Korean Pronunciation Guide (Hangeul Romanization)87

Introduction

Korean is a vibrant and expressive language spoken by over 75 million people worldwide. To effectively communicate in Korean, it is essential to have a solid understanding of its pronunciation system. This guide will provide a comprehensive overview of the Korean pronunciation table (Hangeul Romanization), enabling you to accurately pronounce Korean sounds and words.

Vowels

There are 21 vowels in Korean, which can be categorized into:

Monophthongs: Single vowels pronounced with one continuous sound (10 vowels)
Diphthongs: Two vowels pronounced in a single syllable (11 vowels)

Monophthongs

Romanization
Pronunciation
Example




a
ah
아버지 (father)


eo
oh
어머니 (mother)


eu
eh-oo
의사 (doctor)


i
ee
집 (house)


o
oh
오빠 (older brother)


oe
weh
외국 (foreign country)


u
oo
우리 (we)


w
o (short)
원숭이 (monkey)


y
ya
야구 (baseball)


ya
yah
야호 (hurray)

Diphthongs

Romanization
Pronunciation
Example




ae
eh
애인 (lover)


eo
oh
어머니 (mother)


eu
eh-oo
의사 (doctor)


ia
ya
자전거 (bicycle)


ie
yeh
예쁜 (pretty)


io
yo
요리 (cooking)


oe
weh
외국 (foreign country)


oi
oh-ee
외상 (injury)


ua
wah
우리 (we)


ue
weh
우체국 (post office)


ui
wee
의사 (doctor)

Consonants

There are 19 consonants in Korean, which can be categorized into:

Stops: Consonants that involve complete closure of the airflow (7 consonants)
Fricatives: Consonants that involve narrowing the airflow (6 consonants)
Affricates: Consonants that involve a combination of a stop and a fricative (3 consonants)
Nasals: Consonants that involve airflow through the nose (2 consonants)
Liquids: Consonants that involve the vibration of the tongue (1 consonant)

Stops

Romanization
Pronunciation
Example




p
p
빠르다 (fast)


t
t
탐정 (detective)


k
k
안녕하세요 (hello)


b
b
빚 (debt)


d
d
다른 (other)


g
g
가다 (to go)


t'
t (aspirated)
따뜻한 (warm)

Fricatives

Romanization
Pronunciation
Example




s
s
사과 (apple)


z
z
자전거 (bicycle)


c
ch
철도 (railway)


j
j
자다 (to sleep)


ch
ch (aspirated)
차 (car)


h
h
집 (house)

Affricates

Romanization
Pronunciation
Example




jj
jj
짜다 (to be salty)


kk
kk
큰 (big)


pp
pp
빨리 (quickly)

Nasals

Romanization
Pronunciation
Example




m
m
많다 (many)


n
n
나무 (tree)

Liquids

Romanization
Pronunciation
Example




l
l
라면 (ramen)

Double Consonants

Double consonants in Korean are pronounced with extra emphasis and duration. They occur when two consonants are written together in a syllable.


Romanization
Pronunciation
Example




kk
kk
ிக்க다 (to be itchy)


tt
tt
있다 (to have)


pp
pp
껍질 (shell)


ss
ss
싸다 (to be cheap)


zz
zz
짜증 (annoyance)


ll
ll
깔끔하다 (to be tidy)


mm
mm
큼직하다 (to be large)


nn
nn
땅 (ground)

Tonal Patterns

Korean has four basic tonal patterns: high, low, rising, and falling. These patterns affect the pitch of the voice during pronunciation.
High: The voice rises sharply at the end of the syllable.
Low: The voice remains low throughout the syllable.
Rising: The voice rises progressively throughout the syllable.
Falling: The voice falls progressively throughout the syllable.

Conclusion

Mastering the Korean pronunciation table (Hangeul Romanization) is crucial for effective communication in Korean. By understanding the intricacies of vowels, consonants, double consonants, and tonal patterns, you can develop accurate pronunciation and enhance your ability to speak and understand this vibrant language.

2024-11-11

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