Korean · Food & drink
How to pronounce 쌀 in Korean
쌀
Romanization: ssal
Rice
Standard South Korean; reference: SK-Standard, Seoul · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
쌀 is pronounced [s͈a̠ɭ] in Korean. In 쌀: Make the consonant with firmer articulation and very little escaping air. The doubled vertical mark /͈/ indicates tension. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
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Find the sounds in 쌀
The reference transcription for 쌀 is [s͈a̠ɭ]. 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.Tense consonants
In 쌀: Make the consonant with firmer articulation and very little escaping air. The doubled vertical mark /͈/ indicates tension.
Watch out: Louder speech alone does not create a tense consonant. Keep it distinct from an aspirated consonant.
2.An open vowel
In 쌀: 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”.
3.A clear /s/
In 쌀: Let air pass through a narrow groove near the front of the mouth. Keep the sound unvoiced.
Watch out: Do not add voicing and turn /s/ into /z/.
Hear it in context
쌀을 사요.
ssareul sayo.
I buy rice.
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
쌀 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 쌀
How do you pronounce 쌀?
쌀 is pronounced [s͈a̠ɭ] in Korean. In 쌀: Make the consonant with firmer articulation and very little escaping air. The doubled vertical mark /͈/ indicates tension. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In 쌀: Make the consonant with firmer articulation and very little escaping air. The doubled vertical mark /͈/ indicates tension. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
