3 · Hangul and the sound rules
Inserted ㄴ and the sounds of 의
n-insertion and the readings of ui
Some compounds slip an n between their parts, and the vowel ui is said three ways.
When two words are joined into a compound, and the first ends in a consonant while the second begins with 이, 야, 여, 요 or 유, Korean often slips an n in between. 꽃 (flower) and 잎 (leaf) make 꽃잎 (petal), said [꼰닙]; 색 (colour) and 연필 (pencil) make 색연필 (coloured pencil), said [생년필]; 식용유 (cooking oil) is [시굥뉴]. The inserted n then behaves like any other: it nasalises the consonant before it, which is why 꽃잎 ends up with two n sounds.
After ㄹ, the inserted n becomes l by the ㄹ rule: 서울역 (Seoul Station) is [서울력], 휘발유 (petrol) is [휘발류], 물약 (liquid medicine) is [물략]. The same insertion happens across a space in a phrase that is said as one unit — 할 일 (things to do) is [할릴], 무슨 일 (what matter) is [무슨닐] — but there the romanisation, which goes word by word, does not show it.
The insertion is not automatic, and this is where it differs from the other rules: the word decides. 금요일 (Friday) is [그묘일] with no n, though it looks just like the words above; so are 송별연 (farewell party), said [송벼련], and 절약 (saving), said [저략]. Because rules cannot know which words insert an n, this site keeps a list of them, and the romanisation under 꽃잎, kkonnip, comes from that list.
The vowel ㅢ has three readings. At the start of a word it is said as written: 의사(doctor)의자(chair) After a consonant in the same block it is said [이]: 희망 (hope) is [히망], 무늬 (pattern) is [무니]. Later in a word [이] is allowed as well: 회의 (meeting) may be said [회이]. And the possessive particle 의 may be said [에], which is how almost everybody says it: 우리의 (our) is [우리에]. The romanisation writes ui in every case.
The form
| a compound, second part in y or i: n inserted | 꽃잎 → [꼰닙] |
| after ㄹ the n becomes l | 서울역 → [서울력] |
| the word decides: no n here | 금요일 → [그묘일] |
| ui at the start of a word | 의사 → [의사] |
| ui after a consonant in its block | 희망 → [히망] |
| the possessive particle | 우리의 → [우리에] |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is about
In a compound whose second part begins with 이, 야, 여, 요 or 유, an n is often inserted.
봄에는 꽃잎이 바람에 날려요.In spring the petals blow in the wind.
After ㄹ, the inserted n is said as l.
서울역에서 기차를 타요.I take the train at Seoul Station.
The word decides: many words that look alike take no n.
금요일에 만나요.Let’s meet on Friday.
ㅢ after a consonant in the same block is said [이].
희망을 잃지 마세요.Don’t lose hope.
The possessive particle 의 is usually said [에].
친구의 생일 선물을 샀어요.I bought my friend’s birthday present.
A closer look
Why the word decides
Part of the answer is history. Several of these second parts once began with an n: the old words for “leaf” and “summer” started with one. Korean later dropped the n at the start of a word, but inside a compound, where the word no longer stands first, the old n can still surface. That explains some of the words, not all of them; many Sino-Korean compounds insert the n by analogy.
Speakers also differ, and for a few compounds the standard accepts both pronunciations. A learner who inserts the n in the common words — 꽃잎, 색연필, 식용유, 서울역, 할 일 — and leaves the days of the week alone will sound right almost every time.
Exceptions and special cases (1)
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the word is a day of the week
no n is inserted: 금요일 is [그묘일], 목요일 (Thursday) is [모교일].
목요일 저녁에 시간 있어요?Are you free on Thursday evening?
The days of the week are not two words joined together but single words, so the consonant simply links into the vowel.
How to spot it
- 꽃잎
- 색연필
- 서울역
- 의
- 희
Example sentences
색연필로 그림을 그려요.I draw with coloured pencils.
식용유가 다 떨어졌어요.We have run out of cooking oil.
차에 휘발유를 넣었어요.I put petrol in the car.
오늘은 할 일이 많아요.I have a lot to do today.
회의가 몇 시에 끝나요?What time does the meeting end?
이 치마는 무늬가 예뻐요.This skirt has a pretty pattern.
8 more example sentences
감기에 걸려서 물약을 먹었어요.I had a cold, so I took some liquid medicine.
서울역 앞에서 만나요.Let’s meet in front of Seoul Station.
색연필 좀 빌려 주세요.Could you lend me a coloured pencil, please?
무슨 일 있어요?Is something the matter?
의사 선생님이 곧 오세요.The doctor is coming soon.
저는 의자에 앉아 있어요.I am sitting on a chair.
주의하세요!Be careful!
이것은 우리의 약속이에요.This is our promise.
Worth knowing (1)
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The possessive particle in speech
The possessive particle is written 의 and nearly always said [에]. In everyday speech it is often left out altogether: 제 친구 이름 (my friend’s name) needs no particle at all. Where it is kept, as in titles and in writing, [에] is the usual sound when it is read aloud.
이건 친구의 가방이에요.This is my friend’s bag.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
The inserted n is only heard, never written. A compound keeps the spelling of both its parts, 꽃 and 잎, so that a reader still sees “flower” and “leaf” in it.
A compound whose second half starts with i or y often grows an n — but only the word knows whether it does.
Your turn
10 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.