Korean · Difficult words
How to pronounce 번개 in Korean
번개
Romanization: beon'gae
Lightning
Standard South Korean; reference: SK-Standard, Seoul · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
번개 is pronounced [pʌ̹nɡɛ] in Korean. In 번개: Use a single open back-to-central vowel. The spelling “eo” in romanization represents one vowel. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
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Find the sounds in 번개
The reference transcription for 번개 is [pʌ̹nɡɛ]. Read adjacent consonants together without inserting extra vowels. Korean pronunciation changes when sounds meet. Follow the spoken transcription and connected example rather than reading each Hangul letter in isolation.
1.The eo vowel /ʌ/
In 번개: Use a single open back-to-central vowel. The spelling “eo” in romanization represents one vowel.
Watch out: Do not read eo as an e followed by o.
2.The open /ɛ/ vowel
In 번개: Keep the vowel open, like the vowel in many pronunciations of English “bed”, without a final glide.
Watch out: Avoid turning this vowel into English “ay”.
Hear it in context
번개가 심해요.
beongaega simhaeyo.
The lightning is severe.
Listen once, say it aloud, then replay at 1.00×. Keep the word connected to the surrounding sentence rather than giving every syllable equal weight.
Pronunciation and variety
번개 is presented in standard South Korean pronunciation. Everyday speech can vary in vowel quality and consonant realization. Treat the romanization as a reading aid and follow the Hangul, IPA, and recording together.
The English-style respelling is approximate. Use the IPA and recording together for vowel quality and consonants that do not have an exact English equivalent.
Meaning and everyday use
Questions about 번개
How do you pronounce 번개?
번개 is pronounced [pʌ̹nɡɛ] in Korean. In 번개: Use a single open back-to-central vowel. The spelling “eo” in romanization represents one vowel. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In 번개: Use a single open back-to-central vowel. The spelling “eo” in romanization represents one vowel. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
