How to Pronounce Korean: A Comprehensive Guide131

Korean, with its unique alphabet and intricate sound system, can be a challenging language to pronounce for non-native speakers. This comprehensive guide provides a detailed overview of Korean pronunciation, covering all the essential sounds and rules.

Vowels

Korean has 21 vowels, including 10 monophthongs and 11 diphthongs. Monophthongs are single vowel sounds, while diphthongs are combinations of two vowels that glide into each other.

Monophthongs

Romanization
IPA
Description




a
[a]
Similar to the "a" in "father"


e
[e]
Similar to the "e" in "met"


i
[i]
Similar to the "ee" in "feet"


o
[o]
Similar to the "o" in "boat"


u
[u]
Similar to the "oo" in "book"


eo
[ɔ]
A rounded vowel between "o" and "u"


eu
[ɯ]
An unrounded vowel similar to the "uh" in "huh"


ae
[ɛ]
A diphthong that starts with the "a" in "father" and glides to the "e" in "met"


wa
[wa]
A diphthong that starts with the "w" in "water" and glides to the "a" in "father"


wi
[wi]
A diphthong that starts with the "w" in "water" and glides to the "ee" in "feet"

Diphthongs

Romanization
IPA
Description




ya
[ja]
A diphthong that starts with the "y" in "yes" and glides to the "a" in "father"


yeo
[jɔ]
A diphthong that starts with the "y" in "yes" and glides to the "o" in "boat"


yu
[ju]
A diphthong that starts with the "y" in "yes" and glides to the "oo" in "book"


yao
[jɔ]
A diphthong that starts with the "y" in "yes" and glides to the "o" in "boat"


yeo
[jɔ]
A diphthong that starts with the "y" in "yes" and glides to the "o" in "boat"


wae
[wɛ]
A diphthong that starts with the "w" in "water" and glides to the "e" in "met"


wi
[wi]
A diphthong that starts with the "w" in "water" and glides to the "ee" in "feet"


weo
[wɔ]
A diphthong that starts with the "w" in "water" and glides to the "o" in "boat"


we
[wɛ]
A diphthong that starts with the "w" in "water" and glides to the "e" in "met"


wo
[wɔ]
A diphthong that starts with the "w" in "water" and glides to the "o" in "boat"

Consonants

Korean has 19 consonants, including 14 obstruents (stops, affricates, and fricatives) and 5 sonorants (nasals, liquids, and glides).

Obstruents

Romanization
IPA
Description




k
[k]
A voiceless velar stop


g
[g]
A voiced velar stop


t
[t]
A voiceless alveolar stop


d
[d]
A voiced alveolar stop


p
[p]
A voiceless bilabial stop


b
[b]
A voiced bilabial stop


s
[s]
A voiceless alveolar fricative


z
[z]
A voiced alveolar fricative


h
[h]
A voiceless glottal fricative


j
[tʃ]
A voiceless postalveolar affricate


ch
[tʃʰ]
An aspirated voiceless postalveolar affricate

Sonorants

Romanization
IPA
Description




m
[m]
A voiced bilabial nasal


n
[n]
A voiced alveolar nasal


ng
[ŋ]
A voiced velar nasal


l
[l]
A voiced alveolar liquid


r
[ɾ]
A voiced alveolar tap

Double Consonants

Double consonants are pronounced with more emphasis than single consonants. They are written with a double letter in the Romanization system (e.g., "bb," "dd," etc.).

Aspirated Consonants

Aspirated consonants are pronounced with a puff of air after the consonant sound. They are written with an "h" after the consonant in the Romanization system (e.g., "ch," "ph," etc.).

Tonal Variations

Korean has three main tonal variations: high, mid, and low. These variations affect the pitch of the voice when pronouncing vowels.
High tone: The voice rises sharply.
Mid tone: The voice remains at a relatively level pitch.
Low tone: The voice drops slightly.

The tonal variation of a word depends on its grammatical function and position in a sentence.

Nasalization

Nasalization is the process of pronouncing a vowel with the nasal passages open. In Korean, nasalization occurs when a vowel is followed by a nasal consonant (e.g., "m," "n," "ng").

Conclusion

Pronouncing Korean can be challenging at first, but with practice, it becomes easier. By understanding the basic sounds, rules, and tonal variations of Korean, non-native speakers can improve their pronunciation and communication skills.

2024-11-11

---

Previous：The Rise of Korean Stars in the Global Music Industry

Next：Japanese N4 Vocabulary List