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The disappearing ㅎ

Day 3 of 10~12 minFinal ㅎ is silent before a vowel, and a block-initial ㅎ fades after ㄴ ㄹ ㅁ ㅇ.
Romanisation help

ㅎ is the weakest consonant in Korean. At the bottom of a block with a vowel following, it disappears completely, which is why 좋아요 'it's good' is said [조아요]. At the top of a block after ㄴ, ㄹ, ㅁ or ㅇ it fades in ordinary speech, so 은행 'bank' usually comes out close to [으냉]. Today covers both, and what happens to the letters left behind.

Final ㅎ before a vowel

When ㅎ, or a pair like ㄶ or ㅀ, ends a block and a vowel follows, the ㅎ is not said at all:

it's good
Spelled
joh-a-yo
Said
joayo
One of the first words anyone learns, and its spelling hides a silent letter.
it's all right, no thanks
Spelled
gwaen-chanh-a-yo
Said
gwaenchanayo
The ㅎ drops and the ㄴ left behind links forward, as on day 2.
a lot, much
Spelled
manh-i
Said
mani
The same pair, ㄶ, with the same result.
I don't like it
Spelled
silh-eo-yo
Said
sireoyo
With ㅀ the ㄹ links and becomes the flap from 월요일.
Why it works

ㅎ is just breath, with nothing in the mouth shaping it, so it needs a clear run of air to be heard. Between a vowel or ㄴ or ㄹ and a following vowel, the voice is on at both sides and the breath gets swallowed. For a final ㅎ before a vowel this is not optional: the standard pronunciation has no ㅎ at all. Once it has gone, the day 2 rule takes over, which is why 괜찮아요 links its ㄴ and 싫어요 links its ㄹ.

ㅎ at the start of a block

After ㄴ, ㄹ, ㅁ or ㅇ, a block-initial ㅎ weakens in everyday speech and often disappears:

bank
Spelled
eun-haeng
Said
eunaeng
Signs romanise it eunhaeng, but in conversation you will mostly hear [으냉].
telephone, phone call
Spelled
jeon-hwa
Said
jeonwa
The ㄴ slides onto 화 and the ㅎ in front of it thins to nothing.
marriage
Spelled
gyeol-hon
Said
gyeoron
After ㄹ the same thing happens, and the ㄹ becomes a flap.
number
Spelled
beon-ho
Said
beono
전화번호 'phone number' loses two in a row: [저놔버노].
Why it works

This is a matter of speed and care rather than a fixed rule. The dictionary pronunciation of 은행 keeps a light ㅎ, and a newsreader or someone speaking slowly will say it. In normal conversation the breath is lost between the voiced ㄴ and the vowel, and what reaches you is [으냉]. Learn to recognise both and say whichever comes naturally; a faint h is never wrong.

Coffee or tea

Every line has at least one ㅎ in the spelling. Listen for how few survive:

Jiyeon
keopi joahaeyo?
Do you like coffee?
좋아해요 'to like' is 좋아 plus 해요, and the ㅎ of 좋 is silent: [조아해요].
Tom
aniyo, sireoyo. chareul mani masyeoyo.
No, I don't like it. I drink a lot of tea.
Two silent ㅎ: [시러요] and [마니].
Jiyeon
geureom cha han jan eottaeyo?
Then how about a cup of tea?
Tom
joayo. a, jeonhwa wasseoyo.
Lovely. Oh, I've got a phone call.
전화 at normal speed is [저놔].
Jiyeon
gwaenchanayo. badeuseyo.
That's fine. Go ahead and answer it.
받으세요 links as on day 2: [바드세요].
Why it works

Written down, this short exchange has ㅎ in nearly every line; said at normal speed, very few survive. The final ones in 좋아해요, 싫어요, 많이, 좋아요 and 괜찮아요 are silent by rule, whoever is speaking. The one in 전화 fades because it sits between ㄴ and a vowel. A learner who carefully sounds every ㅎ is understood perfectly well, but sounds as if reading aloud.

woryoil
Monday
isseoyo
there is, I have
myeot
how many
yeongeo
English (the language)

Check yourself

8 questions. Get 5 right to finish the day.