Back to RulesUnit 7 · Rule 4/10
연락[열락]
Lateralization
When ㄴ and ㄹ sit next to each other, the ㄴ turns into ㄹ so both are pronounced [ll]. That is why 연락 (contact) is pronounced [열락].
Pattern
ㄴ + ㄹ → [ㄹㄹ], ㄹ + ㄴ → [ㄹㄹ]
How It Works
Whether ㄴ comes before or after ㄹ, it is pulled into an [l] sound. The flowing ㄹ colors the harder ㄴ into its own sound.
Transformation Examples
See — and hear — how the spelling turns into its actual pronunciation.
연락
[열락]
yeollak
contact
실내
[실래]
sillae
indoor
설날
[설랄]
seollal
Lunar New Year
난로
[날로]
nallo
stove
Exceptions & Notes
In some Sino-Korean words the opposite happens — ㄹ becomes ㄴ. For example 의견란 is [의견난] and 생산량 is [생산냥], nasalizing rather than lateralizing.
Check Your Understanding
01
How is 신라 (Silla) pronounced?
02
When ㄴ meets ㄹ, they usually become…