How to Pronounce 값: Sounds, Rules and Examples

What you'll learn

• Say 값 as [갑] with no sound for the ㅅ.
• Say 값이 as [갑씨] and 값만 as [감만].
• Explain why the ㅅ appears in some forms and disappears in others.
• Say the shopping question 값이 얼마예요?

Before you start: know that a batchim is the final consonant at the bottom of a block, and a double batchim is a pair of them. The lesson takes about 10 minutes, and audio plays only when you press a button.

Last updated: 2026-10-09. The Korean text, romanization and audio scripts on this page were generated and reviewed and signed off by Min-ji Park on 15 October 2026.

How to Pronounce 값 in Four Steps

To pronounce 값, say "gap" and keep your lips closed at the end, with no puff of air. The only consonant at the end is ㅂ.

1. Start with ㄱ. A soft "g", between English "k" and "g".
2. Add ㅏ. Open your mouth wide: "ah".
3. Close the lips for ㅂ. Press your lips together and stop. Do not release the sound.
4. Ignore the ㅅ. The ㅅ is written but not pronounced here.

You will know it worked when the word ends with closed lips, and your breath stops without an "s" or a "p" burst. Next, why the ㅅ vanishes and returns.

Which Rule Changes 값?

The rule for 값 is the double batchim rule: when a block ends in two consonants, the Standard Pronunciation Rules (표준 발음법) of the National Institute of Korean Language (국립국어원) say that usually only one is pronounced at the end of a word or before a consonant. For ㅄ, Article 10 says the first consonant, ㅂ, is the one pronounced. Before a vowel, Article 14 says the second consonant moves to the next syllable.

In 값이, the ㅂ stays on 값 and the ㅅ moves onto 이. That moved ㅅ is spoken tense: ㅆ. The result is [갑씨]. The same happens in 값을, spoken [갑쓸].

The table shows the single rule at work three times: simplify before nothing or a consonant, split before a vowel. For the full chart of double batchim, see double batchim ㅄ. The nasal change in 값만 is explained in ㅂ nasalization. Now hear the forms.

How Do 값, 값이 and 값만 Sound?

값 sounds like [갑], 값이 like [갑씨], and 값만 like [감만]. Listen for the lips: they stay closed in the first, open after the tense sound in the second, and close for an "m" in the third.

The most useful full sentence is the shopping question.

값이 얼마예요? means "how much is it?" and is spoken [갑씨 얼마예요]. Use it in a shop, in a market or at a counter. The particle 이 marks 값 as the subject of the question. In quick shop talk people also drop the noun and say 얼마예요? or 이거 얼마예요? (how much is this?), so 값이 얼마예요? is the fuller, slightly more careful version. For more shop language, see shopping phrases. Now one complete trace.

Worked Example: from Spelling to Sound

The worked example below traces 값이 from the written form to the spoken form. Follow each step.

1. Split into blocks. 값 / 이.
2. Find the batchim. 값 ends in the double batchim ㅄ (ㅂ + ㅅ).
3. Look at what follows. 이 starts with a silent ㅇ, which means a vowel sound follows.
4. Apply the rule. The first consonant ㅂ stays on 값. The second consonant ㅅ moves to 이 and becomes tense.
5. Write the spoken form. 갑 + 씨 = [갑씨].
6. Say it aloud with a firm, short "ssi".

The same routine, split, find the batchim, look at the next sound, apply the rule, works for every word on this site. It is taught in full in the batchim method. Now the usual mistakes.

Why Do Learners Say Gabs?

Learners say "gabs" or "gapsi" because they read both letters of the double batchim. Four assumptions cause most errors.

• Learners often assume that both ㅂ and ㅅ are always pronounced. Actually only one is pronounced at the end of a word, because Korean allows one consonant after a vowel at the end of a syllable.
• Learners often assume that 값이 is spoken [가비]. Actually the ㅂ stays on 값 and only the ㅅ moves, as a tense [씨], because it is a double batchim and not a single one.
• Learners often assume that 값만 is spoken [갑만]. Actually the ㅂ becomes ㅁ before ㅁ, because a final ㅂ turns into the nasal ㅁ before ㄴ or ㅁ (Article 18).
• Learners often assume that the final ㅂ is released like an English "p". Actually the lips stay closed.

Fix the first assumption and the others follow. Now test yourself.

Practice and Answer Key

Do the exercises after listening. Cover the answer key until you finish.

1. Alone. How is 값 pronounced by itself?
2. Particle. How is 값이 pronounced?
3. Nasal. How is 값만 pronounced?
4. Silent. Which letter of ㅄ is silent in 값?
5. Question. How is 값이 얼마예요? pronounced?

Answer key: 1. [갑]. 2. [갑씨]. 3. [감만]. 4. ㅅ. 5. [갑씨 얼마예요].

Common questions follow.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I pronounce 값? Say [갑], like "gap" with the lips closed at the end and no "p" puff. The double batchim ㅄ is made of ㅂ and ㅅ, and only the ㅂ is pronounced when 값 stands alone or before a consonant. The ㅅ stays silent in this position. Revised Romanization writes the word as gap.

Is 값이 pronounced 갑씨? Yes. When a vowel follows, as with the subject particle 이, the ㅂ stays on 값 and the ㅅ moves to the next syllable. There it is pronounced as a tense ㅆ, so 값이 is [갑씨]. The same pattern appears in 값을, which is spoken [갑쓸].

Why is 값만 pronounced 감만? In 값만 the batchim is followed by a consonant, so only the ㅂ is pronounced. Then the ㅂ meets the nasal ㅁ and becomes ㅁ itself, so the result is [감만]. Two rules apply in turn: the double batchim reduces to ㅂ, and the ㅂ is nasalized before the ㅁ.

What does 값 mean? 값 means "price", "cost" or "value". Shoppers ask 값이 얼마예요? to learn the price. The word is a noun, so it takes particles such as 이, 을 and 만. It describes how much something costs, and the context tells you whether it means the price or the worth of something.

Next Steps and Scope

How to pronounce 값 comes down to the double batchim rule: ㅂ alone at the end, ㅅ returning as a tense sound before a vowel, and ㅂ turning into ㅁ before ㅁ. This lesson does not cover other ㅄ words in depth, it does not score your speech, and the article numbers for the rules should be confirmed by a reviewer. To practise the shop question, see shopping phrases, and return to How to Pronounce Korean Words for the word list.

Next in the series: How to Pronounce 닭.