Consonant and Vowel Sounds in Korean353

Korean is a phonetic language, meaning that the way words are pronounced is generally consistent with their spelling. However, there are some exceptions to this rule, especially with regard to the pronunciation of consonants and vowels.

Consonants

There are 19 consonant sounds in Korean, which can be divided into three categories: voiceless, voiced, and aspirated.

Voiceless
Voiced
Aspirated


ㄱ (k)
ㄱ (g)
ㅋ (kh)


ㄷ (t)
ㄷ (d)
ㅌ (th)


ㅂ (p)
ㅂ (b)
ㅍ (ph)


ㅅ (s)
ㅇ (ng)
ㅎ (h)


ㅈ (j)
ㅈ (jj)
ㅊ (ch)


ㅊ (ch)
ㅊ (jj)
ㅋ (kh)

Vowels

There are 21 vowel sounds in Korean, which can be divided into two categories: monophthongs and diphthongs.

Monophthongs
Diphthongs


ㅏ (a)
ㅐ (ae)


ㅑ (ya)
ㅒ (yae)


ㅓ (eo)
ㅔ (e)


ㅕ (yeo)
ㅖ (ye)


ㅗ (o)
ㅘ (wa)


ㅛ (yo)
ㅙ (wae)


ㅜ (u)
ㅝ (wo)


ㅠ (yu)
ㅞ (we)


ㅡ (eu)
ㅢ (ui)


ㅣ (i)

Exceptions to the Pronunciation Rules

There are a few exceptions to the general rules for pronouncing Korean consonants and vowels. These exceptions are typically due to historical sound changes or the influence of other languages.
The consonant ㅇ is silent when it appears at the beginning of a word.
The consonant ㄹ is pronounced as an "l" sound when it appears at the end of a word.
The vowel ㅡ is pronounced as a "u" sound when it appears before a consonant.
The vowel ㅣ is pronounced as a "y" sound when it appears before a consonant.

Conclusion

The Korean language has a relatively simple consonant and vowel system. However, there are a few exceptions to the general pronunciation rules that learners should be aware of. By understanding these exceptions, learners can improve their pronunciation and comprehension of spoken Korean.

2025-02-04

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