Why sound rules matter when you already “know the letters”
You can decode each syllable correctly and still sound choppy if you pause at every block. Korean has a few high-impact sound rules that smooth the transitions between syllables. In this chapter you’ll practice three: linking (연음), assimilation (especially nasal influence), and tensing (된소리되기). The goal is not “perfect accent”—it’s reliable, natural-sounding reading when syllables meet.
1) Linking (연음): carry the final consonant to the next syllable (when it starts with ㅇ)
The core idea
If a syllable ends in a consonant (batchim) and the next syllable begins with ㅇ, the final consonant is pronounced as the initial sound of the next syllable. The ㅇ is silent at the start, so it “receives” the consonant.
Trigger: next syllable starts with ㅇ (a vowel-only syllable).
Result: the sound flows across the boundary instead of stopping.
Step-by-step method (do this every time)
Find the boundary: syllable 1 ends with a consonant + syllable 2 starts with
ㅇ.Move the sound (not the spelling): pronounce the final consonant as if it begins the next syllable.
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Read again smoothly: no pause between the two syllables.
Before/after examples
| Spelling | Mark the boundary | Before (block-by-block) | After (linked reading) |
|---|---|---|---|
한국어 | 한|국|어 | 한-국-어 | 한-구-거 (ㄱ links to 어) |
책이 | 책|이 | 책-이 | 채-기 (ㄱ sound links) |
꽃이 | 꽃|이 | 꽃-이 | 꼬-치 (ㅊ sound links) |
옷이 | 옷|이 | 옷-이 | 오-시 (ㅅ sound links) |
값이 | 값|이 | 값-이 | 갑-시 (final cluster simplifies; then links) |
먹어요 | 먹|어|요 | 먹-어-요 | 머-거-요 (ㄱ links to 어) |
Tip: When you see ㅇ starting a syllable, ask: “Is there a consonant right before it?” If yes, linking is likely.
2) Assimilation for smoother flow: nasal influence (ㄴ/ㅁ) and a few common patterns
What assimilation is (in plain terms)
Assimilation means a sound changes to become more like a neighboring sound. This happens because it’s physically easier to keep your mouth in a similar position rather than “jump” between distant positions.
The most useful set for beginners: when a nasal sound (ㄴ or ㅁ) comes next, the consonant before it often becomes nasal too.
A) Nasal assimilation: ㄱ/ㄷ/ㅂ + ㄴ/ㅁ
These are extremely common in everyday words. Learn them as “automatic smoothing.”
| Pattern | What changes | Example | Before | After (smooth) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
ㄱ (k/g) + ㄴ/ㅁ | ㄱ becomes ㅇ (ng) | 한국말 | 한-국-말 | 한-궁-말 |
ㄷ (t/d) + ㄴ/ㅁ | ㄷ becomes ㄴ | 받는 | 받-는 | 반-는 (often heard as a long ㄴ) |
ㅂ (p/b) + ㄴ/ㅁ | ㅂ becomes ㅁ | 합니다 | 합-니-다 | 함-니-다 |
How to apply it: If the next syllable starts with ㄴ or ㅁ, check the batchim right before it. If it’s a “stop” sound (like ㄱ/ㄷ/ㅂ), your mouth often switches to a nasal to keep airflow continuous.
B) Liquid + nasal: ㄹ + ㄴ (and ㄴ + ㄹ)
When ㄹ and ㄴ meet, they often become easier to say by matching.
| Pattern | Common result | Example | Before | After (smooth) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
ㄹ + ㄴ | ㄹㄹ (double ㄹ sound) | 설날 | 설-날 | 설-랄 (heard as 설랄) |
ㄴ + ㄹ | ㄹㄹ (often) | 신라 | 신-라 | 실-라 |
Practical note: You don’t need to “force” these; if you aim for a smooth connection, your tongue will naturally drift toward the easier pattern.
3) Tensing (된소리되기): when plain consonants become tense after certain batchim
The core idea
Sometimes a consonant at the start of a syllable becomes tense (stronger, tighter) because of the consonant right before it. This is one of the biggest reasons Korean can sound different from careful, dictionary-style reading.
