The Trigger: A Final Sound Before a Plain Consonant
A Korean syllable can end with a final consonant called 받침 . When that final sound is followed by a plain consonant ㄱ , ㄷ , ㅂ , ㅅ , or ㅈ , the following sound is often realized as the matching tense sound: ㄲ , ㄸ , ㅃ , ㅆ , or ㅉ .
Local environment
This common change is called 된소리되기 or tensification. In 학교 , for example, the spelling stays 학교 while the listening guide is [학꾜]. The next sound changes; the letters do not.
Read the normal spelling first. Predict the sound from the neighboring consonants.
Spelling Versus Sound
Use this verified map. The Stage 1 column isolates the representative final sound and the following plain consonant. The Final Sound column shows the combined pronunciation guide.
Verified map
Spelling · Stage 1 · Final Sound · Why
학교 · final [ㄱ] + plain ㄱ · [학꾜] · The following ㄱ is heard as ㄲ.
국밥 · final [ㄱ] + plain ㅂ · [국빱] · The following ㅂ is heard as ㅃ.
옷도 · final [ㄷ] + plain ㄷ · [옫또] · Written ㅅ has representative final sound [ㄷ], then ㄷ becomes tense.
식당 · final [ㄱ] + plain ㄷ · [식땅] · The following ㄷ is heard as ㄸ.
잡고 · final [ㅂ] + plain ㄱ · [잡꼬] · The following ㄱ is heard as ㄲ.
꽃집 · final [ㄷ] + plain ㅈ · [꼳찝] · Written ㅊ has representative final sound [ㄷ], then ㅈ becomes tense.
밥상 · final [ㅂ] + plain ㅅ · [밥쌍] · The following ㅅ is heard as ㅆ.
The Stage 1 notation is an analysis aid. The DIAL fields use only normal spelling such as 학교 and 국밥.
Use It in Complete Sentences
Keep the normal spelling in a complete message. Predict the target word, listen to the full line, and repeat it without replacing any letters.
Sentence applications
Normal spelling · Target sound · Meaning
민호는 학교에 가요. · 학교 [학꾜] · Minho goes to school.