Korean — free text-to-speech & real native pronunciation

Korean Sounds Missing in English

Korean Words That Trip People Up

• 🔊읽다 ˈikt-ɐ The ㄺ cluster misleads; the ㄱ is pronounced as a stop before the following ㄷ.
• 🔊없다 ˈʌpt-ɐ The double consonants mislead; it ends in an unreleased p stop before the ㄷ.
• 🔊않다 ˈɐnthɐ The ㅎ misleads; it becomes a clear n and t sound with the h disappearing.
• 🔊많다 mˈɐnthɐ The ㅎ misleads; it is pronounced as a clear n and t with no h sound.
• 🔊좋다 tɕˈot-thɐ The ㅎ and ㅈ mislead; they combine into an aspirated tɕ sound.
• 🔊싫다 sˈilthɐ The ㄹ and ㅎ mislead; they produce a clear l followed by an aspirated t.
• 🔊넣다 nˈʌt-thɐ The ㅎ misleads; it turns into an unreleased t stop before the ㄷ.
• 🔊밟다 pˈɐpt-ɐ The ㄼ cluster misleads; the ㄹ is silent and it ends in an unreleased p stop.
• 🔊얇다 jˈɐpt-ɐ the ㄼ final cluster reads as ㅂ [p̚], and the following ㄷ becomes tense [t͈]
• 🔊맞다 mˈɐtt-ɐ The final ㅈ misleads; it becomes a tense unreleased t stop.
• 🔊값 ɡˈɐp The ㅅ misleads; it is silent and the word ends in a plain p sound.
• 🔊젊다 tɕˈʌmt-ɐ The ㄹ and ㅁ mislead; the ㄹ is silent leaving a clear m before the t.

Hear the Difference

• 🔊반 pˈɐn / 🔊빤 p-ˈɐn 반 has plain p while 빤 has tense pp; English speakers often miss the extra tension in the doubled consonant.
• 🔊말 mˈɐɫ / 🔊발 pˈɐɫ the contrast is the INITIAL consonant: 말 starts with the nasal ㅁ [m], 발 starts with plain ㅂ [p]
• 🔊불 pˈuɫ / 🔊풀 phˈuɫ 불 has plain p while 풀 has aspirated ph; English speakers tend to ignore the extra puff of air.
• 🔊배 pˈɛ / 🔊패 phˈɛ 배 has plain p while 패 has aspirated ph; English speakers tend to merge them into the same 'p' sound.