Lesson 8. 3 Pronunciation Rules + Real-World Reading Test

Chapter 1. Hangul Mastery · Week 1 · Prerequisites: Lessons 3–7 (all of Hangul) · Est. time: ~30 min (review included) · [Real-World] Checkpoint

Learning Objectives

• Understand and apply liaison (linking)
• Recognize tensification and nasalization when you hear them
• Read real signs and menus aloud
• Self-check your Hangul reading (Chapter 1 complete!)

Warm-up Review

• Pronounce 가 — 카 — 까, keeping the three distinct.
• What are the three pronunciations of ㅢ? (→ word-initial [의] / elsewhere [이] / particle [에])

Main Lesson

Sometimes spelling and sound don't match. The reason is always the same: easier speech. Today we learn just 3 rules — the advanced ones come in Lesson 46, Liaison and Contraction.

Rule 1. Liaison — the batchim slides over

When a batchim is followed by a vowel (a syllable starting with ㅇ), the batchim slides over to that syllable.

Spelling	Actual pronunciation	Meaning
옷이	[오시] o-si	clothes + particle
밥을	[바블] ba-beul	rice + particle
한국어	[한구거] han-gu-geo	Korean language
음악	[으막] eu-mak	music

This is the number-one reason spoken Korean sounds like one connected stream when spoken fast.

Rule 2. Tensification — sounds harden

After a stop batchim [ㄱㄷㅂ] (k/t/p), the next plain consonant (ㄱㄷㅂㅅㅈ) becomes tense (ㄲㄸㅃㅆㅉ).

Spelling	Actual pronunciation	Meaning
학교	[학꾜] hak-kkyo	school
식당	[식땅] sik-ttang	restaurant
숟가락	[숟까락]	spoon

Rule 3. Nasalization — stops become nasals

When a stop batchim [ㄱㄷㅂ] is followed by ㄴ or ㅁ, it turns into a nasal: [ㄱ]→[ㅇ], [ㄷ]→[ㄴ], [ㅂ]→[ㅁ].

Spelling	Actual pronunciation	Meaning
감사합니다	[감사함니다] gam-sa-ham-ni-da	thank you
입니다	[임니다] im-ni-da	is (formal)
국물	[궁물] gung-mul	soup broth

That 감사합니다 you've known since Lesson 1? You've been using this rule all along without knowing it!

Key Expressions & Vocabulary — with real pronunciation

Spelling	Actual pronunciation	English
감사합니다	[감사함니다]	Thank you
맛있어요	[마시써요]	It's delicious
어서 오세요	[어서오세요]	Welcome (shop greeting)

Real-World Reading: Korean on the Street

Signs:

Sign	Pronunciation	Meaning
카페	ka-pe	cafe
편의점	[펴니점] pyeo-ni-jeom	convenience store
약국	[약꾹] yak-kkuk	pharmacy
미용실	mi-yong-sil	hair salon
노래방	no-rae-bang	karaoke room
서울역	[서울력] seo-ul-lyeok	Seoul Station
강남역	[강남녁] gang-nam-nyeok	Gangnam Station
은행	[은행] eun-haeng	bank
병원	byeong-won	hospital
식당	[식땅] sik-ttang	restaurant

Menu:

Menu item	Pronunciation	Meaning
아메리카노	a-me-ri-ka-no	americano
카페라떼	ka-pe-la-tte	cafe latte
김밥	[김밥/김빱] gim-bap	gimbap
비빔밥	[비빔빱] bi-bim-ppap	bibimbap
떡볶이	[떡뽀끼] tteok-ppo-kki	tteokbokki

Practice

A. Which rule? — Liaison, tensification, or nasalization?

1. 음악 → [으막] 2. 학교 → [학꾜] 3. 입니다 → [임니다] 4. 밥을 → [바블]

B. Write the real pronunciation 5. 옷이 → [ ? ] 6. 식당 → [ ? ] 7. 국물 → [ ? ] 8. 한국어 → [ ? ]

C. Read aloud 9. 편의점 10. 떡볶이 11. 맛있어요

Mission — [Real-World] Checkpoint

Read 10 signs + 5 menu items aloud

1. Read the 10 signs and 5 menu items above aloud and record yourself.
2. Compare against the pronunciation guides in [ ] and check yourself.
3. Bonus: open Google Street View somewhere in Korea (Myeongdong or Hongdae) and read any 3 signs you can find!

Pass criteria: Read 12 or more of the 15 without getting stuck — congratulations, you can read Hangul!

Coming Up Next

Chapter 2 begins! Lesson 9: Everything about greetings — now that you can read, it's time to speak.

---

Show Answer Key

A. 1. Liaison 2. Tensification 3. Nasalization 4. Liaison B. 5. [오시] 6. [식땅] 7. [궁물] 8. [한구거] C. 9. [펴니점] pyeo-ni-jeom 10. [떡뽀끼] tteok-ppo-kki 11. [마시써요] ma-si-sseo-yo