Annie, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 애 | ㅇ + ㅐ | ㅇ silent at the start ㅐ ae, like the a in “cat” | ae |
| 니 | ㄴ + ㅣ | ㄴ n ㅣ i, as in “see” | ni |
Why Annie is written this way
- The short “a” of “cat” is written ