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  3. Korean Pronunciation
  • Front Vowel
  • Central Vowel
  • Back Vowel
  • y(ㅣ)-Glide Diphthong
  • w(ㅗ/ㅜ)-Glide Diphthong
  • (ㅢ) Diphthong
  • Bilabial Consonant
  • Alveolar Consonant
  • Palatal Consonant
  • Velar Consonant
  • Glottal Consonant

Pronunciation

ㅘ/wa/

Basic sound

• IPA: /wa/

• It is a compound vowel: ㅗ (/o/) + ㅏ (/a/)

• Sounds like “wa” in water (short and clean)

It is one syllable, not woo-ah.

How to pronounce it

1. Tongue:

  • Start mid-back (ㅗ position)
  • Glide quickly to low-front (ㅏ position)

2. Lips:

  • Rounded at the start, then relax

3. Jaw:

  • Opens during the glide

4. Timing:

  • One smooth motion: [wa]


Syllables composed by ㅘ and examples of words
No.
Vowel
Syllable
Word
Meaning
1 ㅘ 와 와이파이 Wi-Fi

Pronunciation

ㅝ/wɔ/

Basic sound

• IPA: /wʌ/

• It is a compound vowel: ㅜ (/u/) + ㅓ (/ʌ/)

• Sounds like “wuh” in won or wonder (short and clean)

It is one syllable, not woo-uh.

How to pronounce it

1. Tongue:

  • Start high and back (ㅜ position)
  • Glide to mid-back (ㅓ position)

2. Lips:

  • Rounded at the start, then relax

3. Jaw:

  • Opens moderately during the glide

4. Timing:

  • One smooth motion: [wʌ]


Syllables composed by ㅝ and examples of words
No.
Vowel
Syllable
Word
Meaning
1 ㅝ 워 워킹 walking

Pronunciation

ㅞ/we/

Basic sound

• IPA: /we/

• It is a compound vowel: ㅜ (/u/) + ㅔ (/e/)

• Sounds like “weh”, similar to we in wedding (short, not long)

In modern standard Korean, ㅞ is usually pronounced the same as ㅚ and ㅙ.

How to pronounce it

1. Tongue:

  • Start high-back (ㅜ position)
  • Glide to mid-front (ㅔ position)

2. Lips:

  • Rounded at the start, then unround

3. Jaw:

  • Opens slightly

4. Timing:

  • One smooth syllable: [we]


Syllables composed by ㅞ and examples of words
No.
Vowel
Syllable
Word
Meaning
1 ㅞ 웨 웨딩 wedding

Pronunciation

ㅙ/wɛ/

Basic sound

• IPA: /wɛ/

• It is a compound vowel: ㅗ (/o/) + ㅐ (/ɛ/)

• Sounds like “weh” (short and clean)

In modern Seoul Korean, ㅙ is usually pronounced the same as ㅚ or ㅞ.

How to pronounce it

1. Tongue:

  • Start mid-back (ㅗ position)
  • Glide to mid-low front (ㅐ position)

2. Lips:

  • Rounded at the start, then unround

3. Jaw:

  • Opens slightly

4. Timing:

  • One smooth syllable: [wɛ]


Syllables composed by ㅙ and examples of words
No.
Vowel
Syllable
Word
Meaning
1 ㅙ 왜 왜 why
Course Image

Greetings

This collection of 100 essential expressions focuses on greetings, daily interactions, politeness, and emotional connection—covering situations such as meeting someone, parting ways, showing gratitude, offering support, and expressing care.

Rather than memorizing isolated words, these phrases help learners understand how Korean is naturally used in real-life conversations. Many expressions include important cultural elements such as respect, hierarchy, and warmth, which are central to Korean communication.

By studying these phrases, learners will:

  • Develop practical speaking skills for daily conversations
  • Understand common sentence patterns and polite forms
  • Gain confidence in social and professional interactions
  • Become familiar with Korean cultural nuances

    Course Image

    Greetings

    This collection of 100 essential expressions focuses on greetings, daily interactions, politeness, and emotional connection—covering situations such as meeting someone, parting ways, showing gratitude, offering support, and expressing care.

    Rather than memorizing isolated words, these phrases help learners understand how Korean is naturally used in real-life conversations. Many expressions include important cultural elements such as respect, hierarchy, and warmth, which are central to Korean communication.

    By studying these phrases, learners will:

    • Develop practical speaking skills for daily conversations
    • Understand common sentence patterns and polite forms
    • Gain confidence in social and professional interactions
    • Become familiar with Korean cultural nuances

      Course Image

      Greetings

      This collection of 100 essential expressions focuses on greetings, daily interactions, politeness, and emotional connection—covering situations such as meeting someone, parting ways, showing gratitude, offering support, and expressing care.

      Rather than memorizing isolated words, these phrases help learners understand how Korean is naturally used in real-life conversations. Many expressions include important cultural elements such as respect, hierarchy, and warmth, which are central to Korean communication.

      By studying these phrases, learners will:

      • Develop practical speaking skills for daily conversations
      • Understand common sentence patterns and polite forms
      • Gain confidence in social and professional interactions
      • Become familiar with Korean cultural nuances