batchim rules

① ㄱ,ㅋ,ㄲ (k) First, ㄱ(기역), ㅋ(키읔) and ㄲ(쌍기역) make the K sound. Keep your tongue still and your throat should feel a little choked. Let’s practice by reading 악, 앜, 앆.

ㄴ makes the N sound. 안 안 안

ㄷ(디귿),ㅌ(티읕),ㅅ(시옷), ㅆ(쌍시옷), ㅈ(지읒), ㅊ(치읓),ㅎ(히읗) all make the T sound. 앋, 앝, 앗, 았, 앚, 앛, 앟

ㄹ makes the L sound. The tongue touches the upper teeth or the ceiling of the mouth. To practice this one, open your mouth slightly and then repeat saying “La la la la la.” Then, keep the shape of your mouth the same and try repeating “La lu la lu la lu la lu.” La la la la la la, la lu la lu la lu la lu. When you pronounce Lu, your tongue should touch the back of the ceiling of your mouth, right? This is the correct pronunciation of ㄹ. Let’s practice by saying 알. 알 알 알

ㅁ (m) The fifth is ㅁ with the M sound.

ㅂ,ㅍ (p) ㅂ and ㅍ have the P sound.

ㅇ (ng) ㅇ batchim makes the Ng sound. When you pronounce this batchim, make a cave inside your mouth and don’t move your tongue. Let’s practice by saying 앙.

ㄺ (k) Firstly, ㄺ makes the K sound. There are words like 읽다「to read」, 닭고기「chicken meat」, 늙다「to get old」, 맑다「sunny」and 낡다「(an object is) old」.

ㄵ , ㄶ (n) ㄵ and ㄶ are pronounced as N. For ㄵ, there is 앉다「to sit」. For ㄶ, there are 많다「many」and 괜찮다「It’s okay」. Let’s read them together. 앉다,많다,괜찮다.

ㄼ , ㅀ (L) ㄼ and ㅀ have the L pronunciation. For ㄼ there are words like 여덟「8」, 짧다「short」, 넓다「wide」, 얇다「thin」. These are the words that beginners must learn. For ㅀ, there are 싫다「Dislike」뚫다「Drill」、잃다「Lose」. Let’s read them together. 여덟, 짧다, 넓다, 얇다, 싫다, 뚫다, 잃다.

ㄻ (m)、 ㅄ (p) ㄻ is pronounced as M. There are words like 닮다「similar」, 젊다「Young」. ㅄ makes the P sound. There is a word 없다「Absent」. Let’s read them together. 닮다, 젊다, 없다

① Batchim ＋ ㅇ When batchim is followed by ㅇ, the batchim will be combined with the vowel following. For example, when you read 먹 어「Eat」continuously, the pronunciation becomes [머거]. Aslo, 이것은 (This is ) is pronounced as [이거슨] when we read continuously. Ex: 먹어(Eat)→[머거]、 이것은(This is)→[이거슨] when 이응 comes after double batchim, you read both double batchim. For example, 젊어요(Young) becomes [절머요] and 앉아(sit) becomes［안자]. However, if ㄷ (디귿)and ㅌ(티읕) in batchim is followed by 이, it will be pronounced as ㅈ (지읒)and ㅊ(치읒) each. For example, 굳이 (dare) becomes[구지] and 같이 (together) becomes [가치]. Also, if ㅇ comes after ㅎ in batchim, ㅎ will not be pronounced. For example, 좋아 (Like) is pronounced as [조아] and 싫어 (Dislike) is pronounced as [시러]. Ex： 좋아(Like)→[조아]、 싫어(Dislike)→[시러]

② Changes to double consonant When the consonants ㄱ,ㄷ,ㅂ,ㅅ,ㅈ come after the batchim that are pronounced ㄱ,ㄷ,ㅂ, their pronunciation will become double consonants like ㄲ(쌍기역),ㄸ(쌍띠귿),ㅃ(쌍삐읍),ㅆ(쌍씨옷),ㅉ(쌍지읒). Ex： 없고 (Without)→[업꼬]、 책상(Desk)→[책쌍]、 꽃밭(Flower field)→[꼳빧]

③ Changes to strong consonant When the consonants ㄱ,ㄷ,ㅂ,ㅈ come before or after the batchim ㅎ, their pronunciation will become strong consonants like ㅋ,ㅌ,ㅍ,ㅊ. Ex： 축하해(Congratulations)→[추카해]、 입학(Enrolment)→[이팍]、 맞히다(To hit)→[마치다] Also, when these consonants come after ㄶ or ㅀ, the pronunciation becomes strong consonants as well. Ex： 많다(Many)→[만타]、 잃지 않다(Not lose)→[일치 안타]

④ Changes to nasal consonant When the consonant ㅁ comes after the batchim that are pronounced ㄱ,ㄷ or ㅂ, batchim ㄱ becomes ㅇ, batchim ㄷ becomes ㄴ, and batchim ㅂ becomes ㅁ. Ex： 박물관(Museum)→[방물관]、 믿는(to believe)→[민는]、 감사합니다(Thank you)→[감사함니다] In addition, the consonant ㄹ comes after the batchim ㅁ or ㅇ, ㄹ will become ㄴ(니은). Ex: 심리학 (Psychology)→[심니학]、 종류(Type)→[종뉴] In addition, if the consonant ㄹ follows after the batchim ㄱ or ㅂ, the batchim will become ㅇ and ㅁ each and the consonant ㄹ will become ㄴ(니은). Ex： 학력(Educational background)→[항녁]、 합리적(Rational)→[함니적]

⑤ Changes to smooth consonant When ㄴ batchim is followed by the consonant ㄹ, or ㄹ batchim is followed by the consonant ㄴ, both ㄴ, ㄹ batchims become ㄹ. Ex： 관리(Management)→[괄리]、 잃는(Lose)→[일른] In some cases, the batchim does not become ㄹ and the following consonant becomes ㄴ. You can find words originating from Chinese characters. Ex： 결단력(Decisiveness)→[결딴녁]、 횡단로(Cross road)→[횡단노]