Foundations
Korean pronunciation and listening
Recognize the sound behind the spelling
Learn written and spoken forms together. Use a familiar word and its surrounding sentence rather than treating each written syllable as an isolated sound.
Intonation
책이에요? / 책이에요.
The same words can be a question or a statement. Follow the conversation and the pitch at the end.
Linking
먹어요 → [머거요]
A final consonant can link to a following vowel-initial syllable. Learn the written and spoken forms together.
Tensification
학교 → [학꾜]
Some consonants sound tense after another final consonant. Do not search for a different word just because the sound changes.
Nasalization
국물 → [궁물]
Before a nasal consonant, a final consonant can change to a nasal sound. Recognize the whole familiar word.
Aspiration
좋다 → [조타]
A consonant adjacent to ㅎ can become aspirated. Listen for the stronger burst of air.
ㅎ deletion
좋아요 → [조아요]
ㅎ can disappear before a vowel ending. Compare 좋다 and 좋아요 instead of expecting every written letter to sound the same.
A three-pass listening routine
- Before listening, read the task and predict whether you need a person, place, time, topic or reason.
- During listening, follow the speaker and sentence ending. Notice negatives and any changed plan.
- After listening, find the decisive clue and explain why the other options fail.