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🧩 Korean Batchim & Pronunciation Rules

Why Korean is not read exactly as written: final consonants, linking, tensing (English)

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All Questions & Answers (50)

  1. What is a batchim?The final consonant written at the bottom of a syllable block
  2. How many sounds can a batchim actually make?Only 7: k, n, t, l, m, p, ng
  3. ㄱ ㅋ ㄲ as batchim all sound like…k — 밖 is read 'bak'
  4. ㄷ ㅅ ㅆ ㅈ ㅊ ㅌ ㅎ as batchim all sound like…t — 옷 is read 'ot'
  5. ㅂ ㅍ as batchim sound like…p — 앞 is read 'ap'
  6. What sound does ㅇ make as a batchim?ng — 강 is 'gang'
  7. Read 한국hanguk
  8. Read 밥bap
  9. Read 꽃kkot
  10. Read 있다itda
  11. Read 없다eopda
  12. Read 좋다jota
  13. What is linking (연음)?A batchim moves to the next syllable when it starts with ㅇ
  14. 한국어 is read…han-gu-geo — the ㄱ links over
  15. 음악 is read…eu-mak
  16. 먹어요 is read…meo-geo-yo
  17. 옷을 is read…o-seul
  18. 꽃이 is read…kko-chi
  19. What is tensing (경음화)?A plain consonant becomes tense after certain batchim
  20. 학교 is read…hak-kkyo — the ㄱ tenses
  21. 식당 is read…sik-ttang
  22. 듣기 is read…deut-kki
  23. What is nasalization (비음화)?A stop becomes a nasal before ㄴ or ㅁ
  24. 한국말 is read…han-gung-mal — ㄱ becomes ng
  25. 입니다 is read…im-ni-da — ㅂ becomes m
  26. 감사합니다 is read…gam-sa-ham-ni-da
  27. 작년 is read…jang-nyeon
  28. What happens to ㄹ after ㄴ?ㄴ becomes ㄹ — 신라 is read 'silla'
  29. 연락 is read…yeol-lak
  30. 설날 is read…seol-lal
  31. What is aspiration (격음화)?ㅎ merges with a stop to make an aspirated sound
  32. 좋고 is read…jo-ko
  33. 축하 is read…chu-ka
  34. 많다 is read…man-ta
  35. 싫다 is read…sil-ta
  36. What happens to ㅎ between vowels?It often weakens or disappears — 좋아요 sounds like 'jo-a-yo'
  37. What is a double batchim?Two consonants at the bottom, like ㄳ ㄵ ㄺ
  38. Only how many of a double batchim is pronounced?One — the other is silent unless it links over
  39. 읽다 is read…ik-tta — only ㄱ sounds
  40. 읽어요 is read…il-geo-yo — now ㄹ stays and ㄱ links over
  41. 앉다 is read…an-tta
  42. 앉아요 is read…an-ja-yo
  43. 값 is read…gap
  44. 값이 is read…gap-ssi
  45. Why does 같이 sound like 'gachi'?ㅌ + 이 becomes ch — palatalization
  46. 굳이 is read…gu-ji
  47. What does 의 sound like at the start of a word?ui — 의사 is 'uisa'
  48. What does 의 sound like as a possessive particle?e — 나의 sounds like 'na-e'
  49. What does 의 sound like elsewhere in a word?i — 회의 sounds like 'hoe-i'
  50. Best way to master these rules?Read aloud — the rules exist because they are easier to say

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