Most Common Korean Words Pronounced Wrong Part. 3

This is Part. 3  of the series Most Common Korean Words Pronounced Wrong (read Part. 1 (words 1-1000) and Part. 2 (words 1001-1500).

Pronouncing Korean can be difficult given the many exceptions to basic pronunciation rules. In many cases, words seemingly simple have a different pronunciation from their 한글 spelling. Below are listed the most common words that have a different pronunciation from their spelling. These common words were selected among words 1501-2000 from the book A Frequency Dictionary of Korean. This list will be updated with relevant pronunciation guides on KoniKorean when available.

Notes about the table:

  • Rank corresponds to the rank in A Frequency Dictionary of Koreanfrom most common in the Korean language to least common.
  • Pronunciation was extracted from the Naver Dictionary of Korean.
  • Words with especially tricky pronunciation are in yellow rows.
  • Meaning is presented for quick reference; many words have different meanings depending on context.
  • The colon : indicates that the preceding syllable is a long one.
Rank Word Pronunciation Meaning Notes
← Cf. Part 2 for words 1001-1500
1510 거짓말 거:진말 a lie ⚠️Common mistake for beginners.
1523 결정하다 결쩡하다 to decide Cf. #1290 of Pt. 2.
1529 관계자 관계자/관게자 persons concerned  
1541 갈등 갈뜽 a conflict  
1543 특징 특찡 a characteristic  
1561 총리 총니 prime minister  
1593 업무 엄무 work, business  
1597 연극 연:극 play (theater) ⚠️ Not pronounced [영극 (X)], the ㄴ sound
needs to be pronounced separately from 극.
1605 건강 건:강 health Same as #1597.
1617 종류 종:뉴 kind, sort  
1618 chicken Consequently, 닭고기 is pronounced [닥꼬기].
1624 제공하다 제공하다 to provide ⚠️ Not pronounced [제꽁하다 (X)].
1628 대중 대:중 the public ⚠️ Not pronounced .
1650 손가락 손까락 finger ⚠️ Common mistake by foreign learners.
1661 관련하다 괄련하다 to be related to Cf. #831 of Pt. 1
1685 독립 동닙 independence  
1710 논리 놀리 logic  
1735 신라 실라 One of the Ancient
Kingdoms of Korea
Also the name of a Chaebol
(신라백화점, 신라호텔, etc.)
1742 이튿날 이튼날 the next day ⚠️ "two days" is written 이틀.
1749 밟다 밥:따 to step on  
1780 붉다 북따 to be red (crismon)  
1783 맑다 막따 to be clear  
1800 인기 인끼 popularity ⚠️ One of the most frequent errors made by learners of Korean.
1804 불과하다 불과하다 to be just (~merely) ⚠️ Not pronounced [불꽈하다 (X)].
1812 솔직히 솔찍히 honestly  
1816 희망 히망 hope  
1847 협력 혐녁 collaboration  
1853 논의 노늬/노니 debate  
1854 없애다 업쌔다 to eliminate ⚠️ Not pronounced [업새다 (X)].
The ㅅ of 없 needs to be accentuated (ㅆ).
1856 훈련 훌련 a drill (e.g. military)  
1874 정리하다 정:니하다 to arrange, clean  
1876 학문 항문 study, academics  
1877 한국인 한:구긴 Korean person Same as #1597.
1899 전략 절:략 strategy  
1942 일제 일쩨 Japanese Empire
during the colonial war
 
1943 실시하다 실씨하다 to implement/carry out  
1969 물질 물찔 matter, substance  
1974 명령 명:녕 order  
1982 문자 문자 character, letter ⚠️ When 문자 is pronounced [문짜], it means
a "message" sent through cellphone.
1992 본래 볼래 originally