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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

ㄷ/t/

1. Basic identity of ㄷ

• Type: Plain alveolar stop

• IPA (basic): /t/

• Articulation: Tongue tip touches the alveolar ridge (just behind the upper teeth)

• No aspiration, no strong voicing

ㄷ is neither English /d/ nor /t/ exactly.

2. Pronunciation by position

Word / syllable initial

• Sound: /t/ (unaspirated)

• Close to t in stop (not top)

Example:

다 → [ta]

도시 → [to-si]

Between vowels

• Sound: /d/

• Becomes voiced

Example:

바다 → [pa-da]

어디 → [ʌ-di]

Final consonant (받침)

• Sound: /t̚/

• No release, no voicing

• ㄷ[t] is the represented sound of ㄷ, ㅌ, ㅅ, ㅆ, ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅎ.

Unreleased [t]. Tongue touches alveolar ridge, stops airflow.

Example:

꽃밭 → [kkot-bat̚]

옷 → [ot̚]

Syllables composed by ㄷ and examples of words
No.
Vowel
Syllable
Word
Meaning
1 ㅣ 디 디지털 digital
2 ㅔ 데 데우다 to heat up
3 ㅐ 대 대학교 university
4 ㅚ 되 되다 to become
5 ㅟ 뒤 뒤 back
1 ㅡ 드 드물다 rare
2 ㅓ 더 더하기 addition
3 ㅏ 다 다리 bridge
1 ㅗ 도 도시 city
2 ㅜ 두 두뇌 brain
1 ㅠ 듀 듀티프리 duty-free
1 ㅙ 돼 돼지고기 pork

Pronunciation

ㄸ/t͈/

1. Basic identity of ㄸ

• Type: Tense (fortis) alveolar stop

• IPA: /t͈/

• Articulation: Tongue firmly against the alveolar ridge

• No aspiration, no voicing

ㄸ is sharp, tight, and dry, not airy.

2. How to pronounce ㄸ correctly

Step-by-step

1. Tongue:

  • Press the tongue tip firmly behind the upper teeth

2. Muscle tension:

  • Keep the tongue and throat tight

3. Air:

  • Do not release air

4. Release:

  • Short and explosive

Think of “stop the air, then snap”.

3. Position rules

• ㄸ appears only at the beginning of a syllable

• Never appears as a final consonant (받침)

Examples

• 따다 /t͈a-da/ (pick)

• 딸 /t͈al/ (daughter)

• 또 /t͈o/ (again)


Syllables composed by ㄸ and examples of words
No.
Vowel
Syllable
Word
Meaning
1 ㅣ 띠 띠 band
2 ㅔ 떼 떼 group
3 ㅐ 때 때 time
4 ㅟ 뛰 뛰다 to run
1 ㅡ 뜨 뜨다 to rise
2 ㅓ 떠 떠나다 to depart
3 ㅏ 따 따르다 to follow
1 ㅗ 또 또 again
2 ㅜ 뚜 뚜드리다 to hit
1 ㅢ 띄 띄우다 to send

Pronunciation

ㅌ/tʰ/

1. Basic identity of ㅌ

• Type: Aspirated alveolar stop

• IPA: /tʰ/

• Articulation: Tongue tip touches the alveolar ridge

• Strong burst of air, no voicing

ㅌ is defined by air, not tension.

2. How to pronounce ㅌ correctly

Step-by-step

1. Tongue:

  • Place tongue tip just behind upper teeth

2. Air:

  • Build pressure

3. Release:

  • Release with a strong puff of air

4. Voice:

  • Vocal cords do not vibrate

Hand test: you should clearly feel air on your palm.