Most practical rule: After many consonant-ending syllables (batchim), the next plain consonant ㄱ ㄷ ㅂ ㅈ often becomes tense: ㄲ ㄸ ㅃ ㅉ.
When to expect it (high-yield environments)
Common trigger batchim:
ㄱ,ㄷ,ㅂ(and often other consonant endings) beforeㄱ ㄷ ㅂ ㅈ.Think “consonant + consonant”: if there’s no vowel bridge and you go straight into another consonant, tensing is likely.
Targeted minimal contrasts (train your ear and mouth)
Read each pair twice: first carefully, then with the tense sound. Focus on the second consonant.
| Tensing target | Plain vs tense | Example (spelling) | Natural reading |
|---|---|---|---|
ㄱ → ㄲ | 국가 vs (tense outcome) | 국가 | 국까 (the ㄱ of 가 becomes ㄲ) |
ㄷ → ㄸ | 학교 다녀요 (focus on 다) | 학교 다녀요 | 학꾜 따녀요 (ㄱ batchim effect + ㄷ→ㄸ) |
ㅂ → ㅃ | 밥 먹어요 (focus on ㅁ is not tensing; use a better target below) | 입구 | 입꾸 (ㄱ becomes ㄲ; for ㅂ→ㅃ use 밥상→밥쌍 style with ㅅ; see note) |
ㅈ → ㅉ | 옷장 | 옷장 | 옫짱 (final ㄷ sound + ㅈ→ㅉ) |
Important practical note: Tensing is strongest and easiest to notice in set words and common combinations. Some words are “almost always” heard with tensing in natural speech (e.g., 국가 → 국까, 옷장 → 옫짱). Use these as anchors.
Quick drill: feel the difference (mouth tension)
Plain
가 다 바 자: lighter, more airflow.Tense
까 따 빠 짜: tighter closure, shorter burst.
Now insert them after a consonant-ending syllable (say it as one unit):
국+가 → 국까 | 옷+장 → 옫짱 | 학+교 → 학꾜4) Guided reading lines: mark → apply → read smoothly
Instructions for each line:
Mark boundaries with
|.Circle triggers: next syllable
ㅇ(linking), next initialㄴ/ㅁ(nasal assimilation), next initialㄱ/ㄷ/ㅂ/ㅈafter batchim (tensing).Write the “after” reading in Hangul approximation (sound-only), then read aloud smoothly.
Line set A (linking practice: ㅇ starts the next syllable)
한국어를→ mark:한|국|어|를→ after:한|구|거|를책이 있어요→ mark:책|이|있|어|요→ after:채|기|이|써|요꽃이 예뻐요→ mark:꽃|이|예|뻐|요→ after:꼬|치|예|뻐|요
Line set B (nasal assimilation: ㄴ/ㅁ influence)
합니다→ mark:합|니|다→ after:함|니|다한국말→ mark:한|국|말→ after:한|궁|말설날→ mark:설|날→ after:설|랄
Line set C (tensing practice: batchim + ㄱ/ㄷ/ㅂ/ㅈ)
국가→ mark:국|가→ after:국|까옷장→ mark:옷|장→ after:옫|짱학교→ mark:학|교→ after:학|꾜
5) Quick diagnostic checklist (use this while reading)
| Question | If YES… | What to do |
|---|---|---|
1) Is the next syllable ㅇ? | Linking (연음) is likely. | Carry the final consonant sound over to the next syllable and read as one flow. |
2) Is there a nasal next (ㄴ or ㅁ)? | Nasal assimilation may happen. | Expect the previous batchim to shift toward a nasal sound (e.g., ㄱ→ㅇ, ㄷ→ㄴ, ㅂ→ㅁ) for smoother airflow. |
3) Is this a tensing environment? (batchim + next initial ㄱ/ㄷ/ㅂ/ㅈ) | 된소리되기 is likely. | Read the next consonant as tense: ㄱ→ㄲ, ㄷ→ㄸ, ㅂ→ㅃ, ㅈ→ㅉ. |
| 4) Did my reading sound “staccato”? | You may be ignoring a boundary rule. | Re-scan boundaries: check ㅇ-linking first, then nasal, then tensing. |
