You can type Korean on any English keyboard. Korean uses a 2-set layout (두벌식): consonants sit under the left hand and vowels under the right, and the letters stack into one syllable block by themselves — R is ㄱ and K is ㅏ, so R then K types 가. Hold Shift on Q, W, E, R or T for the double consonants ㅃ ㅉ ㄸ ㄲ ㅆ. Type below with your own keyboard or tap the keys, with nothing to install, and tap any letter to see its name, its sound and what it means in text messages: ㅋㅋ is laughing and ㅠㅠ is crying.
Key facts — koreankorea.com free Korean course
- The standard Korean keyboard is the 2-set layout (두벌식): consonants are on the left-hand keys and vowels on the right, and letters join into syllable blocks automatically.
- On a Korean keyboard, Shift + Q, W, E, R and T type the double consonants ㅃ, ㅉ, ㄸ, ㄲ and ㅆ.
- Combined vowels take two key presses: ㅘ is ㅗ + ㅏ (H then K) and ㅢ is ㅡ + ㅣ (M then L).
- In Korean texts ㅋㅋ means laughing, ㅎㅎ is a softer laugh and ㅠㅠ or ㅜㅜ means crying.
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The Korean keyboard layout
This is the standard Korean layout on computers and phones in Korea, also called 2-beolsik (두벌식) or “2-Set Korean”. Each English key types one Korean letter; the keyboard decides whether a consonant starts or ends a syllable, so you type in the same order you read.
| Key | Letter | Name | With Shift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q | ㅂ | ▶ 비읍 | ㅃ ▶ 쌍비읍 |
| W | ㅈ | ▶ 지읒 | ㅉ ▶ 쌍지읒 |
| E | ㄷ | ▶ 디귿 | ㄸ ▶ 쌍디귿 |
| R | ㄱ | ▶ 기역 | ㄲ ▶ 쌍기역 |
| T | ㅅ | ▶ 시옷 | ㅆ ▶ 쌍시옷 |
| Y | ㅛ | ▶ 요 | |
| U | ㅕ | ▶ 여 | |
| I | ㅑ | ▶ 야 | |
| O | ㅐ | ▶ 애 | ㅒ ▶ 얘 |
| P | ㅔ | ▶ 에 | ㅖ ▶ 예 |
| A | ㅁ | ▶ 미음 | |
| S | ㄴ | ▶ 니은 | |
| D | ㅇ | ▶ 이응 | |
| F | ㄹ | ▶ 리을 | |
| G | ㅎ | ▶ 히읗 | |
| H | ㅗ | ▶ 오 | |
| J | ㅓ | ▶ 어 | |
| K | ㅏ | ▶ 아 | |
| L | ㅣ | ▶ 이 | |
| Z | ㅋ | ▶ 키읔 | |
| X | ㅌ | ▶ 티읕 | |
| C | ㅊ | ▶ 치읓 | |
| V | ㅍ | ▶ 피읖 | |
| B | ㅠ | ▶ 유 | |
| N | ㅜ | ▶ 우 | |
| M | ㅡ | ▶ 으 |
How common words are typed
Read a syllable block left to right, then top to bottom, and press the keys in that order. Combined vowels and double final consonants take two key presses.
| Word | Keys |
|---|---|
| ▶ 안녕하세요 | D K S S U D G K T P D Y |
| ▶ 감사합니다 | R K A T K G K Q S L E K |
| ▶ 한국 | G K S R N R |
| ▶ 사랑해요 | T K F K D G O D Y |
| ▶ 값 | R K Q T |
Combined vowels
| Vowel | Made of | Keys | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| ㅘ | ㅗ + ㅏ | H + K | ▶ 사과 |
| ㅙ | ㅗ + ㅐ | H + O | ▶ 왜 |
| ㅚ | ㅗ + ㅣ | H + L | ▶ 회사 |
| ㅝ | ㅜ + ㅓ | N + J | ▶ 뭐 |
| ㅞ | ㅜ + ㅔ | N + P | ▶ 웨이터 |
| ㅟ | ㅜ + ㅣ | N + L | ▶ 귀 |
| ㅢ | ㅡ + ㅣ | M + L | ▶ 의사 |
ㅒ and ㅖ have their own keys: Shift + O and Shift + P. Double final consonants are typed one after the other, too: 값 is ㄱ ㅏ ㅂ ㅅ (R K Q T) and 닭 is ㄷ ㅏ ㄹ ㄱ (E K F R).
