Korean Double Batchim ㄶ: Sounds, Rules and Examples

The Korean double batchim ㄶ is the pair ㄴ + ㅎ, as in 많다 (to be many) and 괜찮아요 (it's okay); its twin ㅀ is ㄹ + ㅎ, as in 싫다 (to dislike). Both keep the left letter. The ㅎ is silent before a vowel, so 많이 is [마니], and it aspirates ㄱ, ㄷ or ㅈ, so 많다 is [만타].

What you'll learn

• Say 많이 [마니], 괜찮아요 [괜차나요] and 싫어요 [시러요] with no h sound.
• Say 많다 [만타], 괜찮다 [괜찬타] and 싫지 [실치] with the aspirated consonant.
• Handle the negative helper 않다 in 않아요 [아나요] and 않는 [안는].
• Predict the result before ㅅ and ㄴ: 많습니다 [만씀니다], 잃는 [일른].

Prerequisites: Double Batchim Rules, and ideally the single ㅎ batchim in 좋다 and 좋아요. Estimated time: 30 minutes.

What Is the Korean Double Batchim ㄶ?

The Korean double batchim ㄶ is a final cluster of ㄴ (nieun) on the left and ㅎ (hieut) on the right, called 니은히읗 받침. Its partner ㅀ, 리을히읗 받침, has ㄹ on the left. These are the only two double batchim that contain ㅎ, and they behave the same way, so this lesson teaches them together.

Both pairs keep the left letter, as the general double batchim rules predict. But the "silent" ㅎ does not simply vanish: it changes the next sound. That makes ㄶ and ㅀ different from every other pair, where the dropped letter has no effect at all.

The rules come from Article 12 of the Standard Pronunciation Rules (표준 발음법), published by the National Institute of Korean Language (국립국어원). Article 12 groups ㄶ and ㅀ with single ㅎ, because all three follow largely the same patterns; the one difference, before ㄴ, is shown in the comparison table below.

These pairs appear in some of the most frequent words in spoken Korean, which is why errors with them are so noticeable.

Why English Speakers Struggle with ㄶ and ㅀ

English speakers struggle with ㄶ and ㅀ because English pronounces a written h at the start of a syllable, as in "behind" or "ahead". Reading 많이 as "man-hi" or 싫어요 as "sil-heo-yo" adds an h that Korean speakers never say, and it makes the word sound spelled out rather than spoken.

The opposite error appears before consonants. Learners who have learned "the ㅎ is silent" drop it completely and say 많다 as [만다]. The ㅎ is not heard as h, but it turns ㄷ into ㅌ, so the standard form is [만타].

The words involved are not rare. 많이 (a lot), 괜찮아요 (it's okay), 싫어요 (I don't want to) and the negative 않아요 (don't) appear in almost every beginner conversation. Getting the ㅎ right in these four words fixes a large share of a beginner's accent. The next section gives the four patterns in one place.

How Are ㄶ and ㅀ Pronounced?

ㄶ and ㅀ are pronounced according to the sound that follows them. There are four cases, and each one gives a predictable result.

The left letter, ㄴ or ㄹ, is always heard. Only the ㅎ changes behaviour. With ㅀ, one extra step applies before ㄴ: after the ㅎ drops, ㄹ and ㄴ meet and the ㄴ becomes [ㄹ], so 잃는 is [일른] and 싫네 is [실레].

The sections below take the two cases learners meet most often, the silent ㅎ and the aspirating ㅎ, one at a time.

When Is the ㅎ Silent?

The ㅎ is silent in two positions: before a vowel and before ㄴ. In both, the ㅎ leaves no trace, and you hear only the left letter.

Before a Vowel

Before a vowel ending, particle or suffix, the ㅎ drops and the left letter moves into the next syllable. Article 12 gives 많아 [마나], 않은 [아는], 닳아 [다라] and 싫어도 [시러도] as examples.

With ㅀ, the moved ㄹ is said as a quick flap, close to the tt in American "butter". That is why 싫어요 sounds like [시러요], with an r-like sound, not an l. The full walkthrough of one high-frequency word is on the page about how to pronounce 괜찮아요.

The 싫어요 and 좋아요 Pair

싫어요 (I don't like it) and 좋아요 (I like it) are an ideal practice pair, because the same rule silences the ㅎ in both. 좋아요 has a single ㅎ batchim and is [조아요]; 싫어요 has ㅀ and is [시러요]. If you can say both without any h, you have the silent-ㅎ rule.

