Pronunciation Rules

Korean spelling and pronunciation often differ. While Hangul is a highly phonetic script, several pronunciation rules cause the spoken form to deviate from the written form. These rules are systematic and predictable — once you learn them, you can correctly pronounce any Korean word.

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Rule 1: Linking (연음, Yeonum)

When a syllable ending in a batchim is followed by a syllable starting with ㅇ (silent), the batchim links to become the initial consonant of the next syllable.

Written	Spoken As	Romanisation
음악	으막	eumak
한국어	한구거	hangugeo
먹어요	머거요	meogeoyo
일요일	이료일	iryoil
옷을	오슬	oseul
밥을	바블	babeul

This is the most basic and common rule. It happens automatically in natural speech.

Note: When ㅎ is the batchim and the next syllable starts with ㅇ, the ㅎ is silent and does not link. Instead, the vowel simply starts: 좋아 → 조아 (joa).

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Rule 2: Nasalisation (비음화, Bieumhwa)