Pronunciation Guide to Korean104

The Korean language is known for its unique and beautiful sound system. However, for non-native speakers, the pronunciation of Korean can be challenging. This guide will provide you with a comprehensive overview of Korean pronunciation, including the basics of vowel and consonant sounds, syllable structure, and intonation.

Vowels

Korean has 10 basic vowel sounds, which are represented by the following Romanization system:


Romanization
IPA
Example




a
/a/
바다 (ocean)


e
/e/
에너지 (energy)


i
/i/
이름 (name)


o
/o/
오늘 (today)


u
/u/
우유 (milk)


oe
/we/
외출 (going out)


wa
/wa/
와인 (wine)


wo
/wo/
원숭이 (monkey)


yu
/yu/
유학생 (international student)


ya
/ya/
야구 (baseball)

In addition to these basic vowels, Korean also has a number of diphthongs, which are combinations of two vowel sounds.


Romanization
IPA
Example




ai
/ai/
아이 (child)


oi
/oi/
외국 (foreign country)


au
/au/
아우 (older brother or sister)


eu
/eu/
유럽 (Europe)

Consonants

Korean has 18 basic consonants, which are represented by the following Romanization system:


Romanization
IPA
Example




g
/g/
가다 (go)


k
/k/
카다 (cut)


n
/n/
나다 (fly)


d
/d/
다다 (arrive)


t
/t/
타다 (ride)


r
/ɾ/
라다 (pull)


m
/m/
마다 (grind)


b
/b/
바다 (sea)


s
/s/
사다 (buy)


o
/o/
아다 (know)


j
/dʒ/
자다 (sleep)


ch
/tʃ/
차다 (kick)


p
/p/
파다 (sew)


h
/h/
하다 (do)


ng
/ŋ/
하다 (sing)


l
/l/
라다 (read)


y
/j/
야다 (hate)


w
/w/
와다 (come)

In addition to these basic consonants, Korean also has a number of aspirated consonants, which are pronounced with a puff of air. These aspirated consonants are represented by the following Romanization system:


Romanization
IPA
Example




kh
/kʰ/
하다 (cough)


th
/tʰ/
타다 (hit)


ph
/pʰ/
하다 (blow)


chh
/tʃʰ/
차다 (tear)

Syllable Structure

Korean syllables are typically composed of a consonant followed by a vowel. However, there are also syllables that begin with a vowel or end with a consonant. Syllables can also be combined to form words.

The following are examples of Korean syllables:* 가 (ka)
* 바 (ba)
* 사 (sa)
* 다 (da)
* 나 (na)

The following are examples of Korean words:* 가다 (go)
* 바지 (pants)
* 사다 (buy)
* 다다 (arrive)
* 나다 (fly)

Intonation

Korean intonation is relatively simple. The basic intonation pattern is a rising tone followed by a falling tone. This pattern is used for most statements and questions.

For example, the following sentence uses the rising-falling intonation pattern:* 저는 한국 사람입니다. (I am a Korean person.)

In addition to the basic intonation pattern, Korean also has a number of other intonation patterns that can be used to express different emotions or meanings. For example, a high-rising intonation can be used to express surprise, while a low-falling intonation can be used to express sadness.

Conclusion

This guide has provided you with a comprehensive overview of Korean pronunciation. By understanding the basics of vowel and consonant sounds, syllable structure, and intonation, you will be well on your way to speaking Korean with confidence.

2024-11-17

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