Studying Korean/beginner

🌟 Day 17: Korean Pronunciation Rule – Batchim Assimilation (받침 동화)

thanks2korea 2025. 4. 6. 09:11

Hi everyone!
You’re doing an amazing job keeping up with your Korean studies!
Today, we’re diving into a super important pronunciation rule called Batchim Assimilation (받침 동화).
This rule might sound a bit tricky at first, but don’t worry—I’ll make it simple and fun!



🧠 What is Batchim Assimilation?

Batchim assimilation happens when the final consonant (받침) of one syllable changes its sound depending on the initial consonant of the next syllable.

Think of it like this:
The batchim wants to be “friendly” and adapt to the next sound—so it blends in!



🔄 When does it happen?

It usually happens when:
• A syllable ends in a batchim (final consonant)
• The next syllable starts with certain consonants (especially ㄴ, ㅁ)

The batchim will often change its pronunciation to match or blend with the beginning of the next syllable.



📚 Examples

Written Pronounced As Meaning
신문 (sin + mun) [심문] [sim-mun] newspaper
꽃말 (kkot + mal) [꼰말] [konn-mal] flower language (floriography)
국민 (guk + min) [궁민] [gung-min] citizen
앞문 (ap + mun) [암문] [am-mun] front door





🗣️ Let’s Practice!

Try saying each of these slowly, then naturally:
• 신문 → [심문]
• 꽃말 → [꼰말]
• 국민 → [궁민]
• 앞문 → [암문]

Can you hear how the sounds change to make speaking smoother?



✨ Why is this rule important?
• You’ll sound more natural when speaking Korean
• It helps with listening comprehension—you’ll better recognize spoken words
• You’ll read Korean more fluently, predicting how it’s pronounced



Great job today!
These pronunciation patterns will become second nature with a little practice.
Keep going—you’re building a strong Korean foundation every day!

See you tomorrow! 화이팅!