KOREAN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE I

MODULE 1
한글 – 발음 규칙
Hangeul – Pronunciation Rules

Pronunciation of Korean words can be difficult because there are times wherein the
characters’ original sounds are not pronounced. In the previous video lectures, you
also already learned some characters which have at least two (2) different
pronunciation depending on their position in a syllable or word.
This pronunciation guide contains some of the most used pronunciation rules applied
in Korean language. This will serve as your reference in case you encounter words
which you might find difficult or confusing to pronounce.

1.) Pronunciation of 받침 (final consonant)

받침 is an important concept in the Korean language. We will also use this concept a
lot even when learning grammar patterns. 받침 means syllable-final consonant. When
it comes to Korean pronunciation, we follow certain rules when pronouncing
characters found in the 받침 position. Please see these rules below:

• 받침 ㄱ, ㅋ, ㄱㄱ

If the characters ㄱ, ㅋ and ㄱㄱ are found in the 받침 position, they are pronounced
as [ㄱ].

Examples:

벽, 부엌, 밖

[벽, 부억, 박]

• 받침 ㄷ, ㅅ, ㅆ, ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅌ, ㅎ

If the characters ㄷ, ㅅ, ㅆ, ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅌ and ㅎ are found in the 받침 position, they are

pronounced as [ㄷ].

Examples:

걷다, 옷, 있다, 빚다, 꽃, 솥, 히읗

[걷따, 옫, 읻따, 빋따, 꼳, 솓, 히읃]

KOREAN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE I

• 받침 ㅂ and ㅍ

If the characters ㅂ and ㅍ are found in the 받침 position, they are pronounced as [ㅂ].

Examples

집, 입

[집, 입]

2.) 연음 법칙 (Linking Rule)

This applies when the preceding syllable ends with a 받침 (final consonant) and the
following syllable starts with a vowel. In this case, the original sound of the 받침 is
pronounced as the first sound in the 2nd syllable.

Examples

돌이 > [도리]

옷이 > [오시]

먹었어요 > [머거써요]

맑아요> [말가요]

받아요 > [바다요]

한국어 > [한구거]

3.) PRONUNCIATION OF 겹받침 (Double Final Consonants)

Korean syllables may be spelled with double final consonants (e.g. 닭) but only one
consonant sound can be pronounced. How do we know what consonant sound to
pronounce when we see a 겹받침 or a double final consonant in a word or syllable?
Please see in the next page the conditions when we pronounce only the first consonant
sound as well as when we have to pronounce only the second consonant sound.
KOREAN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE I

• First Consonant Voicing

If a syllable ends with the 겹받침 ㄶ, ㄵ, ㄼ, ㄾ, ㅄ; only the sound of the first
consonant is pronounced.
Examples

많다 > [만타]

앉다 > [안따]

핥다 > [할따]

여덟 > [여덜]

값 > [갑]

• Second Consonant Voicing

If a syllable ends with the 겹받침 ㄺ, ㄻ and ㄿ, only the sound of the first consonant
is pronounced.

Examples

닭 > [닥]

읊다 > [읍따]

삶 > [삼]