Basic Pronunciation Rules

Korean spelling shows the meaning of word parts, but pronunciation follows the flow of speech. When syllables meet, their sounds change according to regular rules. The good news: these rules are 100% consistent — once you know them, you can predict the pronunciation of any word.

Although many consonants can be written as batchim (final consonant), only 7 sounds are actually pronounced at the end of a syllable. Every written final consonant maps to one of these:

When a syllable ends in a batchim and the next syllable starts with the silent ㅇ, the batchim moves over and is pronounced at the start of the next syllable. This is why 한국어 (Korean language) is pronounced [한구거], not [한국-어].

• 밥이

  rice + subject particle

• 한국어

  Korean language

• 음악

  music

• 이름이

  name + subject particle

• 직업

  job / occupation

When a batchim pronounced [ㄱ], [ㄷ], or [ㅂ] is followed by a nasal consonant (ㄴ or ㅁ), it turns into the matching nasal sound: ㄱ→ㅇ, ㄷ→ㄴ, ㅂ→ㅁ. This is why every polite sentence ending in -습니다 sounds like [슴니다].

• 합니다

  do (formal ending)

• 감사합니다

  thank you

  धन्यवाद

• 국물

  soup broth

• 듣는

  listening (modifier)

• 십만

  one hundred thousand

After a batchim pronounced [ㄱ], [ㄷ], or [ㅂ], the consonants ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ, ㅅ, ㅈ become tense (like the double consonants ㄲ, ㄸ, ㅃ, ㅆ, ㅉ).

• 학교

  school

  विद्यालय

• 식당

  restaurant

  रेस्टुरेन्ट

• 학생

  student

  विद्यार्थी

• 듣다

  to listen

• 잡지

  magazine

When ㅎ meets ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ, or ㅈ (in either order), they merge into the aspirated sounds ㅋ, ㅌ, ㅍ, ㅊ. Between vowels or after ㄴ/ㅁ/ㄹ, the ㅎ becomes very weak and often disappears.

• 좋다

  to be good

• 축하해요

  congratulations

  बधाई छ

• 입학

  school admission

• 전화

  telephone

  फोन

• 결혼

  marriage

  विवाह

When ㄴ and ㄹ meet in either order, the ㄴ changes into [ㄹ]. So 신라 (the Silla dynasty) is pronounced [실라].

• 신라

  Silla (kingdom)

• 연락

  contact

• 한라산

  Halla Mountain

• 설날

  Lunar New Year