Korean · Difficult words
How to pronounce 나라 in Korean
나라
Romanization: nara
Country
Standard South Korean; reference: SK-Standard, Seoul · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
나라 is pronounced [na̠ɾa̠] in Korean. In 나라: Make a quick tongue-tip contact between the surrounding sounds. Its realization depends on position. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
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Find the sounds in 나라
The reference transcription for 나라 is [na̠ɾa̠]. 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 Korean flap /ɾ/
In 나라: Make a quick tongue-tip contact between the surrounding sounds. Its realization depends on position.
Watch out: Do not impose an English r on every ㄹ; final and doubled positions can be l-like.
2.An open vowel
In 나라: 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
나라에 가고 싶어요.
narae gago sipeoyo.
I want to go to the country.
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
나라 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 나라
How do you pronounce 나라?
나라 is pronounced [na̠ɾa̠] in Korean. In 나라: Make a quick tongue-tip contact between the surrounding sounds. Its realization depends on position. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In 나라: Make a quick tongue-tip contact between the surrounding sounds. Its realization depends on position. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