Before ㄴ

Before ㄴ, the ㅎ also drops. 않는 (not doing) is [안는] and 많네 (there are many, I see) is [만네]. With ㅀ the ㄴ then becomes [ㄹ]: 잃는 [일른], 끓는 (boiling) [끌른], 뚫는 (piercing) [뚤른].

Silence is half the story. Before three particular consonants, the ㅎ is very much present.

When Does ㅎ Aspirate?

The ㅎ aspirates when the next sound is ㄱ, ㄷ or ㅈ. It merges with that consonant into ㅋ, ㅌ or ㅊ, the aspirated consonants with a strong puff of air. Article 12 gives 많고 [만코], 않던 [안턴] and 닳지 [달치] as examples.

This merging is the Korean aspiration rule, the same rule that makes 좋다 [조타] and 축하 [추카]. Put your hand in front of your mouth: on [만타] you should feel a clear puff on the second syllable.

Revised Romanization records both halves of this lesson. Its rules write the aspirated result of ㅎ + ㄱ, ㄷ or ㅈ, so 많다 is manta, 싫다 is silta and 좋고 is joko. They also leave out the silent ㅎ, so 많이 is mani and 싫어요 is sireoyo. If a romanized spelling has an h after n or l, as in "manhi", it is a letter-by-letter transliteration, not a guide to the sound.

Does ㅀ Aspirate before ㅅ?

No. Before ㅅ, neither ㄶ nor ㅀ aspirates, because Korean has no aspirated s; instead the ㅎ and ㅅ combine into a tense [ㅆ]. Article 12 gives 많소 [만쏘] and 싫소 [실쏘]. This matters for the formal ending -습니다: 많습니다 is [만씀니다], 괜찮습니다 is [괜찬씀니다] and 싫습니다 is [실씀니다]. The ㅂ of 습 also becomes [ㅁ] before 니, which is nasalization.

How ㄶ and ㅀ Compare with Single ㅎ

ㄶ and ㅀ behave exactly like a single ㅎ batchim, with one difference: a left letter is always heard as well. Comparing 좋다 (good), 많다 and 싫다 side by side shows the shared pattern.

Only the ㄴ row differs. A single ㅎ turns into [ㄴ] before ㄴ, so 좋네 is [존네], while in ㄶ and ㅀ the ㅎ simply drops and the left letter does the work. If you already know the single Korean ㅎ batchim, you already know most of this lesson.

Which Words Are the Most Common?

The most common ㄶ and ㅀ words are a small, fixed set, and most of them are in every beginner textbook. Learning their four key forms covers nearly every use.

A dash means the form is uncommon for that adjective. 않다 deserves special attention because it appears in every long negative: 가지 않아요 (I'm not going) is [가지 아나요]. Its spelling is easy to confuse with the adverb 안 (not), which is a separate word with no ㅎ; the difference is explained on the page about 안 vs 않.

Worked Example: 많다

Follow 많다 (to be many) through four forms. In each, look at the sound right after ㄶ.

1. 많다. ㄷ follows. The ㄴ is kept, and ㅎ + ㄷ merge into ㅌ. Say [만타].
2. 많고. ㄱ follows. ㅎ + ㄱ merge into ㅋ. Say [만코].
3. 많이. The suffix 이 starts with a vowel. The ㅎ drops and ㄴ links forward. Say [마니].
4. 많은. The ending 은 starts with a vowel. Same result: [마는].

You'll know you have it when [만타] has a puff of air on 타, and 많이 sounds exactly like 마니, with no h anywhere. Now try 싫다: [실타], [실코], 싫어 [시러], 싫은 [시른].

Common Mistakes with ㄶ and ㅀ

Mistake 1: pronouncing an h before a vowel. Learners often assume a written ㅎ must be heard, saying 많이 as "man-hi". Actually the ㅎ is silent before a vowel: [마니].

Mistake 2: dropping the ㅎ before ㄷ. Learners who learn Mistake 1 often overcorrect and say 많다 as [만다]. Actually the ㅎ aspirates the ㄷ: [만타].

Mistake 3: an l instead of a flap. Learners often say 싫어요 with a clear English l, close to "sil-eo-yo". Actually the ㄹ between vowels is a light flap: [시러요].

