If you’re trying to write V in Korean Hangul, you’ll quickly hit a wall. Why? It’s because there’s no V sound in Hangul.
But that doesn’t mean Koreans never say V-sounding words. They just adapt them using the closest sounds available in the Korean alphabet.
Let’s break it down.
Why You Can’t Write V in Korean Hangul
Hangul, the Korean writing system, was created in the 15th century. It was designed to match the sounds of the Korean language—and Korean has no native “V” sound.
That’s why even today, modern Korean learners have to work around the V using other sounds in the Hangul set.
The Common Substitution: ㅂ (B Sound)
When Korean speakers need to say a V word, they usually substitute it with the ㅂ sound, which is pronounced like a soft “B.”
English Word Hangul Pronunciation
Vanilla 바닐라 ba-nil-la
Video 비디오 bi-di-o
Voice 보이스 bo-i-seu
As you can see, there’s no direct letter V. Instead, 바 (ba), 비 (bi), or 보 (bo) are used.
It’s not a perfect match—but it’s close enough that Koreans understand the meaning instantly.
If You’re Trying to Write V in Korean Hangul, How Can You Create a V Sound in Korean?
Some speakers might try to pronounce V more accurately by forcing their bottom lip and top teeth together. But this is not natural in Korean speech patterns—and there’s no letter for it.
Even if you force the V sound, you’ll still write it using ㅂ, because that’s the standard phonetic workaround.
What This Means for Learners
If you’re learning Korean and your name, nickname, or brand uses a V—don’t try to invent a new sound. Use ㅂ.
Examples:
- “Victoria” → 빅토리아 (Bik-to-ri-a)
- “Television” → 텔레비전 (Tel-le-bi-jeon)
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