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A stop turns nasal before ㄴ or ㅁ — Korean pronunciation (29 entries)

· 4 min read

This is part 2 of 3, covering a stop turns nasal before ㄴ or ㅁ — 29 entries.

The format and the FAQ are on part 1; this page is the entries themselves.

A stop turns nasal before ㄴ or ㅁ

Korean does not let a hard stop sit directly against a nasal consonant. The stop gives way and becomes nasal itself: ㄱ→ㅇ, ㄷ→ㄴ, ㅂ→ㅁ.

So 국물 comes out as 궁물 and 좋습니다 — a phrase you will hear hundreds of times — comes out as 조씀니다.

This one is worth learning early because it is completely regular. There are no exceptions to memorise; if you see a stop followed by ㄴ or ㅁ, the change happens every single time.

It also explains a mishearing learners often blame on themselves. 습니다 sounds like 씀니다 to you because it is 씀니다.

  • 적혀있는 (jeokyeoinneun) — the sound splits from the spelling at syllable 1. Literally: written 적혀있는 · said 저켜인는.
  • 좋습니다 (josseumnida) — the sound splits from the spelling at syllable 1, and this is one of the words we met most often (17 clips). Literally: written 좋습니다 · said 조씀니다.
  • 확률이 (hwangnyuri) — the sound splits from the spelling at syllable 1. Literally: written 확률이 · said 황뉴리.
  • 있습니다 (itseumnida) — the sound splits from the spelling at syllable 1, and this is one of the words we met most often (27 clips). Literally: written 있습니다 · said 읻씀니다.
  • 같습니다 (gatseumnida) — the sound splits from the spelling at syllable 1, and this is one of the words we met most often (22 clips). Literally: written 같습니다 · said 갇씀니다.
  • 왔습니다 (watseumnida) — the sound splits from the spelling at syllable 1, and this is one of the words we met most often (15 clips). Literally: written 왔습니다 · said 왇씀니다.
  • 맞습니다 (matseumnida) — the sound splits from the spelling at syllable 1, and this is one of the words we met most often (11 clips). Literally: written 맞습니다 · said 맏씀니다.
  • 했습니다 (haetseumnida) — the sound splits from the spelling at syllable 1, and this is one of the words we met most often (10 clips). Literally: written 했습니다 · said 핻씀니다.
  • 없습니다 (eopseumnida) — the sound splits from the spelling at syllable 1, and this is one of the words we met most often (8 clips). Literally: written 없습니다 · said 업씀니다.
  • 됐습니다 (dwaetseumnida) — the sound splits from the spelling at syllable 1, and this is one of the words we met most often (8 clips). Literally: written 됐습니다 · said 됃씀니다.
  • 싶습니다 (sipseumnida) — the sound splits from the spelling at syllable 1. Literally: written 싶습니다 · said 십씀니다.
  • 않습니다 (ansseumnida) — the sound splits from the spelling at syllable 1. Literally: written 않습니다 · said 안씀니다.
  • 끝났다 (kkeunnatda) — the sound splits from the spelling at syllable 1. Literally: written 끝났다 · said 끈낟따.
  • 봤습니다 (bwatseumnida) — the sound splits from the spelling at syllable 1. Literally: written 봤습니다 · said 봗씀니다.
  • 썼습니다 (sseotseumnida) — the sound splits from the spelling at syllable 1. Literally: written 썼습니다 · said 썯씀니다.
  • 였습니다 (yeotseumnida) — the sound splits from the spelling at syllable 1. Literally: written 였습니다 · said 엳씀니다.
  • 죽겠네 (jukgenne) — the sound splits from the spelling at syllable 2. Literally: written 죽겠네 · said 죽껜네.
  • 옛날에 (yennare) — the sound splits from the spelling at syllable 1, and this is one of the words we met most often (15 clips). Literally: written 옛날에 · said 옌나레.
  • 알았는데 (aranneunde) — the sound splits from the spelling at syllable 1, and this is one of the words we met most often (12 clips). Literally: written 알았는데 · said 아란는데.
  • 남았는데 (namanneunde) — the sound splits from the spelling at syllable 1, and this is one of the words we met most often (10 clips). Literally: written 남았는데 · said 나만는데.
  • 싶었는데 (sipeonneunde) — the sound splits from the spelling at syllable 1, and this is one of the words we met most often (9 clips). Literally: written 싶었는데 · said 시펀는데.
  • 들었는데 (deureonneunde) — the sound splits from the spelling at syllable 1, and this is one of the words we met most often (8 clips). Literally: written 들었는데 · said 드런는데.
  • 않았나 (ananna) — the sound splits from the spelling at syllable 1. Literally: written 않았나 · said 아난나.
  • 했었는데 (haesseonneunde) — the sound splits from the spelling at syllable 1. Literally: written 했었는데 · said 해썬는데.
  • 없었는데 (eopsseonneunde) — the sound splits from the spelling at syllable 1. Literally: written 없었는데 · said 업썬는데.
  • 남아있는 (namainneun) — the sound splits from the spelling at syllable 1. Literally: written 남아있는 · said 나마인는.
  • 말입니다 (marimnida) — the sound splits from the spelling at syllable 1. Literally: written 말입니다 · said 마림니다.
  • 거짓말을 (geojinmareul) — the sound splits from the spelling at syllable 2. Literally: written 거짓말을 · said 거진마를.
  • 적었는데 (jeogeonneunde) — the sound splits from the spelling at syllable 1. Literally: written 적었는데 · said 저건는데.

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