Introduction: Romanized Korean

Unlike English, Korean has several speech levels that are formally codified. Age, social standing or the degree of intimacy you have with the person being addressed determines the level of politeness you should adopt. The different speech levels are marked by the verb endings placed at the end of the sentences.

Needless to say, you are required to use the  polite form with strangers, your seniors and to those of a higher social status. However, as your relationship with them develops, a more relaxed and causl form of the language may be adopted.



Consonants
(1) Simple consonants
      ㄱ g,k   ㄴ n      ㄷ d,t   ㄹ r,l     ㅁ m     ㅂ b,p
      ㅅ s       ㅇ ng    ㅈ j      ㅊ ch     ㅋ k      ㅌ t
      ㅍ p      ㅎ h


(2) Double consonants
      ㄲ kk   ㄸ tt    ㅃ pp    ㅆ ss    ㅉ jj


Most of the consonants are pronounced as in English except for the tensed (double) consonants.

Double Consonants
There isn't much problem pronouncing romanized Korean except the tensed (double) consonants that require a relative strong muscular effort in the vocal organs without the expulsion of air.

English      Korean      Approximate in English
kk              ㄲ               as in "ski", "sky"
tt                ㄸ               as in "steak", "sting"
pp              ㅃ               as in "speak", "spy"
ss               ㅆ               as in "sea", "sir"
jj                ㅉ               as in "bridge", "midget" (similar to a tutting sound in an exhaling way)

Vowels
(1) Simple vowels
     ㅏ a     ㅓ eo     ㅗ o     ㅜ u     ㅡ eu    ㅣ i
     ㅐ ae   ㅔ e

(2) Diphthongs
     ㅑ ya    ㅕ yeo      ㅛ yo    ㅠ yu     ㅒ yae   ㅖ ye
      ㅘ wa   ㅙ wae    ㅝ wo    ㅞ we    ㅢ ui     ㅚ oe
      ㅟ wi

 English       Korean      Approximate in English
 a                   ㅏ           as in "father"
 eo                 ㅓ           as in "turd"
 o                   ㅗ           as in "fall"
 u                   ㅜ           as in "boo"
 eu                 ㅡ           as in "taken"
 i                    ㅣ           as in "see"
 ae                 ㅐ           as in "tad"
 e                   ㅔ           as in "beg"
 oe                 ㅚ           as in "welcome"
 ya                 ㅑ           as in "yarn"
 yeo               ㅕ           as in "yonder"
 yo                 ㅛ           as in "yoghurt" (said with a slight pull)
 yu                 ㅠ           as in "yule" (said with a slight pull)
 yae               ㅒ           as in "yak"
 ye                 ㅖ           as in "yes"
 wa                ㅘ           as in "wipe" (first vowel sound of the word; rhymes with "bah")
 wae              ㅙ           as in "wax"
 wo                ㅝ           as in "wonderful"
 wi                 ㅟ           as in "weed"
 ui                  ㅢ           this is a combination of 2 sounds u as in "pull" followed by ee as in "see".

(Personal note:
Most intonations reflects American accent. Those who speaks otherwise, please cross-reference the sounds carefully, or the words you end up speaking may sound and/or mean differently.)