Korean · Difficult words
How to pronounce 냉장고 in Korean
냉장고
Romanization: naengjanggo
Refrigerator
Standard South Korean; reference: SK-Standard, Seoul · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
냉장고 is pronounced [ˈnɛ(ː)ŋd͡ʑa̠ŋɡo̞] in Korean. In 냉장고: 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 냉장고
The reference transcription for 냉장고 is [ˈnɛ(ː)ŋd͡ʑa̠ŋɡo̞]. 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 냉장고: 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.The open /ɛ/ vowel
In 냉장고: 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”.
3.An open vowel
In 냉장고: 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
냉장고가 고장 났어요.
naengjanggoga gojang nasseoyo.
The refrigerator has broken down.
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
냉장고 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 냉장고
How do you pronounce 냉장고?
냉장고 is pronounced [ˈnɛ(ː)ŋd͡ʑa̠ŋɡo̞] in Korean. In 냉장고: 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 냉장고: 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.
