Korean · Everyday expressions
How to pronounce 가요 in Korean
가요
Romanization: gayo
Let's go!
Standard South Korean; reference: SK-Standard, Seoul · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
가요 is pronounced [ka̠jo] in Korean. In 가요: 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 가요
The reference transcription for 가요 is [ka̠jo]. 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 가요: 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.An open vowel
In 가요: Open the jaw for the a-like vowel shown in the IPA. Keep it continuous and follow the recording’s tongue position.
Watch out: Do not substitute the English diphthong in “day”.
Hear it in context
이제 가요. 늦겠어요.
ije gayo. neutgesseoyo.
Let’s go now. We may be late.
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
가요 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 가요
How do you pronounce 가요?
가요 is pronounced [ka̠jo] in Korean. In 가요: 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 가요: 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.
