KOREAN FOUNDATIONS / 04
Meet the final consonant
Read simple endings and discover the two roles of ㅇ.
BY THE END OF THIS LESSON
Distinguish silent initial ㅇ from final ㅇ.
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1
At the bottom
Batchim means a final consonant written below the vowel. In 밥, the first ㅂ begins the syllable and the second ㅂ closes it.
밥bapRice / meal
2
ㅇ changes its role
Initial ㅇ is silent, as in 아. Final ㅇ is the nasal sound /ŋ/, as in 강. Do not add a separate g sound after it.
강gangRiver
공gongBall
3
Start simple; connect later
Final stops such as ㅂ close without an extra “uh.” Spelling and sound can change their relationship when another syllable follows. Learn the basic word first; linking and sound changes come later.
문munDoor
밤bamNight / chestnut (context matters)
Romanization is a reading aid, not an exact pronunciation guide. Korean device voices vary by browser.