Double batchim are the 11 final-consonant spellings that use two consonant letters, such as ㄺ in 닭 (chicken) and ㅄ in 값 (price). Korean says only one of the two letters at the end of a word, so 닭 is [닥] and 값 is [갑]. This section shows which letter you say, and when both letters return.
Key facts
- The reference is the Standard Pronunciation Rules (표준 발음법) of the National Institute of Korean Language (국립국어원).
What Is Double Batchim?
Double batchim (겹받침, gyeopbatchim) are two different consonant letters written together in the final position of a Korean syllable block. A batchim is the consonant under the vowel. When two letters share that position, as in 닭, speech keeps one and silences the other, because a Korean syllable can end in only one consonant sound.
A double batchim is not a doubled letter. ㄲ in 밖 and ㅆ in 있다 are one tense consonant written with a twin letter, and they are covered in batchim pronunciation. A double batchim has two different letters, and the pronunciation question is which one you hear.
This section teaches pronunciation. The writing side, meaning how to place the pair inside a block, is in the Hangul hub. All the lessons below use the Standard Pronunciation Rules, Articles 10, 11, 12 and 14, as the reference. The next section helps you pick a lesson.
Where to Start with Double Batchim
Start with the lesson that matches your situation. The table sends you from a need to a page.
| If you are... | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| New to two-letter endings | Double Batchim Rules | one table and three checks for all 11 pairs |
| Reading 앉다 or "please sit" | Korean Double Batchim ㄵ | covers 앉아요 and 앉으세요 |
| Saying 없어요 or asking a price | Korean Double Batchim ㅄ | covers 값이, 없어요 and the tense ㅆ |
| Stuck on 읽다 or 닭 | Korean Double Batchim ㄺ | covers the right-letter pair and 읽고 |
| Seeing a vowel after the pair | double batchim before a vowel | shows how both letters return |
If you cannot yet say the seven basic final sounds, review batchim pronunciation first. The next section covers the general rules.
What Are the General Rules for Double Batchim?
The general rule is simple: one letter is pronounced before a consonant or a pause, and both letters are pronounced before a vowel ending. Double Batchim Rules is the master lesson. It gives a lookup table for all 11 pairs, three checks to apply to any word, and the three exceptions, including 밟다 [밥따] and 읽고 [일꼬].
| Pair | Pronounced letter | Example | Spoken |
|---|---|---|---|
| ㄳ | left | 몫 | [목] |
| ㄵ | left | 앉다 | [안따] |
| ㄶ | left | 많다 | [만타] |
| ㄺ | right | 닭 | [닥] |
| ㄻ | right | 삶 | [삼] |
| ㄼ | left | 여덟 | [여덜] |
| ㄽ | left | 외곬 | [외골] |
| ㄾ | left | 핥다 | [할따] |
| ㄿ | right | 읊다 | [읍따] |
| ㅀ | left | 싫다 | [실타] |
| ㅄ | left | 값 | [갑] |
Once you know the rule, vowel linking is the second skill. The lesson on double batchim before a vowel shows how 닭이 becomes [달기]. The next sections group the single-pair lessons by which letter they keep.
Which Double Batchim End in the Left Letter?
Eight pairs keep the left letter, and three of them have their own lesson here. Korean Double Batchim ㄼ covers 여덟 (eight), 넓다 (to be wide), 짧다 (to be short) and the exception 밟다. The ㄼ pair is said [ㄹ] in most words, and the lesson explains why 밟다 is [밥따].
Korean Double Batchim ㄵ covers 앉다 (to sit) and 얹다 (to put on top). It teaches how the ㅈ returns in 앉아요 [안자요] and 앉으세요 [안즈세요], and why 앉다 sounds the same as 안다.
Korean Double Batchim ㅄ covers 값 (price), 없다 (to not exist) and 가엾다 (to be pitiful). It explains why 없어요 is [업써요] and why 없는 sounds like 엄는.
These three lessons share one structure: definition, sound at the end, sound before a vowel, one worked example, mistakes and practice. The next section covers the three pairs that keep the right letter.
Which Double Batchim End in the Right Letter?
Three pairs keep the right letter: ㄺ, ㄻ and ㄿ. Two have lessons here. Korean Double Batchim ㄺ covers 닭 (chicken), 읽다 (to read), 읽고 and 맑다 (to be clear), and the exception where ㄺ is said [ㄹ] before ㄱ in a verb.
Korean Double Batchim ㄻ covers 삶 (life), 젊다 (to be young), 닮다 (to resemble) and 옮기다 (to move something). The pronounced letter is ㅁ, so 삶 is [삼]. The third right-letter pair, ㄿ, is rare and sits in the next section.
Learners often get the right-letter pairs wrong, because the left-letter habit from the other eight pairs takes over. Learn the three as a group. The next section covers the pairs tied to ㅎ and the rare ones.
Which Are Rare or Tied to ㅎ?
Two lessons cover the pairs with ㅎ and the pairs you will rarely meet. Korean Double Batchim ㄶ covers ㄶ and ㅀ in 많다, 많이, 괜찮아요, 싫어요 and 싫다. The ㅎ goes silent before a vowel and merges with a following consonant, so 많다 is [만타] and 싫어요 is [시러요].
Korean Double Batchim ㄳ covers ㄳ, ㄽ, ㄾ and ㄿ in 몫, 넋, 핥다, 훑다 and 읊다. These four pairs appear in only a few words, so the lesson marks them as low priority and teaches the minimum. The table below compares all the lessons.
Comparing the Double Batchim Lessons
The lessons differ in the pairs they cover and in how often you will use them. The table shows what each one fixes.
| Lesson | Pair | What it fixes | Level | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Double Batchim Rules | all 11 | which letter to say | A2 | 30 min |
| ㄺ | ㄺ | 닭, 읽다, 읽고 | A2 | 30 min |
| ㄻ | ㄻ | 삶, 젊다, 닮다 | A2 | 25 min |
| ㄼ | ㄼ | 여덟, 넓다, 밟다 | A2 | 25 min |
| ㄵ | ㄵ | 앉다, 앉으세요 | A2 | 25 min |
| ㅄ | ㅄ | 값, 없어요 | A2 | 25 min |
| ㄶ and ㅀ | ㄶ ㅀ | 많다, 싫다 | A2 | 30 min |
| ㄳ and rare pairs | ㄳ ㄽ ㄾ ㄿ | 몫, 핥다, 읊다 | A2 | 20 min |
Times are the estimates given on each lesson for a first read with audio. The next section shows how to practise.
How Do You Practise Double Batchim?
Practise by saying the same word in three positions: alone, before a consonant and before a vowel. Take 닭 [닥], 닭도 [닥또] and 닭이 [달기]. This trains the switch between one letter and both.
For a mixed drill, the six double batchim words in Korean batchim practice test 닭, 삶, 값, 없다, 앉다 and 많다 with a key. For printed sheets, see Hangul worksheets. For the sound changes that follow a pair, see Korean tensification. The next section gives a study order.
Study Order at a Glance
Study the lessons in this order. Each step adds one idea.
- Read Double Batchim Rules for the table and the three checks.
- Learn the right-letter group: ㄺ, then ㄻ.
- Learn ㄼ and its exception 밟다.
- Learn ㄵ with 앉으세요, then ㅄ with 없어요.
- Learn ㄶ and ㅀ for 많다 and 싫다.
- Skim the rare pairs, and return when a new word appears.
- Test yourself with the six double batchim words in the practice set.
Audio, Review Status and Scope
Each lesson has audio for its example words, with a normal clip and a slow replay where the player supports it. The Korean text and spoken forms in this section were drafted with AI assistance and reviewed and signed off by Min-ji Park on 15 October 2026, and the pages are marked accordingly.
This hub does not teach vocabulary beyond the example words, regional pronunciations or the spelling rules for choosing between pairs. Report an error through the correction channel on the About pages.
Related Sections
Related sections: batchim pronunciation, Korean sound change rules and Korean pronunciation. The most direct next step is the Double Batchim Rules.
In short, double batchim are 11 two-letter endings, and learning them means learning which letter you say and when both return.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which letter do I pronounce in a double batchim? In eight pairs you pronounce the left letter: ㄳ ㄵ ㄶ ㄼ ㄽ ㄾ ㅀ ㅄ, as in 값 [갑]. In three pairs you pronounce the right letter: ㄺ ㄻ ㄿ, as in 닭 [닥] and 삶 [삼]. Before a vowel both letters return, so 닭이 is [달기].
Why is 닭 pronounced 닥? 닭 ends in ㄺ, one of the three right-letter pairs. When nothing follows, the ㄹ is silent and the ㄱ is kept, so the word is [닥]. The ㄹ is still written because it returns before a vowel, as in 닭이 [달기]. Spelling shows the full word; speech shows only the part that fits.
Are double batchim common? Only a few words use each pair, but those words are frequent. 없다, 앉다, 많다, 읽다 and 값 appear in beginner lessons, so pairs such as ㅄ, ㄵ, ㄶ and ㄺ matter early. Pairs such as ㄽ, ㄾ and ㄿ appear in a handful of words and can wait.
Do I need to learn all eleven? Not at once. Learn the general rule first, then the pairs in 없다, 앉다, 많다, 읽다 and 값, which cover most everyday words. Treat the rare pairs as lookups. The master table in Double Batchim Rules lets you check any pair in seconds.