Free Korean pronunciation checker
Free Korean Pronunciation Test: check every word you say
Read five short Korean sentences aloud, with romanization under each one, or type any word you want to check. You get a score for every word, an overall score with accuracy, fluency and completeness, and a list of words to practise first.
Read this aloud:
저는 오늘 서울에서 친구를 만나요.
Pronunciation: Jeoneun oneul Seoureseo chingureul mannayo.
Listen for: ㅓ vs ㅗ (서울, 오늘)
Tap to record
Your recording is sent securely for scoring and is not stored by Flalingo.
Scores come from a standard native-speaker model for this language, so regional accents may score a little lower.
How to check your Korean pronunciation
Each sentence in this Korean pronunciation test is built around something learners find hard: the vowel pairs ㅓ/ㅗ and ㅡ/ㅜ, plain, tense and aspirated consonants, batchim and the sound changes between syllables. Read it aloud and a speech model trained on native Korean speakers compares every word you say with the text.
You get an overall score from 0 to 100, plus accuracy, fluency and completeness. Every word gets its own score, so you can see which ones sound off and start there. You can also type your own Korean text, up to 160 characters, and check it the same way.
How the test works
Read five sentences aloud
Each sentence is short and built around sounds that learners of this language find hard. You can also type your own text, up to 160 characters, or tap one of the hard words to try.
AI scores every word
A speech-assessment model trained on native speakers compares what you say with the text. It scores accuracy, fluency and completeness from 0 to 100, and gives every word its own score.
Get your report
Each word is coloured by how close it was, and you see a short list of words to practise first. Record a sentence again to check your progress, then share your score with a friend.
The hardest Korean sounds for learners
Plain, tense and aspirated consonants
Korean has three versions of k, t, p and ch, and two of s. Plain ㄱ ㄷ ㅂ ㅈ have a light puff of air, tense ㄲ ㄸ ㅃ ㅉ ㅆ are tight with almost no air, and aspirated ㅋ ㅌ ㅍ ㅊ come with a strong puff. Try 달 dal (moon), 딸 ttal (daughter) and 탈 tal (mask) with a tissue in front of your mouth.
ㅓ and ㅗ
ㅓ (eo) is said with the mouth fairly open and the lips relaxed, not rounded, close to the u in 'but' but further back. ㅗ (o) is a rounded 'o' without the glide of English 'go'. 서울 Seoul starts with ㅓ, and so does 어머니 eomeoni (mother).
ㅡ and ㅜ
ㅡ (eu) is made with the lips spread flat and the tongue pulled back, a sound English does not have. ㅜ (u) is a rounded 'oo'. Compare 그 geu (that) and 구 gu (nine), and don't let ㅡ drift into ㅜ.
Batchim (final consonants)
A consonant at the end of a syllable is not released, and several of them sound the same: ㅅ, ㅆ, ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅌ and ㅎ all end like a held t (옷 ot, 꽃 kkot). When the next syllable starts with a vowel, the final consonant moves over and is said fully, so 옷이 sounds like 오시 osi.
Sound changes between syllables
The spelling stays the same, but consonants change when they meet. Before ㄴ or ㅁ, a final ㄱ sounds like ㅇ, ㄷ like ㄴ and ㅂ like ㅁ: 작년 sounds like 장년 jangnyeon, and 감사합니다 like 감사함니다 gamsahamnida. A handful of these rules covers many everyday words.
What your pronunciation score means
| Score | Level | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 90–100 | Excellent | Your words are clear and close to a native speaker. Try longer or harder sentences to keep improving. |
| 75–89 | Good | Easy to understand. A few words still stand out, so practise them one at a time. |
| 60–74 | Fair | Mostly understandable, but people may ask you to repeat some words. Start with the words in your practice list. |
| 0–59 | Needs work | Some words may be misunderstood. Slow down, practise the flagged words on their own, then say them in short phrases. |
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is this Korean pronunciation checker?
It uses a speech-assessment model trained on native Korean speakers. The model lines up your recording with the text, scores every word for accuracy and rates your fluency and completeness. It is a good guide to which words sound off, but it is not a teacher, so look for words that get flagged again and again rather than worrying about one low score.
Which Korean accent is the test based on?
Scores are based on standard Korean as spoken in Seoul, the variety used in textbooks and on TV. Regional accents such as Busan may score a little lower on some words.
How can I improve my Korean pronunciation?
Learn to hear and make the plain, tense and aspirated consonants first, then the vowel pairs ㅓ/ㅗ and ㅡ/ㅜ. After that, study how batchim link to the next syllable. Read aloud every day, copy native audio and retake the test to see which words improve.
Is the Korean pronunciation test free?
Yes. The test and the word checker are free and you don't need an account. To keep it free for everyone, there is a small daily limit on checks.
What is the difference between ㄱ, ㄲ and ㅋ?
All three are k sounds, made in the same place. ㄱ is soft and relaxed, with a small puff of air, and sounds almost like a g between vowels. ㄲ is tense: tighten your throat and release it with no air, a bit like the k in 'sky'. ㅋ has a strong puff of air, like the k in 'kite' said with extra force.
How do I pronounce ㄹ in Korean?
ㄹ has two sounds. Between vowels it is a quick flap of the tongue, close to a light r or the tt in American 'better' (나라 nara, country). At the end of a syllable, or when doubled as ㄹㄹ, it is an l (말 mal, 달라 dalla).