Alicia, 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 |
| 리 | ㄹ + ㅣ | ㄹ l (after another ㄹ) ㅣ i, as in “see” | ri |
| 샤 | ㅅ + ㅑ | ㅅ s ㅑ ya | sya |
Why Alicia is written this way
- Between vowels, the “l” sound is written with two ㄹ — 앨리 — 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.
- Say each block evenly. Korean doesn’t stress one syllable over the others the way English does, so Alicia sounds like ael-ri-sya.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 앨리샤 ends in a vowel, so you say 제 이름은 앨리샤예요 (je ireumeun aellisyayeyo). With friends, Koreans add 야 (ya) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 앨리샤 씨 or 앨리샤 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.