When learning a new language, there are new experiences you may not have previously considered. As you begin your journey into the world of speaking Korean, you may encounter some differences compared to your native language that may initially seem challenging.
Here are some guidelines for improving your pronunciation in Korean.
Drop the Romanization
Firstly, it's important to address that depending on your native language, as a beginner, you may find romanized Korean words more approachable than Hangeul. While romanization can serve as a gateway to Korean language learning, it is not accurate in terms of pronunciation, and overreliance on it may hinder your Korean speaking skills later on. The sooner you can abandon using romanization, the better your understanding of Korean pronunciation will become.
네 (NE or DE?)
A good example of this effect is the word 네 (yes), while the romanization would explain the sound for this as [ne], when hearing native speakers, the pronunciation is more comparable to a [de] sound. The reasoning is that Korean Consonants are verbally more abrupt than displayed in romanization. When learning unfamiliar languages, it is important to understand that changes in speech patterns are deeper than the words themselves. With Korean, tongue placement and verbal delivery can be different from your native language. While practicing Korean pronunciation might feel new at first for non-native speakers, this way of speaking is natural to native Korean speakers.
How to Practice
The best way to approach challenges with Korean Pronunciation is to listen to native speakers and practice speaking yourself. Consider hearing native speakers’ conversation and recording yourself during practice in order to compare. This is a great way to adapt your pronunciation.
Try it out for yourself, hope this helps!
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