Korean Pronunciation: A Comprehensive Guide137

Hangul: The Korean Alphabet

Hangul is the Korean writing system, created by King Sejong the Great in the 15th century. It consists of 24 letters, 14 consonants, and 10 vowels. Hangul is a phonetic alphabet, meaning that each letter represents a specific sound. This makes it relatively easy for learners to pronounce Korean words.

Consonants

The 14 Korean consonants are:* ㄱ (g/k)
* ㄴ (n)
* ㄷ (d/t)
* ㄹ (r/l)
* ㅁ (m)
* ㅂ (b/p)
* ㅅ (s)
* ㅇ (silent)
* ㅈ (j)
* ㅊ (ch)
* ㅋ (k)
* ㅌ (t)
* ㅍ (p)
* ㅎ (h)

Vowels

The 10 Korean vowels are:* ㅏ (a)
* ㅑ (ya)
* ㅓ (eo)
* ㅕ (yeo)
* ㅗ (o)
* ㅛ (yo)
* ㅜ (u)
* ㅠ (yu)
* ㅡ (eu)
* ㅣ (i)

Syllables

Korean syllables are made up of a consonant and a vowel. However, there are also some syllables that consist of only a vowel or a consonant. Syllables are written in blocks, with the consonant on the left and the vowel on the right.

Pronunciation of Consonants* ㄱ (g/k) is pronounced like the "g" in "go" or the "k" in "kite."
* ㄴ (n) is pronounced like the "n" in "nose."
* ㄷ (d/t) is pronounced like the "d" in "dog" or the "t" in "table."
* ㄹ (r/l) is pronounced like the "r" in "red" or the "l" in "light."
* ㅁ (m) is pronounced like the "m" in "mouth."
* ㅂ (b/p) is pronounced like the "b" in "ball" or the "p" in "pen."
* ㅅ (s) is pronounced like the "s" in "sun."
* ㅇ (silent) is silent.
* ㅈ (j) is pronounced like the "j" in "jump."
* ㅊ (ch) is pronounced like the "ch" in "church."
* ㅋ (k) is pronounced like the "k" in "kite."
* ㅌ (t) is pronounced like the "t" in "table."
* ㅍ (p) is pronounced like the "p" in "pen."
* ㅎ (h) is pronounced like the "h" in "house."

Pronunciation of Vowels* ㅏ (a) is pronounced like the "a" in "father."
* ㅑ (ya) is pronounced like the "ya" in "yard."
* ㅓ (eo) is pronounced like the "eo" in "eons."
* ㅕ (yeo) is pronounced like the "yeo" in "yes."
* ㅗ (o) is pronounced like the "o" in "cone."
* ㅛ (yo) is pronounced like the "yo" in "yoke."
* ㅜ (u) is pronounced like the "u" in "rule."
* ㅠ (yu) is pronounced like the "yu" in "yule."
* ㅡ (eu) is pronounced like the "eu" in "neutral."
* ㅣ (i) is pronounced like the "i" in "ice."

Pronunciation of Syllables

To pronounce a Korean syllable, simply pronounce the consonant and the vowel together. For example, the syllable 가 (ga) is pronounced like the "ga" in "gas." The syllable 고 (go) is pronounced like the "go" in "gone."

Tips for Pronouncing Korean* Pay attention to the aspiration of consonants. Aspirated consonants are pronounced with a puff of air. For example, the consonant ㄱ (g/k) is aspirated when it is initial in a syllable.
* Pronounce the vowels clearly. Korean vowels are distinct from each other, so it is important to pronounce them correctly.
* Listen to native speakers. The best way to improve your pronunciation is to listen to native speakers. You can find Korean movies, TV shows, and music online.

2024-12-16

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