Linking Sounds: When Batchim Moves Over

The basic rule

Remember that ㅇ at the top of a block is silent. It is only a placeholder that tells you the syllable starts with a vowel. When a syllable with batchim is followed by a syllable that starts with this silent ㅇ, the batchim moves over and is pronounced at the start of the next syllable. In Korean this is called 연음, linking.

Look at 음악 (music). It is written 음 + 악. The ㅁ at the bottom of 음 moves into the empty place of the silent ㅇ in 악. So we say [으막]. The spelling does not change, only the pronunciation.

Why does this happen? Korean prefers syllables that start with a consonant. Moving the consonant over makes speech smoother and easier. Many languages do something similar in fast speech, but in Korean it happens every time.

Linking with particles and endings

Linking happens very often when you add grammar to a word. Particles like 이, 을, 은, 에 and endings like -어요, -아요 start with a vowel. So the last consonant of the word moves into them.

This is where the real spelling becomes important. In the last two lessons you learned that 옷 alone is [옫] and 꽃 alone is [꼳]. But before a vowel, the original consonant moves over and is heard clearly: 옷이 [오시], 꽃이 [꼬치]. The table of seven final sounds is only for the end of a word or before a consonant.

Double consonants like ㄲ and ㅆ move over as one whole tense sound: 밖에 [바께], 있어요 [이써요].

ㅇ and ㅎ do not link in the usual way

Final ㅇ stays. The ng sound of a final ㅇ cannot start a Korean syllable, so it stays where it is. 영어 (English) is said [영어], and 고양이 (cat) is said [고양이]. Keep the ng and then say the vowel.

Final ㅎ disappears. When a word stem ends in ㅎ and a vowel follows, the ㅎ is not moved; it simply goes silent. 좋아요 (good) is said [조아요], and 놓아요 (put) is [노아요]. With double finals ㄶ and ㅀ, the ㅎ also disappears and the other consonant links: 많아요 [마나요], 싫어요 [시러요]. We will see more ㅎ rules in Sound Changes II.

Linking between two words

Linking also happens across a space when you speak quickly, for example with particles that follow a noun. But there is a special case when the second part is a real word with its own meaning that starts with a vowel, like 없다 (not have), 안 (inside) or 옷 (clothes). Then the first word’s batchim first changes to one of the seven final sounds, and only then moves over.

So 맛없다 (tasteless) is not [마섭따] but [마덥따]: 맛 becomes [맏] first, and the ㄷ moves over. In the same way 겉옷 (outer clothing) is [거돋], and 옷 안 (inside the clothes) is [오단].

One famous word allows two pronunciations: 맛있다 (delicious) can be [마딛따] by this rule, but [마싣따] is also standard, and it is the one you will hear most. 멋있다 (cool, stylish) is the same: [머딛따] or [머싣따].

How to practice

Read a word slowly, syllable by syllable, as it is written: 한-국-어. Then read it again, moving the batchim over: 한-구-거. Then say it at normal speed. After a few tries your mouth will do it automatically.

When you listen to Korean songs or dramas, try to notice linking. You will hear [이써요] and [머거요] everywhere. Copying these sounds is one of the fastest ways to sound natural.