Alan, letter by letter
Hangul is written in blocks. Each block is one syllable, built from a consonant, a vowel and sometimes a final consonant at the bottom.
| Block | Letters | How each letter sounds | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| 앨 | ㅇ + ㅐ + ㄹ | ㅇ silent at the start ㅐ ae, like the a in “cat” ㄹ l at the end | ael |
| 런 | ㄹ + ㅓ + ㄴ | ㄹ l (after another ㄹ) ㅓ eo, like the u in “up” ㄴ n at the end | reon |
Why Alan is written this way
- Between vowels, the “l” sound is written with two ㄹ — 앨런 — so it stays a clear “l”. A single ㄹ there would sound more like a soft “r”.
- The short “a” of “cat” is written ㅐ (ae): 앨.
- The relaxed “uh” sound — like the u in “fun” or the -er in “Peter” — is written ㅓ (eo): 런.
- Alan ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 런 has ㄴ at the bottom.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 앨런 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 앨런이에요 (je ireumeun aelleonieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 앨런 씨 or 앨런 님.
Official documents such as your residence card use your name in English letters, as in your passport. The Hangul spelling is what friends, coworkers and baristas will write.