Showing posts with label 한글. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 한글. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

4/23/2014 09:23:00 PM 0

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 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)
4/23/2014 05:40:00 PM 0

Korean Alphabet 한글

The Korean alphabet, called Hangeul (한글) was created based on Confucian principles by King Sejong in 1443.
It consists of 21 vowels (모음 (mo-eum)) and 19 consonants (자음 (ja-eum)). 

Each character makes use of the three main characteristics of the universe, according to the principles of Confucianism: Heaven, Earth & Man 

(source: http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/CU/CU_EN_9_9_1_5.jsp )

Vowels (모음 mo-eum)


Consonants (자음 ja-eum)






자음(Consonants)
ㄱ = g
ㄴ = n
ㄷ = d
ㄹ = l/r
ㅁ = m
ㅂ = b
ㅅ = s
ㅇ = when used as a first consonant it has no sound, when used as a final consonant sounds like "ng"
ㅈ = j
ㅊ = ch
ㅋ = k
ㅌ = t
ㅍ = p
ㅎ = h
쌍자음(Double consonants)
ㄲ = gg
ㄸ = dd
ㅃ = bb
ㅆ = ss
ㅉ = jj


모음(Vowels)
ㅏ = a
ㅑ = ya
ㅓ = eo
ㅕ = yeo
ㅗ = o
ㅛ = yo
ㅜ = u
ㅠ = yu
ㅡ = eu
ㅣ = i
쌍모음(Double Vowels)
ㅐ = ae
ㅒ = yae
ㅔ = e
ㅖ = ye
ㅘ = wa
ㅙ = wae
ㅚ = oe
ㅝ = wo
ㅞ = we
ㅟ = wi
ㅢ = ui

When I first started learning Korean, reading hangeul was of course difficult at first. So I would always have with me those really helpful charts from joop.in
It also shows how to pronounce the alphabet.



With all the above we create syllables in order to create words. The consonants cannot be pronounced on their own therefore they are always combined with vowels.  
It is important to imagine all the characters as if they are in boxes as shown in the following table:




 Also keep in mind that vowels cannot stand alone either. So if for example we want to pronounce the sound "A", then we have to add the 'soundless' consonant as shown here:



Wrong
Correct