안녕하세요! Welcome to our next lesson on Hangul pronunciation.
In our last session, we learned about 받침 (batchim), the final consonants in a syllable, and their seven representative sounds. You'll recall we ended by asking what happens when a syllable with a batchim is followed by a vowel. For instance, why is the word for "music," 음악, pronounced [으막] (eum-ak) and not eum-ak?
Today, we'll answer that question. Our goal is to recognize and apply the liaison (linking) sound change rule, known in Korean as 연음 (yeoneum). This is arguably the most important pronunciation rule for speaking Korean smoothly and naturally. Mastering this will be a huge step towards making your spoken Korean sound less robotic and more like a native speaker's.
Let's begin!
1. The Linking Rule: Connecting Sounds
The basic idea of yeon-eum is simple. When a syllable that ends with a final consonant (batchim) is followed by a syllable that begins with the vowel placeholder ㅇ (ieung), the sound of the batchim moves over and replaces the silent ㅇ.
Think of the silent ㅇ as an empty container. The final consonant from the syllable before it simply hops over to fill that empty spot.
Let's watch a short video that introduces this concept using a helpful English analogy.
How to read Korean Linking words - part (1) 연음규칙 (1)
This video from Teacher Kim's Korean Class provides a great introduction to linking sounds.
Watch from 01:00 to 02:39. Notice how the English phrase 'fill out' is used to explain the concept. Then, see how the final consonant in a Korean word moves to the next syllable when it starts with the silent 'ㅇ'.
As the video explained, the pronunciation flows from one block to the next. Let's look at the example 먹어요 (meog-eo-yo), which means "to eat."
An important point to remember from our last lesson: batchim like ㅅ, ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅌ all make a [ㄷ] (t) sound at the end of a word. However, when they link to a following vowel, they retain their original sound!
- 맛 (mat) + 이 (i) → [마시] (ma-si), not [마디] (ma-di). The ㅅ sound is revived.
- 꽃 (kkot) + 이 (i) → [꼬치] (kko-chi), not [꼬디] (kko-di). The ㅊ sound is revived.
This is a key detail of the liaison rule. The consonant moves with its original sound value, not its representative batchim sound.
2. Linking with Double Batchim (겹받침)
What about syllables with a double final consonant, like 앉 (anj) or 읽 (ilg)? The rule is just as logical.
When a double batchim is followed by a vowel, the first consonant remains as the batchim of its syllable, and the second consonant moves over to the next syllable.
Let's read a short explanation that covers this.
[ Elementary Korean 6 ] Final Consonants, Double batchim, and ...
The following text explains how the linking rule works with both single and double final consonants.
Please read the section titled '① Batchim ＋ /ㅇ/'. Focus on the main rule (e.g., 먹어 → [머거]) and the part about double batchim (e.g., 젊어요 → [절머요]). We will cover the special case with 'ㅎ' next.
Here's the pattern:
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Word: 앉아요 (to sit)
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Syllables: 앉 (an-j) + 아 (a) + 요 (yo)
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Pronunciation: [안자요] (an-ja-yo). The ㄴ (n) stays, and the ㅈ (j) moves over.
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Word: 읽어요 (to read)
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Syllables: 읽 (il-g) + 어 (eo) + 요 (yo)
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Pronunciation: [일거요] (il-geo-yo). The ㄹ (l) stays, and the ㄱ (g) moves over.
3. Common Exceptions to the Linking Rule
Like any good rule in a system, this one has a couple of important exceptions. Understanding them now will save you a lot of confusion later.
Exception 1: The Batchim 'ㅇ'
The final consonant ㅇ has the [ng] sound (like in "singing"). It is a distinct sound, not a placeholder. Therefore, it does not move. If it did, its sound would disappear, changing the word.
Let's see a quick video explanation for this.
How to read Korean Linking words - part (1) 연음규칙 (1)
Let's revisit Teacher Kim's video to see why the 'ㅇ' batchim is special.
Watch the segment from 02:39 to 03:27. This part clarifies why the final consonant 'ㅇ' (with its 'ng' sound) does NOT link to the next syllable.
For example, in 강아지 (gang-a-ji), meaning "puppy," the pronunciation is exactly as it's written. The [ng] sound does not move.
Exception 2: The Batchim 'ㅎ'
The final consonant ㅎ (h) is a bit shy. When it's followed by a vowel, its sound is almost always dropped completely. It becomes silent.
- 좋아요 (joh-a-yo), "It's good" → [조아요] (jo-a-yo). The ㅎ sound disappears.
- 싫어요 (silh-eo-yo), "I don't like it" → [시러요] (si-reo-yo). The ㅎ sound disappears.
4. Let's Practice!
Now it's time to put it all together. The best way to learn these rules is by using them.
First, try this quick practice round from the video. Pause before each word is spoken and try to pronounce it yourself.
How to read Korean Linking words - part (1) 연음규칙 (1)
It's time for a practice drill. Try to read the words in this next clip before the instructor says them.
Watch from 03:27 to 04:14. Pause the video for each word, say it out loud applying the linking rule, and then listen to the correct pronunciation.
Great! Now, let's try a few more. Read the word in the "Hangeul" column, say your pronunciation out loud, and then check the "Pronunciation" column.
| Hangeul | Syllable Breakdown | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 한국어 | 한 + 국 + 어 | [한구거] (han-gu-geo) | Korean language |
| 음악 | 음 + 악 | [으막] (eu-mak) | Music |
| 옷이 | 옷 + 이 | [오시] (o-si) | Clothes (are) |
| 책을 | 책 + 을 | [채글] (chae-geul) | Book (object) |
| 없어요 | 없 + 어 + 요 | [업서요] (eop-seo-yo) | To not have |
| 많아요 | 많 + 아 + 요 | [마나요] (ma-na-yo) | To be many/much |
How did you do? Getting used to this takes time and practice, so don't worry if it feels a bit slow at first. Your brain is learning to process the written text differently from how it's spoken, which is a key skill in many languages.
Conclusion
Excellent work! You have just learned the fundamental liaison (연음) rule, which is the key to fluent Korean pronunciation.
Here are our main takeaways from today's lesson:
- The Linking Rule: When a batchim is followed by a silent ㅇ, the batchim's sound moves over to the next syllable. The batchim carries its original sound, not its representative sound.
- Double Batchim: The second consonant of a double batchim is the one that moves over.
- Key Exceptions: The ㅇ [ng] batchim does not move. The ㅎ batchim becomes silent before a vowel.
You've now covered the most common pronunciation rules related to syllable blocks. In our next lesson, we'll continue to refine your pronunciation by learning about two more important sound change rules: nasalization and aspiration. These, along with the liaison rule, form the foundation for speaking Korean clearly and naturally.