How to Pronounce “Sister“ in Korean142

The Korean word for "sister" is pronounced differently depending on whether the sister is older or younger than the speaker. For an older sister, the pronunciation is "언니" (eonni), while for a younger sister, it is "동생" (dongsaeng).

The pronunciation of "언니" (eonni) is relatively straightforward. The first syllable, "언" (eon), is pronounced with a long "e" sound, similar to the "e" in the English word "egg." The second syllable, "니" (ni), is pronounced with a short "i" sound, similar to the "i" in the English word "sit."

The pronunciation of "동생" (dongsaeng) is slightly more complex. The first syllable, "동" (dong), is pronounced with a long "o" sound, similar to the "o" in the English word "long." The second syllable, "생" (saeng), is pronounced with a diphthong, which is a combination of two vowel sounds. The first vowel sound is "e," similar to the "e" in the English word "bed," and the second vowel sound is "ng," similar to the "ng" in the English word "sing."

In addition to the basic pronunciation of "sister" in Korean, there are also several variations that can be used depending on the context. For example, the more formal pronunciation of "언니" (eonni) is "언니님" (eonnim), and the more informal pronunciation is "언니야" (eonniya). Similarly, the more formal pronunciation of "동생" (dongsaeng) is "동생님" (dongsaengnim), and the more informal pronunciation is "동생아" (dongsaenga).

The following are some examples of how to use the different pronunciations of "sister" in Korean:
"언니, 밥 먹었어요?" (Eonni, have you eaten?)
"동생아, 숙제 좀 도와줘." (Dongsaenga, can you help me with my homework?)
"언니님께 감사합니다." (Eonnim, thank you.)
"동생님, 안녕하세요?" (Dongsaengnim, hello.)

By understanding the different ways to pronounce "sister" in Korean, you can ensure that you are using the correct pronunciation in each situation.

2024-12-21

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