Korean


Korean vowels

IPA

Hangul

RR trans.

Notes

a

a

spa

e

e

Similar to the beginning
of the diphthong in main

ɛ

ae

met; similar to e
for young speakers.

ɛː

i

i

mean

o

o

Spanish o or French eau

u

u

moon

ʌ

eo

young (these are
pronounced [ɔ],
as in more, in
North Korea)

əː

ɯ

eu

Separate sound
in Standard Korean;
similar to eo for many
dialects.

ɯː


Korean consonants

IPA

Hangul

RR
trans.

English equivalent

Notes

b

b

ball

between voiced sounds

ɕ

s

she

before [i] or [j]

ɕ͈

ss

before [i] or [j]

d

d

doll

between voiced sounds

j

gee

between voiced sounds

ɡ

g

gall

between voiced sounds

h

h

hall

j

ㅖ, ㅒ, ㅑ,

ㅛ, ㅠ, ㅕ

y

y’all

Spelled by doubling the
short line on the vowel.

k

ㄱ, ㅋ

g, k

skin

ㅋ is [k] at the end of
a syllable.

kk

tense [k]

ㅋ, ㅎㄱ

k

call

l

ㄹ, ㄴ

l

lip

ㄹ is [l] at the end
of a syllable.

ㄹㄴ and ㄴㄹ
may be [ll].

m

ㅁ, ㅂ

m

mall

ㅂ is [m] before
[n] or [m].

n

ㄴ, ㄹ,

ㄷ, ㅅ, ㅈ

n

not

ㄹ may be [n] at the
start of a word.

ㄷ, ㅅ, ㅈ are [n]
before [n] or [m].

ŋ

ㅇ, ㄱ

ng

king

ㅇ is only [ŋ] at the end
of a syllable.
ㄱ is [ŋ] before [n],
[m] or [ɾ]

p

ㅂ, ㅍ

b, p

span

ㅍ is [p] at the end
of a syllable.

pp

tense [p]

ㅍ, ㅎㅂ

p

pall

ɾ

r

A flap, like Scots r or
American ladder,
between vowels

s

s

Saul

[s] with almost
no sibilance

ss

tense [s]

t



ㄷ, ㅌ, ㅅ,
ㅈ, ㅊ

d

t

stall

All are [t] and RR t
at the end of a syllable.

tt

tense [t]

ㅌ, ㅎㄷ

t

tall

j

itchy

tɕ͈

jj

tense []

tɕʰ

ㅊ, ㅎㅈ

ch

cheek

w

ㅜ, ㅗ

w

wall

spelled ㅜ before
[ʌ], [e], [i];

ㅗ before [ɛ], [e],* [a]

*ㅚ is pronounced [we] by most, but as the
rounded ö vowel [ø] by some older speakers.


Korean diphthongs

IPA

Hangul

RR trans.

Notes

ɰi

ui

Only occurs in the first
syllable of a word.


Sounds not written in hangul

IPA

Explanation

ː

Long vowel. Long [ʌ] is əː. Young speakers in Seoul
do not use length consistently, if at all.

 ́

High tone, on any one syllable or the
first two; used outside Seoul.

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