30 romantic Korean phrases

1. 1첫 → 천7 final sounds · Nasal

   At the end of a syllable, consonants collapse into one of just seven sounds; ㄱ/ㄷ/ㅂ sound like ㅇ/ㄴ/ㅁ before ㄴ/ㅁ.

   Only seven final sounds. At the end of a syllable Korean has only seven sounds: ㄱ ㄴ ㄷ ㄹ ㅁ ㅂ ㅇ. ㅅ ㅆ ㅈ ㅊ ㅌ ㅎ sound like ㄷ, ㅋ ㄲ like ㄱ, ㅍ like ㅂ. 옷 is said 옫 (ot).

   Sounds turn nasal. Before ㄴ or ㅁ, final ㄱ becomes ㅇ, ㄷ becomes ㄴ and ㅂ becomes ㅁ: 감사합니다 is said 감사함니다. ㄹ after these sounds is said like ㄴ: 정류장 → 정뉴장.

2. 2눈에 → 누네Linking

   A final consonant slides onto the next syllable when that syllable starts with ㅇ.

   The consonant moves forward. When a syllable ends in a consonant and the next one starts with a silent ㅇ, the consonant slides over and starts the next syllable. 먹어 is said 머거 (meo-geo).

3. 3했어 → 해써Linking

   A final consonant slides onto the next syllable when that syllable starts with ㅇ.

   The consonant moves forward. When a syllable ends in a consonant and the next one starts with a silent ㅇ, the consonant slides over and starts the next syllable. 먹어 is said 머거 (meo-geo).

1. 1좋 → 조Silent ㅎ

   ㅎ goes silent before a vowel.

   ㅎ goes silent. A final ㅎ before a vowel isn't pronounced. 좋아요 is said 조아요 (jo-a-yo).

NoteSlang: 심 from 심장 (heart) + 쿵 (thump)

Note썸 comes from English 'some(thing)'

1. 1있어 → 이써Linking

   A final consonant slides onto the next syllable when that syllable starts with ㅇ.

   The consonant moves forward. When a syllable ends in a consonant and the next one starts with a silent ㅇ, the consonant slides over and starts the next syllable. 먹어 is said 머거 (meo-geo).

1. 1같이 → 가치이 softens

   ㄷ/ㅌ soften to ㅈ/ㅊ before 이.

   ㄷ ㅌ + 이 → ㅈ ㅊ. A final ㄷ or ㅌ followed by 이 turns into ㅈ or ㅊ. 같이 is said 가치 (ga-chi).

Noteㄱ and ㅎ merge into ㅋ; the ending -ㄹ게 is pronounced tense [께]

1. 1잡아 → 자바Linking

   A final consonant slides onto the next syllable when that syllable starts with ㅇ.

   The consonant moves forward. When a syllable ends in a consonant and the next one starts with a silent ㅇ, the consonant slides over and starts the next syllable. 먹어 is said 머거 (meo-geo).

1. 1멋있어 → 머시써Linking

   A final consonant slides onto the next syllable when that syllable starts with ㅇ.

   The consonant moves forward. When a syllable ends in a consonant and the next one starts with a silent ㅇ, the consonant slides over and starts the next syllable. 먹어 is said 머거 (meo-geo).

NoteAlso heard as [머디써] — both are standard

1. 1밖에 → 바께Linking

   A final consonant slides onto the next syllable when that syllable starts with ㅇ.

   The consonant moves forward. When a syllable ends in a consonant and the next one starts with a silent ㅇ, the consonant slides over and starts the next syllable. 먹어 is said 머거 (meo-geo).

2. 2없어 → 업써Linking · Tense

   A final consonant slides onto the next syllable when that syllable starts with ㅇ; After a ㄱ/ㄷ/ㅂ ending, the next ㄱㄷㅂㅅㅈ is squeezed into tense ㄲㄸㅃㅆㅉ.

   The consonant moves forward. When a syllable ends in a consonant and the next one starts with a silent ㅇ, the consonant slides over and starts the next syllable. 먹어 is said 머거 (meo-geo).

   Tense, doubled sounds. After a final ㄱ ㄷ ㅂ sound, the next ㄱ ㄷ ㅂ ㅅ ㅈ becomes tense: ㄲ ㄸ ㅃ ㅆ ㅉ. 학교 is said 학꾜 (hak-kkyo).

1. 1싶었어 → 시퍼써Linking

   A final consonant slides onto the next syllable when that syllable starts with ㅇ.

   The consonant moves forward. When a syllable ends in a consonant and the next one starts with a silent ㅇ, the consonant slides over and starts the next syllable. 먹어 is said 머거 (meo-geo).

NoteThe ending -ㄹ게 is always pronounced tense [께], but written 게

1. 1꿈에 → 꾸메Linking

   A final consonant slides onto the next syllable when that syllable starts with ㅇ.

   The consonant moves forward. When a syllable ends in a consonant and the next one starts with a silent ㅇ, the consonant slides over and starts the next syllable. 먹어 is said 머거 (meo-geo).

Noteㄴ next to ㄹ turns into ㄹ; the ending -ㄹ게 is pronounced tense [께]

1. 1문에 → 무네Linking

   A final consonant slides onto the next syllable when that syllable starts with ㅇ.

   The consonant moves forward. When a syllable ends in a consonant and the next one starts with a silent ㅇ, the consonant slides over and starts the next syllable. 먹어 is said 머거 (meo-geo).

2. 2겠어 → 게써Linking

   A final consonant slides onto the next syllable when that syllable starts with ㅇ.

   The consonant moves forward. When a syllable ends in a consonant and the next one starts with a silent ㅇ, the consonant slides over and starts the next syllable. 먹어 is said 머거 (meo-geo).

1. 1싫어 → 시러Silent ㅎ · Linking

   ㅎ goes silent before a vowel; A final consonant slides onto the next syllable when that syllable starts with ㅇ.

   ㅎ goes silent. A final ㅎ before a vowel isn't pronounced. 좋아요 is said 조아요 (jo-a-yo).

   The consonant moves forward. When a syllable ends in a consonant and the next one starts with a silent ㅇ, the consonant slides over and starts the next syllable. 먹어 is said 머거 (meo-geo).

1. 1였어 → 여써Linking

   A final consonant slides onto the next syllable when that syllable starts with ㅇ.

   The consonant moves forward. When a syllable ends in a consonant and the next one starts with a silent ㅇ, the consonant slides over and starts the next syllable. 먹어 is said 머거 (meo-geo).

1. 1작하 → 자카+ㅎ

   ㅎ merges into ㄱ/ㄷ/ㅂ/ㅈ and turns them into breathy ㅋ/ㅌ/ㅍ/ㅊ.

   ㅎ adds a puff of air. ㅎ merges with a neighboring ㄱ ㄷ ㅂ ㅈ into ㅋ ㅌ ㅍ ㅊ. 축하해 is said 추카해 (chu-ka-hae), 좋다 is said 조타.