Korean · Difficult words
How to pronounce 얼굴 in Korean
얼굴
Romanization: eolgul
Face
Standard South Korean; reference: SK-Standard, Seoul · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
얼굴 is pronounced [ʌ̹ɭɡuɭ] in Korean. In 얼굴: 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 얼굴
The reference transcription for 얼굴 is [ʌ̹ɭɡuɭ]. 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 얼굴: 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.Back rounded vowels
In 얼굴: 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
얼굴을 씻어요.
eolgureul ssiseoyo.
I wash my face.
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
얼굴 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 얼굴
How do you pronounce 얼굴?
얼굴 is pronounced [ʌ̹ɭɡuɭ] in Korean. In 얼굴: 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 얼굴: 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.