Every Korean letter: name, sound and key
Consonants have names (ㄱ is 기역, ㅎ is 히읗); a vowel is called by its own sound. “Sound” shows the Revised Romanization at the start / end of a syllable. ㄸ ㅃ ㅉ never end a syllable, and ㅇ is silent at the start.
| Letter | Name | Sound | Key | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ㄱ | ▶ 기역 giyeok |
g / k | R | ▶ 가방 gabang — bag |
| ㄲ | ▶ 쌍기역 ssanggiyeok |
kk / k | Shift+R | ▶ 꽃 kkot — flower |
| ㄴ | ▶ 니은 nieun |
n / n | S | ▶ 나무 namu — tree |
| ㄷ | ▶ 디귿 digeut |
d / t | E | ▶ 다리 dari — leg, bridge |
| ㄸ | ▶ 쌍디귿 ssangdigeut |
tt | Shift+E | ▶ 딸기 ttalgi — strawberry |
| ㄹ | ▶ 리을 rieul |
r / l | F | ▶ 라면 ramyeon — instant noodles |
| ㅁ | ▶ 미음 mieum |
m / m | A | ▶ 물 mul — water |
| ㅂ | ▶ 비읍 bieup |
b / p | Q | ▶ 밥 bap — rice, a meal |
| ㅃ | ▶ 쌍비읍 ssangbieup |
pp | Shift+Q | ▶ 빵 ppang — bread |
| ㅅ | ▶ 시옷 siot |
s / t | T | ▶ 사람 saram — person |
| ㅆ | ▶ 쌍시옷 ssangsiot |
ss / t | Shift+T | ▶ 쌀 ssal — uncooked rice |
| ㅇ | ▶ 이응 ieung |
(silent) / ng | D | ▶ 강 gang — river |
| ㅈ | ▶ 지읒 jieut |
j / t | W | ▶ 집 jip — house |
| ㅉ | ▶ 쌍지읒 ssangjieut |
jj | Shift+W | ▶ 짜장면 jjajangmyeon — black bean noodles |
| ㅊ | ▶ 치읓 chieut |
ch / t | C | ▶ 차 cha — tea, car |
| ㅋ | ▶ 키읔 kieuk |
k / k | Z | ▶ 커피 keopi — coffee |
| ㅌ | ▶ 티읕 tieut |
t / t | X | ▶ 토끼 tokki — rabbit |
| ㅍ | ▶ 피읖 pieup |
p / p | V | ▶ 포도 podo — grapes |
| ㅎ | ▶ 히읗 hieut |
h / t | G | ▶ 하나 hana — one |
| ㅏ | ▶ 아 a |
a | K | ▶ 아빠 appa — dad |
| ㅐ | ▶ 애 ae |
ae | O | ▶ 개 gae — dog |
| ㅑ | ▶ 야 ya |
ya | I | ▶ 야구 yagu — baseball |
| ㅒ | ▶ 얘 yae |
yae | Shift+O | ▶ 얘기 yaegi — a talk, a story |
| ㅓ | ▶ 어 eo |
eo | J | ▶ 어머니 eomeoni — mother |
| ㅔ | ▶ 에 e |
e | P | ▶ 게 ge — crab |
| ㅕ | ▶ 여 yeo |
yeo | U | ▶ 여자 yeoja — woman |
| ㅖ | ▶ 예 ye |
ye | Shift+P | ▶ 예 ye — yes (polite) |
| ㅗ | ▶ 오 o |
o | H | ▶ 오이 oi — cucumber |
| ㅘ | ▶ 와 wa |
wa | H + K | ▶ 사과 sagwa — apple |
| ㅙ | ▶ 왜 wae |
wae | H + O | ▶ 왜 wae — why |
| ㅚ | ▶ 외 oe |
oe | H + L | ▶ 회사 hoesa — company |
| ㅛ | ▶ 요 yo |
yo | Y | ▶ 요리 yori — cooking |
| ㅜ | ▶ 우 u |
u | N | ▶ 우산 usan — umbrella |
| ㅝ | ▶ 워 wo |
wo | N + J | ▶ 뭐 mwo — what |
| ㅞ | ▶ 웨 we |
we | N + P | ▶ 웨이터 weiteo — waiter |
| ㅟ | ▶ 위 wi |
wi | N + L | ▶ 귀 gwi — ear |
| ㅠ | ▶ 유 yu |
yu | B | ▶ 우유 uyu — milk |
| ㅡ | ▶ 으 eu |
eu | M | ▶ 그림 geurim — picture |
| ㅢ | ▶ 의 ui |
ui | M + L | ▶ 의사 uisa — doctor |
| ㅣ | ▶ 이 i |
i | L | ▶ 이름 ireum — name |
What ㅋㅋ, ㅎㅎ and ㅠㅠ mean in Korean texts
In chats Koreans often type only the first consonants of a word. These are the ones you will see most.
