blocks 카/페 + 물 | 받침 ㄹ in 물 | read 카페 물
35) 커피: blocks 커/피 | read 커피
36) 커피 물: blocks 커/피 + 물 | 받침 ㄹ in 물 | read 커피 물
37) 차 물: blocks 차 + 물 | 받침 ㄹ in 물 | read 차 물
38) 출구: blocks 출/구 | 받침 ㄹ in 출 | read 출구
39) 입구: blocks 입/구 | 받침 ㅂ in 입 | read 입구
40) 화장실: blocks 화/장/실 | 받침 ㅇ in 장 | read 화장실