💨 ㅎ Rules & Aspiration #3 : When ㅎ disappears or makes sounds stronger
![Korean ㅎ rules: deletion and aspiration examples (좋아요→[조아요], 놓고→[노코])](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxzoELCgYG-R421JsADVhkqgdzZRRV0rVM8B__KAAJqAM_0Z8aFewuCQGPFsaLYaW5Q_BKM91nsLUoswQtmzRNZoP4t65rI3dRaOpWLy_QKYfmBSVKIstNWCV55JvcDi7k_eeXH2DfacOItJXdhZaCyeeE04kxqiVNNFpQZiGRlWFDVINb1yCoXjL4I855/w640-h640-rw/%EC%A0%9C%EB%AA%A9%EC%9D%84%20%EC%9E%85%EB%A0%A5%ED%95%B4%EC%A3%BC%EC%84%B8%EC%9A%94%20(3)%20(1).jpg "ㅎ Rules & Aspiration Mastery")
💨 ㅎ Rules & Aspiration: When ㅎ disappears or makes sounds stronger
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Not sure why 좋아요 sounds like [조아요] or 놓고 like [노코]? This guide shows the simple ㅎ rules you can use today.
ㅎ 발음이 헷갈리나요? 쉽게 기억하는 규칙과 짧은 예문으로 금방 익혀요.
🎧 About this 5-part series (open)
- Ep.1 Essentials — 연음, 받침, 동화, ㅎ 규칙
- Ep.2 Batchim Deep Dive — 복합받침(ㄳ/ㄵ/ㄶ/ㄺ…)
- ✅ You’re here: Ep.3 ㅎ Rules — ㅎ 약화·탈락·거센화
- Ep.4 Assimilation — 비음화/유음화/구개음화/경음화
- Ep.5 Prosody — 정중 억양/끝말 톤
🎯 Learning Goals
- Understand when ㅎ weakens or disappears (deletion).
- Learn how ㅎ can cause aspiration (ㅋ/ㅌ/ㅍ/ㅊ).
- Master high-frequency words: 좋아요, 놓고, 괜찮다, 못해요, 싫어요…
📚 Tap to open Table of Contents
⚡ Key Facts
- ㅎ deletion: ㅎ이 약해지거나 사라짐 — 좋아요→[조아요].
- ㅎ aspiration: 이웃 자음이 세짐 — 놓고→[노코], 못해요→[모태요].
- Focus words: 좋아요/괜찮다/놓다/못하다/싫다 — 실전에서 자주 들려요.
한 줄 요약: “ㅎ은 약해지거나 옆 소리를 세게 만든다”.
💡 Concept & When to Use
1) ㅎ deletion (약화/탈락) — In many common words, ㅎ becomes very weak or disappears in fast speech.
- 좋아요 → [조아요] · 좋아해요 → [조아해요]
- 괜찮다 → [괜찬다] · 괜찮아요 → [괜차나요]
- 싫어요 → [시러요]
2) ㅎ aspiration (거센화) — When ㅎ meets another plain stop, the neighbor may become aspirated (k/t/p/ch).
- 놓고 → [노코] · 못해요 → [모태요]
- 좋다고 → [조타고] · 착하고 → [차카고]
- 괜찮고 → [괜찬코]
규칙을 단어에서 먼저 익히고, 문장으로 넓히면 자연스럽게 들리고 말할 수 있어요.
📝 Examples / Patterns
- Deletion — 좋아요[조아요], 싫어요[시러요], 괜찮아요[괜차나요]
- Aspiration — 놓고[노코], 못해요[모태요], 좋다[조타]
- Mixed — 괜찮고[괜찬코], 좋아해요[조아해요]
🗣 Practice Dialogue
A: 이 집 어때요?
How is this place?
B: 음식이 좋아요 → [조아요], 분위기도 괜찮아요 → [괜차나요].
The food is good, the vibe is fine.
A: 그럼 짐 놓고 갈까요?
Shall we leave our bags and go?
B: 네, 짐 놓고 → [노코] 가요!
Yes, let’s drop them and go!
🚫 Common Mistakes & Fixes
- ❌ 좋아요 [좋아요] → ✅ [조아요] — ㅎ 약화/탈락.
- ❌ 놓고 [노고] → ✅ [노코] — ㅎ 거센화.
- ❌ 괜찮아요 [괜찬아요] → ✅ [괜차나요] — ㅎ 약화 + 연음.
- ❌ 못해요 [모해요] → ✅ [모태요] — ㅎ 거센화(ㅌ).
- ❌ 싫어요 [실허요] → ✅ [시러요] — ㅎ 약화/탈락.
🎯 Pop Quiz
- 발음: “좋다” → ?
Answer
[조타]
- 빈칸: “짐 ______ 갈게요”(놓고) → 표준 발음?
Answer
[노코]
- 올바른 발음 고르기: A) 괜찮아요[괜차나요] B) 괜찮아요[괜찬아요]
Answer
A) [괜차나요]
- 못해요의 발음은?
Answer
[모태요]
👩🏫 Teacher’s Tips
Tip 1: Hear the pattern — Make a set: 좋아요/놓고/못해요/괜찮고. Read slowly, then faster. Record once a day.
“좋아요/놓고/못해요/괜찮고”를 천천히 읽고 점점 빠르게 읽어 보세요. 하루에 한 번 녹음하면 귀가 빨라져요.
Tip 2: H is light — Whisper the ㅎ. If it vanishes naturally, let it go. Don’t push a heavy [h].
ㅎ은 가볍게 속삭이듯 내요. 자연스럽게 사라지면 억지로 세게 내지 않아도 돼요.
Tip 3: Feel aspiration — For 놓고/못해요, make a clean burst [k/t]. Hand near mouth to feel air.
놓고/못해요처럼 거센소리는 [ㅋ/ㅌ] 바람이 나와요. 손을 입 앞에 대고 공기를 느껴 보세요.
Tip 4: Short chunks — Practice 2–3-word chunks: “정말 좋아요”, “짐 놓고 가요”. Link smoothly.
“정말 좋아요”, “짐 놓고 가요”처럼 짧은 덩어리로 연습하고, 단어 사이를 부드럽게 연결해요.
Tip 5: 3-minute routine — One rule, three words, one sentence. Keep it daily.
하루 3분: 규칙 1개, 단어 3개, 문장 1개. 매일 짧게 꾸준히 해요.
🌀 Real-life Patterns
- 정말 좋아요 → [조아요] · “It’s really good.”
- 짐 놓고 갈게요 → [노코] · “I’ll drop my bag and go.”
- 못해요 오늘은 → [모태요] · “I can’t today.”
- 다 괜찮고 맛있어요 → [괜찬코] · “Everything’s fine and tasty.”
🔗 External Links (Trusted)
👋 Practice with Me
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Labels: Pronunciation Series, h rules, aspiration, Korean pronunciation, deletion, linking, beginner Korean
❓ FAQ
Why does 좋아요 sound like [조아요]?
ㅎ often weakens or drops in common words, leading to [조아요].
Is 놓고 pronounced [노코]?
Yes. ㅎ can cause aspiration, so ㄱ/ㄷ/ㅂ/ㅈ become ㅋ/ㅌ/ㅍ/ㅊ in context.
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