Pronunciation Exceptions

For the basic pronunciation please check the charts provided under this post:

Korean Alphabet


Just like any other language Korean has exceptions to pronunciation . Here are the most important ones (as more exceptions exist, the list is not inclusive):

ㅅ, ㅈ, ㅉ, ㅊ: When at the end of a word or before another consonant , they sound like ㄷ. Before the ㅇ they sound normal . 

ㅋ, ㄲ: sound like ㄱ when they are at the end or before another consonant. 

ㅃ, ㅍ: sound mostly like ㅂ 

ㅁ, ㄴ: If there isㄱ, ㄲ or ㅋ before those nasal characters they sound like ng (ㅇ). If there is ㅂ, ㅃ or ㅍ before them, then they sound like ㅁ 
for example 갑니다 (kam-ni-da instead of kab-ni-da). 
Also ㅅ, ㅆ, ㅈ, ㅉ, ㅊ, ㄷ, ㄸ change to ㄴ before them.  
for example:작년 pronounced jang-nyon instead jag-nyeon 
있는 pronounced ee-neun instead eet-neun 

ㄹ: Between two vowels it sounds like R. If it is between consonants or at the end of a word it sounds like L. Rarely , if it is the first letter after a syllable that ends with a consonant , it is pronounced as ㄴ for example 정로 (jeong-no instead for jeong-ro).  

ㅌ: If there is an ㅣ after that , then it is pronounced as ㅊ 
for example 같이 (ka-chi instead kat-ee) 

ㅎ: When it is together with ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅈ, ㅂ it is NOT pronounced and we emphasize the aforesaid consonants pronouncing them as ㅋ, ㅌ, ㅊ, ㅍ respectively
for example 좋다 (jo-ta instead joh-da)