How to Pronounce Korean? [Step-by-Step Guide with Audio]189

Korean is a beautiful and complex language spoken by over 77 million people worldwide. While it may seem daunting at first, learning to pronounce Korean is not as difficult as you might think. With a little practice, you'll be able to master the basics of Korean pronunciation and start speaking like a native.

The Korean Alphabet

The first step to learning Korean pronunciation is to familiarize yourself with the Korean alphabet. The Korean alphabet is known as Hangul and it consists of 24 basic letters: 14 consonants and 10 vowels.

The consonants are divided into two groups: unaspirated and aspirated. Unaspirated consonants are pronounced without a puff of air, while aspirated consonants are pronounced with a puff of air. The vowels are divided into two groups: monophthongs and diphthongs. Monophthongs are pronounced with a single vowel sound, while diphthongs are pronounced with two vowel sounds.

Consonants| Consonant | Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| ㄱ | g |
| ㄴ | n |
| ㄷ | d |
| ㄹ | r |
| ㅁ | m |
| ㅂ | b |
| ㅅ | s |
| ㅇ | ng |
| ㅈ | j |
| ㅊ | ch |
| ㅋ | k |
| ㅌ | t |
| ㅍ | p |
| ㅎ | h |

Vowels| Vowel | Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| ㅏ | a |
| ㅑ | ya |
| ㅓ | eo |
| ㅕ | yeo |
| ㅗ | o |
| ㅛ | yo |
| ㅜ | u |
| ㅠ | yu |
| ㅡ | eu |
| ㅣ | i |

Double Consonants

In Korean, there are also double consonants. Double consonants are pronounced by doubling the sound of the first consonant. For example, the double consonant "ㄱㄱ" is pronounced "kk".

Diphthongs

Diphthongs are pronounced by combining two vowel sounds. For example, the diphthong "ㅏㅣ" is pronounced "ai".

Putting it All Together

Now that you know the basics of Korean pronunciation, you can start putting it all together. Here are a few tips to help you get started:* Start by practicing individual sounds. Once you can pronounce each sound correctly, you can start combining them into syllables.
* Pay attention to the tone of your voice. Korean is a tonal language, so the pitch of your voice can change the meaning of a word.
* Be patient and practice regularly. Learning to pronounce Korean takes time and practice. Don't get discouraged if you don't get it right away. Just keep practicing and you'll eventually master it.

Resources

Here are a few resources to help you learn more about Korean pronunciation:* [Talk To Me In Korean](/pronunciation/)
* [KoreanClass101](/korean-pronunciation/)
* [How to Study Korean](/unit-1-korean-pronunciation/)
With a little practice, you'll be able to master the basics of Korean pronunciation and start speaking like a native. So what are you waiting for? Start learning today!

2025-02-20

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