3. Position rules

Word / syllable initial

• Clear /tʰ/

Example:

타 → [tʰa]

토마토 → [tʰo-ma-tʰo]

Between vowels

• Still aspirated

Example:

아타 → [a-tʰa]

기타 → [ki-tʰa]

Final consonant (받침)

• Pronounced as /t̚/

• No air, no release

Example:

끝 → [kɯt̚]

밭 → [pat̚]


Syllables composed by ㅌ and examples of words
No.
Vowel
Syllable
Word
Meaning
1 ㅣ 티 티셔츠 T-shirt
2 ㅔ 테 테 rim
3 ㅐ 태 태양 sun
4 ㅚ 퇴 퇴직 retirement
5 ㅟ 튀 튀기다 to fry
1 ㅡ 트 트다 to start
2 ㅓ 터 터 site
3 ㅏ 타 타다 to ride
1 ㅗ 토 토요일 Saturday
2 ㅜ 투 투자 investment
1 ㅠ 튜 튜브 tube

Pronunciation

ㅅ/s/

1. Basic identity of ㅅ

• Type: Alveolar fricative

• IPA (basic): /s/

• Articulation: Air flows between tongue and alveolar ridge

• Voiceless

ㅅ is close to English /s/, but with an important rule before ㅣ / ㅑ / ㅕ / ㅛ / ㅠ.

2. Pronunciation by following vowel

Before most vowels

• Sound: /s/

Example:

사 → [sa]

소 → [so]

수 → [su]

서 → [sʌ]

Before ㅣ and i-glides (palatalization)

• Sound: /ɕ/ (soft “sh” sound)

Example:

시 → [ɕi]

샤 → [ɕa]

셔 → [ɕʌ]

쇼 → [ɕo]

슈 → [ɕu]

This is automatic in Korean.

Final consonant (받침)

• Sound: /t̚/

• Stops completely, no air

Example:

옷 → [ot̚]


Syllables composed by ㅅ and examples of words
No.
Vowel
Syllable
Word
Meaning
1 ㅣ 시 시장 market
2 ㅔ 세 세계 world
3 ㅐ 새 새 bird
4 ㅚ 쇠 쇠고기 beef
5 ㅟ 쉬 쉬다 to rest
1 ㅡ 스 스마트폰 smartphone
2 ㅓ 서 서양 Western world
3 ㅏ 사 사진 photograph
1 ㅗ 소 소개 introduction
2 ㅜ 수 수 water
1 ㅛ 쇼 쇼핑 shopping
2 ㅠ 슈 슈퍼마켓 supermarket
3 ㅖ 셰 셰어 share
1 ㅙ 쇄 쇄신 renovation
2 ㅞ 쉐 쉐푸드 seafood

Pronunciation

ㅆ/s͈/

1. Basic identity of ㅆ

• Type: Tense (fortis) alveolar fricative

• IPA: /s͈/

• Before ㅣ, ㅑ, ㅕ, ㅛ, ㅠ → /ɕ͈/

• Strong tension, no voicing

ㅆ is not louder, but tighter and sharper than ㅅ.

2. How to pronounce ㅆ correctly

Step-by-step

1. Tongue:

  • Place close to alveolar ridge

2. Muscle tension:

  • Tighten tongue and throat

3. Air:

  • Steady but controlled

4. Sound:

  • Sharp, compressed “s”

Think “hiss with tension”, not extra air.

3. Pronunciation by vowel

Following vowel Sound

사, 소, 수 /s͈/

시, 쇼, 슈 /ɕ͈/

Examples:

싸다 /s͈a-da/ (cheap)

쏘다 /s͈o-da/ (shoot)

씨 /ɕ͈i/ (seed)

4. Position rules

Initial / medial

• Always tense

Example:

쌀, 써, 쑤다

Final consonant (받침)

• Pronounced as /t̚/

• Same as ㅅ

Example:

있어 → [it̚-sʌ]


Syllables composed by ㅆ and examples of words
No.
Vowel
Syllable
Word
Meaning
1 ㅣ 씨 씨 seed
1 ㅡ 쓰 쓰다 to write
2 ㅓ 써 써늘하다 chilly
3 ㅏ 싸 싸다 cheap
1 ㅗ 쏘 쏘다 to shoot
2 ㅜ 쑤 쑤시개 toothpick
1 ㅘ 쏴 쏴훑다 to glance over
2 ㅙ 쐐 쐐 wedge
1 ㅢ 씌 씌우다 to cover

Pronunciation

ㄴ/n/

1. Basic identity of ㄴ

• Type: Alveolar nasal

• IPA: /n/

• Articulation: Tongue tip touches the alveolar ridge, air flows through the nose

• Voiced

ㄴ is very close to English /n/.

