Korean Pronunciation Tips
Korean Pronunciation Tips
1. 그들은 is pronounced as [그드른] because the lower consonant ㄹ carries over to the following consonant ㅇ. Likewise 그것은 is pronounced as [그거슨] because the lower consonant ㅅ carries over to the following consonant ㅇ. Another example is 음식은, which is pronounced as [음시근], since the lower consonant ㄱ carries over to the following ㅇ consonant. The consonant under the CV form always carries over to the following ㅇ consonant.
***Exception) 좋아하다 is pronounced as [joahada], since in this case, the consonantㅎ does not carry over to the following ㅇ consonant.
2. All the consonants located under the CV form become stop sounds, with the exception of ㄴ, ㄹ, ㅁ, andㅇ.
Ex)
먹 is pronounced as [meok’] because the lower consonant ㄱ becomes a stopped k’ sound.
곧 is pronounced as [got’] because the lower consonant ㄷ becomes a stopped t’ sound.
밥 is pronounced as [ba:b’] because the lower consonant ㅂ becomes a stopped b’ sound.
것 is pronounced as [gut’] because the lower consonant ㅅ becomes a stopped t’ sound.
찾 is pronounced as [cha:t’] because the lower consonant ㅈ becomes a stopped t’ sound.
꽃 is pronounced as [ggot’] because the lower consonant ㅊ becomes a stopped t’ sound.
엌 is pronounced as [eok’] because the lower consonant ㅋ becomes a stopped k’ sound.
솥 is pronounced as [sot’] because the lower consonant ㅌ becomes a stopped t’ sound.
앞 is pronounced as [a:p’] because the lower consonant ㅍ becomes a stopped b’ sound.
3. If ㄴ, ㄹ, ㅁ, and ㅇ are located under the CV form, they are pronounced.
Ex) 사람 is pronounced as [saram] since the lower consonant ㅁ [m] is pronounced.
한 is pronounced as [han] since the lower consonant ㄴ [n] is pronounced.
물 is pronounced as [mul] since the lower consonant ㄹ [l] is pronounced.
강 is pronounced as [gang] since the lower consonant ㅇ [ng] is pronounced.
4. When two consonants are located underneath the CV form, only one dominant consonant is pronounced. For example, ㄲ [k’], ㄳ[k’], ㄺ[k’], ㅆ [t’], ㄵ[n], ㄴㅎ[n], ㄹㅎ [l], ㄽ[l], ㄾ[l], ㄻ[m],ㅄ[b’], ㄿ[b’], ㄹㅂ[l] and ㅆ [t’]
Ex) 많이 is pronounced as [ma:ni] because the lower consonant ㄴ is the dominant one.
닭 is pronounced as [da:k’] because the lower consonant ㄱ is the dominant one.
삶다 is pronounced as [sa:mda] because the lower consonant ㅁ is the dominant one.
없다is pronounced as [eo:b’da] because the lower consonant ㅂ is the dominant one.
여덟is pronounced as [yeodeol] because the lower consonant ㄹ is the dominant one.
앉다is pronounced as [a:nda] because the lower consonant ㄴ is the dominant one.
5. Double vowels ㅐ[ae] and ㅔ[e] are pronounced in almost the exact same way. Likewiseㅒ [yae] and ㅖ [ye] have similar pronunciations, and so do the double vowels ㅚ, ㅙ and ㅞ , which are pronounced as [we].
6. 1) The lower consonant ㅎ + the following consonantㄷ = ㅌ
낳다 [nata]
좋다 [jota]
따뜻해요 [ddaddeutaeyo]
2) The lower consonant ㅎ + the following consonant ㄱ = ㅋ
어떻게 [eoddeoke]
축하합니다 [chukahamnida]
특히 [teuki]
생각해요 [saenggakaeyo]
3) The lower consonant ㅂ + the following consonant ㅎ = ㅍ
잡히다 [japida]
7. ㅅ + ㅣ = 시 [shi]
ㅅ + ㅟ = 쉬 [she]
8. 1) If the consonantㄹ is underneath the CV form, it is pronounced as [l].
ex) 달 is pronounced as [dal] and 멀 is pronounced as [meol].
2) If ㄹ comes before the CV form, ㄹ is pronounced as [r].
ex) 다리 is pronounced as [dari] and 머리 is pronounced as [meori].
3) If the first consonantㄹ is placed after the antecedent syllable containing the bottom consonant ㄹ under its CV form, both of them are pronounced as [l].
ex) 달리 is pronounced as [dalli] and 멀리 is pronounced as [meolli]
For example, 연락처 is pronounced as [열락처] since the under consonant of the first syllable ㄴ is influenced by the first consonant in the second syllable ㄹ. Likewise, 관리 is pronounced as [괄리].
10. 작년 is pronounced as [장년] because the under consonant of the first syllable ㄱ is influenced by the first consonant in the second syllable ㄴ.
11. The Korean alphabet does not have the equivalent of the English letters “f”, “v”, “z”, “x” and “th”. Therefore, “f”, “v” and “z” can be replaced by “ㅍ”, “ㅂ”, and “ㅈ” respectively. “x” can be replaced by “ㅅ” or by “ㅈ”. “th” can be replaced by “ㄸ” (voiceless) or by “ㄷ” (voiced)”.