Korean · Difficult words
How to pronounce 동물 in Korean
동물
Romanization: dongmul
Animal
Standard South Korean; reference: SK-Standard, Seoul · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
동물 is pronounced [ˈto̞(ː)ŋmuɭ] in Korean. In 동물: Round the lips and keep the tongue toward the back for a steady /o/. Follow the length indicated in the transcription. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
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Find the sounds in 동물
The reference transcription for 동물 is [ˈto̞(ː)ŋmuɭ]. 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.A steady /o/ vowel
In 동물: Round the lips and keep the tongue toward the back for a steady /o/. Follow the length indicated in the transcription.
Watch out: Avoid automatically turning a single /o/ into the moving vowel of English “go”.
2.Back rounded vowels
In 동물: Round your lips and keep the tongue toward the back. Follow the closer /u/ or more relaxed /ʊ/ quality written in the IPA.
Watch out: Avoid inserting a y sound before the vowel unless the IPA includes /j/.
Hear it in context
동물이 저기에 있어요.
dongmuri jeogie isseoyo.
There is an animal over there.
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
동물 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 동물
How do you pronounce 동물?
동물 is pronounced [ˈto̞(ː)ŋmuɭ] in Korean. In 동물: Round the lips and keep the tongue toward the back for a steady /o/. Follow the length indicated in the transcription. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In 동물: Round the lips and keep the tongue toward the back for a steady /o/. Follow the length indicated in the transcription. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