2. How to pronounce ㄴ correctly

Step-by-step

1. Tongue:

  • Touch just behind the upper teeth

2. Air:

  • Let air pass through the nose

3. Voice:

  • Vocal cords vibrate

You should feel vibration around your nose.

3. Position rules

Initial / medial

• Clear /n/

Example:

나 → [na]

언니 → [ʌn-ni]

Final consonant (받침)

• Held /n/

• No release

Example:

산 → [san]

눈 → [nun]

4. Assimilation rules

ㄴ + ㄹ

• ㄹ → ㄴ

Example:

신라 → [sil-la]

설날 → [sʌl-lal]

ㄴ before ㄱ / ㄷ / ㅂ

• ㄴ becomes [ŋ / n / m] depending on following consonant

Example:

한국 → [han-guk] → [haŋ-guk]

신문 → [sin-mun]


Syllables composed by ㄴ and examples of words
No.
Vowel
Syllable
Word
Meaning
1 ㅣ 니 니트 knitwear
2 ㅔ 네 네모 square
3 ㅐ 내 내용 content
4 ㅚ 뇌 뇌 brain
5 ㅟ 뉘 뉘우치다 to regret
1 ㅡ 느 느리다 slow
2 ㅓ 너 너비 width
3 ㅏ 나 나라 country
1 ㅗ 노 노래 song
2 ㅜ 누 누구 who
1 ㅕ 녀 소녀 girl
2 ㅠ 뉴 뉴스 news
1 ㅘ 놔 놔주다 to spare

Pronunciation

ㄹ/l/

1. Basic identity of ㄹ

ㄹ is not a single sound.

It changes depending on position.

ㄹ is neither English “R” nor “L”, but something in between.

2. How to pronounce ㄹ as /ɾ/

Where it occurs

• Syllable-initial or between vowels

How to pronounce

1. Tongue:

  • Lightly tap the alveolar ridge once

2. Air:

  • Flows freely

3. Voice:

  • Vocal cords vibrate

Similar to the American English “tt” in butter.

Examples

라면 → [ɾa-mjʌn]

나라 → [na-ɾa]

우리 → [u-ɾi]

3. How to pronounce ㄹ as /l/

Where it occurs

• Syllable-final (받침)

• Double ㄹ (ㄹㄹ)

How to pronounce

1. Tongue:

  • Touch alveolar ridge

2. Sides of tongue:

  • Let air pass along the sides

3. Hold briefly, no release

Examples

달 → [tal]

물 → [mul]

빨리 → [p͈al-li]

4. Very important assimilation rules

ㄴ + ㄹ / ㄹ + ㄴ

• Both become ㄹㄹ

Example:

신라 → [sil-la]

설날 → [sʌl-lal]

Word-initial ㄹ

• Often sounds like ㄴ in native Korean words

Example:

리 → [ni]

라디오 (loanword) → [ɾa-di-o]


Syllables composed by ㄹ and examples of words
No.
Vowel
Syllable
Word
Meaning
1 ㅣ 리 리더 leader
2 ㅔ 레 레벨 level
3 ㅐ 래 래그 rag
4 ㅚ 뢰 뢰프트 raft
1 ㅡ 르 마르다 dry
2 ㅓ 러 러버 rubber
3 ㅏ 라 라면 ramen
1 ㅗ 로 로비 lobby
2 ㅜ 루 파루 breach
1 ㅕ 려 려행 travel
2 ㅛ 료 비료 fertilizer
3 ㅠ 류 류행 trend
4 ㅖ 례 사례 case
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