English Pronunciation Challenges for Korean Speakers
English is a must for people who want to take their life to the next level. The problem is that when speaking English, you often use pronunciation habits from your native language and carry them over to English. What does that mean? It means that if a sound exists in English, but not in your native language then you may struggle or substitute it with a sound from your language without even thinking about it.
Most English learners spend a lot of time focusing on learning grammar and maybe, if they’re especially dedicated, move on to learn sounds. However, it’s not enough to learn the sounds of English or to understand how things should sound; you have to have a deeper understanding of how your language works. Then you can compare the two. I always tell my clients that the first step to change is awareness. So, today I’m going to guide you so that you become aware and then can work step-by-step on making changes. Ready for confidence and clarity? Let’s go!
K-beauty, K- pop, K-dramas are words that everyone understands nowadays. Americans snuggle up in their bed, ipad in hand to watch the latest drama on Netflix (guilty here) or jam out to the new catchy, Korean pop song on their way to work. That’s right- Korean culture or known as the “Korean Wave” has become an influential global phenomenon! While Americans are just now catching on to the latest trends, Korean natives have long had an interest in the USA, or more specifically English. In fact, in a 2010 article in the Korean Times, Korean ranked #1 in the world in money spent on English language education, but #121st in English speaking ability. That’s why we are going to look at common challenges for Korean speakers, learning English. We don’t have time to cover them all, but let’s focus on three biggies. Not Korean? No worries- some of these points will be useful for you too!
Favorite K-Dramas on Netflix
Challenge #1: Replacing V with B, and F with P
Korean doesn’t have V and F. These are called fricatives, where the air passes in a continuous manner and that is the sound that is created: ‘v’ and ‘f’
In Korean, a /v/ sound would end up sounding like /b/, So “vote” might sound like “boat”, Also, the /f/ sound might sound like a /p/ sound. So instead of saying “fine”, speakers might say “pine”. Do these happen to you sometimes?
What’s the secret? Understanding what happens in the mouth for the F and V. The bottom lip touches the top teeth, and air passes. So you want to feel the air coming out as you pronounce it.
Tricky words: Berry/Very and Paint/Faint.
Would you like to know how to practice pronunciation? Download the next guide to learn how to practice pronunciation today.
Challenge #2: Mispronouncing the Z
Zipper, zoo, and zebra are all very common words in English and they have the Z sound. The problem for Koreans is that Z doesn’t exist; they often try to replace it with similar sounds like CH as in “chair” or J as in “juice”. So instead of ‘doesn’t’ you may hear ‘doe-chn’t’. Another problem is that at the end of some words in English, the S sounds like Z as in peas, dads, bugs. Koreans may pronounce peas (food) like peace (absence of war).
Let’s practice: frozen, size, realize.
Challenge #3: Adding a vowel at the end of syllables
In Korean the only consonant sounds that are allowed at the ends of words are the nasal sounds M/N/NG, the L sound, and the P/T/K. So sometimes, without even thinking about it, Korean speakers will add a new syllable at the end of words, so “bag” becomes ba-gu or “bus” becomes bu-su. You need to practice words ending in other consonants and record your voice to make sure you stop after the consonant and aren’t adding a vowel sound.
Let’s practice: Christmas, miss, tag, leave, need
“I need to remove the tag on the shirt I got for Miss Sarah for Christmas before we leave the house.
Remember that you need to practice these sounds. Don’t expect a miracle overnight. You just became aware of these challenges. You could spend hours on Youtube looking for more tips or try practicing alone. Save time and hassle by working with an American accent coach to get quicker results.
P.S. Korea hasn’t only reached the USA; it’s popular in Guatemala too! ”Vogue” magazine listed a Korean ☕ coffee shop as one of the Top 10 reasons to visit Guatemala. Cool, right? 😀