| Written | Short for | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ㅋㅋ | ▶ 크크 | laughing, like "lol" — more ㅋ means a bigger laugh |
| ㅎㅎ | ▶ 하하 | a soft laugh or a smile, warmer than ㅋㅋ |
| ㅠㅠ / ㅜㅜ | — | crying eyes — sad, touched or sorry |
| ㅇㅇ | ▶ 응응 | yes, OK |
| ㅇㅋ | ▶ 오케이 | OK |
| ㄱㄱ | ▶ 고고 | let’s go |
| ㄴㄴ | ▶ 노노 | no, no |
| ㄱㅅ | ▶ 감사 | thanks |
| ㅈㅅ | ▶ 죄송 | sorry |
| ㅊㅋ | ▶ 축하 | congratulations |
| ㄱㅊ | ▶ 괜찮아 | it’s fine, no problem |
| ㅂㅂ | ▶ 바이바이 | bye bye |
| ㅎㅇ | ▶ 하이 | hi |
| ㄷㄷ | ▶ 덜덜 | trembling — "wow" or "scary" |
| ㅡㅡ | — | an annoyed, blank face |
| ㅗ | — | a rude middle-finger sign — do not send it |
How to add a Korean keyboard to your phone or computer
- Windows — Settings → Time & language → Language & region → Add a language → Korean. Switch languages with Windows + Space, then switch between Korean and English letters with the 한/영 key or the right Alt key.
- Mac — System Settings → Keyboard → Text Input → Input Sources → Edit → + → Korean → 2-Set Korean. Switch with Control + Space or the Globe key.
- iPhone and iPad — Settings → General → Keyboard → Keyboards → Add New Keyboard → Korean → Standard. Tap the globe key to switch.
- Android — in your keyboard app’s settings (for example Gboard → Languages → Add keyboard), add Korean and choose the QWERTY-style layout, which matches this page.
Menu names can differ slightly between versions. On a shared or hotel computer you can use the keyboard on this page instead.
Learn the letters in order on our Korean alphabet chart, and see how typed words are really said on Korean pronunciation rules.
This page is part of our free Korean course — Stage 1: Hangul · Stage 2: Beginner · Stage 3: Intermediate · Stage 4: Advanced.
🔤 Korean alphabet chart✍️ Your name in Korean🗣️ Korean pronunciation1️⃣ Course stage 1: Hangul🗣️ Korean phrases
FAQ
How do I type Korean on an English keyboard?
Use the 2-set layout: each key types one Korean letter (R is ㄱ, K is ㅏ, S is ㄴ) and the letters join into syllable blocks automatically. Type in reading order — 한 is G K S. You can use the keyboard on this page without installing anything.
How do I type ㄲ, ㄸ, ㅃ, ㅆ and ㅉ?
Hold Shift and press R (ㄲ), E (ㄸ), Q (ㅃ), T (ㅆ) or W (ㅉ). Shift + O and Shift + P give the vowels ㅒ and ㅖ.
How do I type ㅘ or ㅢ?
Combined vowels are two key presses: ㅘ is ㅗ + ㅏ (H then K), ㅝ is ㅜ + ㅓ (N then J) and ㅢ is ㅡ + ㅣ (M then L).
What does ㅋㅋ mean?
ㅋㅋ is laughter in Korean texts, like "lol"; it comes from 크크. The more ㅋ, the bigger the laugh. ㅎㅎ is a softer, friendlier laugh.
What does ㅠㅠ or ㅜㅜ mean?
They look like crying eyes with tears and show sadness, being touched or feeling sorry.
What is the letter ㅎ called?
ㅎ is called 히읗 (hieut). It sounds like "h" at the start of a syllable, as in 하나 (hana, "one").
The keyboard runs in your browser; nothing you type is sent anywhere unless you tap a translate link. Romanization: Revised Romanization of Korean. ▶ sounds use your browser’s Korean voice.
Last updated 2026-10-28. Editorial policy
