Double Finals 2
Korean Alphabet 2
Course 2 · Chapter 8 · Double Finals 2
ㄻ ㄼ ㄽ ㄾ — The ㄹ-Clusters
Chapter 7 gave you four double finals. This chapter gives you four more, all beginning with ㄹ: ㄻ ㄼ ㄽ ㄾ. The pronunciation rule from Chapter 7 still applies, but this group contains the exceptions the sources single out, so it needs more care. As in Chapter 7, words are shown in Hangul first, with the romanisation behind a click.
Your Four Digraphs — ㄻ ㄼ ㄽ ㄾ
Which Consonant Do You Hear?
Chapter 7 gave Wikipedia's rule: when the cluster stands alone, one consonant is not expressed. If one is /h/, that goes; otherwise it is a coronal consonant, "with the exception of /lb/, sometimes"; and between two coronals "the voiceless one (/s, tʰ, tɕ/) will drop, and /n/ or /l/ will remain". Applying it to this group:
| Digraph | Made of | Pronounced alone as | Why (from the rule) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ㄻ | ㄹ + ㅁ | ㅁ (m) | ㄹ is a coronal and drops, leaving the labial ㅁ |
| ㄼ | ㄹ + ㅂ | usually ㄹ (l); sometimes ㅂ (p) | the page names this one as the exception: "/lb/ either reduces to [l]... or to [p̚]" |
| ㄽ | ㄹ + ㅅ | ㄹ (l) | two coronals; the voiceless ㅅ drops and ㄹ remains |
| ㄾ | ㄹ + ㅌ | ㄹ (l) | two coronals; the voiceless ㅌ drops and ㄹ remains |
- The named examples. The Korean phonology page gives: 짧다 reduces ㄼ to [l] (it is pronounced as if with ㄹ); 밟다 reduces it to [p̚] (as if with ㅂ); and 여덟 "is always pronounced 여덜 even when followed by a vowel-initial particle". So ㄼ is the one cluster where you must learn the word.
- A learner rule of thumb. Several learner pages in my search say that "usually only the first consonant in the double batchim is pronounced", and then list exceptions. Compare this with the page's rule: it predicts the first consonant for ㄳ ㄵ ㄶ and (usually) ㄼ, but for ㄺ and ㄻ the second one. Both approaches give the same sounds for the words so far; the page's rule explains why.
- Before a vowel, both are heard (as in Chapter 7). The search results give 젊어요 as sounding like 절머요: the ㄹ stays, and the ㅁ moves to start the next syllable.
- A trace remains. A reduced cluster can leave an effect on the next consonant; the page's example is ㄹ + ㅁ followed by ㄷ giving [md].
Example Blocks
| Digraph | Blocks | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ㄻ | 삶 | 젊 | 닮 | |
| ㄼ | 여덟 | 짧 | 넓 | 밟 |
| ㄽ | 곬 | |||
| ㄾ | 핥 |
ㄽ is rare: the only example I know is 곬, and I give it only to show the shape of the digraph. The ㄾ example 핥 is also uncommon.
Look-Alike Warnings
- ㄻ, ㄼ, ㄽ, ㄾ. All begin with ㄹ. The second letter tells them apart: ㅁ (a box), ㅂ (a bucket), ㅅ (a roof), ㅌ (a door).
- ㄼ and ㄿ. ㄿ (next chapter) ends in ㅍ, which has a bar across the top; ㄼ ends in ㅂ.
- Digraph and single final. 삶 (ㄹ + ㅁ) is not 살 (ㄹ alone).
Read It — Words With ㄻ ㄼ ㄽ ㄾ
Read the Hangul first, then click to check the romanisation and the sound. Several are verbs in their dictionary form, which ends in 다.
| # | Word | English | Check |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 삶 | life; a life | Showsalm; sounds like 삼 (sam) |
| 2 | 젊다 | to be young | Showjeolm-da; sounds like 점따 (jeom-tta) |
| 3 | 닮다 | to resemble | Showdalm-da; sounds like 담따 (dam-tta) |
| 4 | 여덟 | eight | Showyeo-deolb; always sounds like 여덜 (yeo-deol), even before a vowel (per the Korean phonology page) |
| 5 | 짧다 | to be short | Showjjalb-da; sounds like 짤따 (jjal-tta) |
| 6 | 넓다 | to be wide | Showneolb-da; sounds like 널따 (neol-tta) |
| 7 | 밟다 | to step on | Showbalb-da; an exception: sounds like 밥따 (bap-tta), with ㅂ |
| 8 | 핥다 | to lick | Showhalt-da; sounds like 할따 (hal-tta) |
Try It Yourself — 연습
Say each answer out loud first, then click to check.
1. Read these blocks aloud: 삶 · 젊 · 짧 · 넓 · 핥 · 밟
Show answer
sam · jeom · jjal · neol · hal · bap (as they sound when alone)
2. Which two letters make up each of ㄻ ㄼ ㄽ ㄾ?
Show answer
ㄻ = ㄹ + ㅁ · ㄼ = ㄹ + ㅂ · ㄽ = ㄹ + ㅅ · ㄾ = ㄹ + ㅌ
3. Read these words: 여덟 · 짧다 · 밟다 · 젊다
Show answer
yeo-deol (eight) · jjal-tta (short) · bap-tta (to step on) · jeom-tta (young)
4. Write in Hangul (the spelling): the word for eight and the word for life.
Show answer
여덟 · 삶
5. Which cluster is the one the page singles out as the exception, and what are its two possible sounds?
Show answer
ㄼ (ㄹ + ㅂ). It reduces either to [l] (as in 짧다) or to [p̚] (as in 밟다); 여덟 is always pronounced 여덜.
6. What happens to 젊 when a vowel follows, as in 젊어요?
Show answer
Both consonants are heard: the ㄹ stays at the end of its block and the ㅁ moves across to start the next syllable (jeol-meo-yo).