pick it up
/ˈpɪkɪˈtʌp/
RP: /ˈpɪkɪˈtʌp/
Meaning: pick it up
k→it, t→up link consonant to vowel
Mistake: Pronouncing each word separately with equal stress: "PIKKU ITTO APPU", with clear syllable boundaries and a hard t at the end of "it".
Why: Japanese katakana approximations preserve every syllable and every final consonant as its own beat, so learners resist the fluid three-word run.
Fix: Say it as one connected phrase [ˈpɪkɪtʌp]. The t in "it" turns into a soft flap (like a quick d), the whole thing sounds like "pickitup" in a single stress group.
Mistake: Making the t in "it" a hard, aspirated [tʰ], creating a heavy interruption before "up".
Why: Korean t (ㅌ) is often aspirated in careful speech, and the connected speech pattern used here — the American flap t — has no direct Korean equivalent.
Fix: Between two vowels (as in "it up"), the t becomes a very short flap similar to the Korean ㄹ or the r in "para" in Spanish. Try tapping the tongue once and moving on.
Mistake: Voicing the final p of "up" (making it sound like [b]) or fully releasing it with a puff of air.
Why: Spanish word-final stops are often either unreleased or lightly voiced; English final consonants in fluent speech are usually held but not released.
Fix: Close the lips for the p and stop — don't add a vowel after it. The phrase ends firmly on a closed [p], not on a breathy [pə].
"Pick it up" is a classic example of two connected-speech phenomena stacked together: the t in "it" becomes an American flap (a very short d-like tap) between two vowels, and the three words fuse into a single stress group. In careful British RP, the t may stay as a proper [t], but the linking between words is the same. Mastering this three-word rhythm unlocks a huge family of phrasal verbs like "put it on", "take it off", "get it back", and "turn it up" — all of which follow the same compression pattern.