읽다

First attested in the Seokbo sangjeol (釋譜詳節 / 석보상절), 1447, as Middle Korean 닑다〮 (Yale: nìlk-tá).

Prescriptive pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ik̚t͈a̠]

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• Phonetic hangul: [익따]

Usual contemporary pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [iɭt͈a̠]
• Phonetic hangul: [일따]

읽다 • (ikda) (infinitive 읽어, sequential 읽으니)

1. (transitive) to read

   여러분, 종이 신문을 읽으시나요? (honorific, colloquial style) ― Yeoreobun, jong'i sinmun-eul ilg-eusi-na-yo? ― Ladies and gentlemen (or everybody, you guys), do you read paper newspapers?

In the prescriptive standard, the cluster ㄺ (lg) in verb stems is realized as -ㄹ (-l) only before ㄱ- (g-), and as -ㄱ (-k) before other consonants:

• 읽다 ― ikda ― to read
• 읽고있다 ― ilgoitda ― to be reading

In practice, almost all speakers pronounce it as -ㄹ (-l) before all consonants.