Mistake 4: a plain ㅅ in -습니다. Learners often say 괜찮습니다 as [괜찬습니다]. Actually ㅎ + ㅅ gives [ㅆ], and ㅂ before ㄴ gives [ㅁ]: [괜찬씀니다].

Mistake 5: confusing 잃다 and 읽다. The two verbs look alike. 잃다 (lose) is [일타] and 잃어요 is [이러요]; 읽다 (read) is [익따] and 읽어요 is [일거요].

Practice: Korean Double Batchim ㄶ and ㅀ

Exercise 1. Silent or aspirating? Write the spoken form.

1. 귀찮다
2. 귀찮아요
3. 끊고
4. 끊어요

Exercise 2. Write the spoken form.

1. 싫은
2. 잃고
3. 옳지
4. 끓는

Exercise 3. Write the spoken form of each phrase.

1. 많이 먹어요 (I eat a lot)
2. 가지 않아요 (I'm not going)
3. 괜찮습니다 (it's fine, formal)

Answers.

Exercise 1: 1 aspirating, [귀찬타]. 2 silent, [귀차나요]. 3 aspirating, [끈코]. 4 silent, [끄너요].

Exercise 2: 1 [시른]. 2 [일코]. 3 [올치]. 4 [끌른].

Exercise 3: 1 [마니 머거요]. 2 [가지 아나요]. 3 [괜찬씀니다].

If you added an h anywhere in Exercise 3, reread the silent-ㅎ table and practise the 좋아요 / 싫어요 pair before moving on.

Where to Go Next

The next lesson, Next: Korean Double Batchim ㄳ, covers the four rare pairs ㄳ, ㄽ, ㄾ and ㄿ, which you will mostly meet in reading. All pair lessons are listed in Double Batchim. For the full system of silent and weakened ㅎ, including ㅎ at the start of a syllable as in 전화, see H-weakening.

This lesson does not cover casual or regional speech. In fast speech, some speakers pronounce 많다 and 괜찮다 with a weaker puff of air than the audio, and the vowels of 괜찮아요 can blur. The forms here are the Standard Pronunciation Rules forms, which are always understood.

In short, the Korean double batchim ㄶ, like its twin ㅀ, keeps the left letter, drops the ㅎ before a vowel or ㄴ, and turns a following ㄱ, ㄷ or ㅈ into ㅋ, ㅌ or ㅊ.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I say 괜찮아요? Say [괜차나요]. 괜찮다 ends in ㄶ, and the ending 아요 starts with a vowel, so the ㅎ is silent and the ㄴ moves to the next syllable. You never hear an h. Revised Romanization writes gwaenchanayo, which matches the spoken form. The dictionary form is different: 괜찮다 [괜찬타], with an aspirated [ㅌ].

Why is 많이 [마니]? 많이 is [마니] because the ㅎ of ㄶ is not pronounced before a vowel. 많이 is 많- plus the suffix 이, which starts with a vowel, so the ㅎ drops and the ㄴ links forward. Article 12 of the Standard Pronunciation Rules gives the same pattern for 많아 [마나] and 않은 [아는].

Is ㅎ silent in 싫어요? Yes. 싫어요 is pronounced [시러요]. The ㅎ of ㅀ disappears before the vowel ending 어요, and the ㄹ moves to the next syllable, where it is said as a light flap, like the tt in American 'butter'. The ㅎ returns as aspiration only before ㄱ, ㄷ or ㅈ: 싫다 [실타], 싫지 [실치].

How is 않다 pronounced? 않다 is pronounced [안타]. It is the negative helper verb in forms like 가지 않다 (not go). Its common forms are 않아요 [아나요], 않고 [안코], 않는 [안는] and 않습니다 [안씀니다]. Do not confuse it with the adverb 안 (not), which has no ㅎ and is written as a separate word.

How is 잃다 pronounced? 잃다 (to lose) is pronounced [일타]: ㄹ is kept and the ㅎ aspirates the ㄷ. Before a vowel the ㅎ is silent: 잃어요 [이러요], 잃어버렸어요 [이러버려써요]. Before ㄴ the ㅎ is silent and the ㄴ becomes [ㄹ]: 잃는 [일른]. Do not confuse it with 읽다 (to read), [익따].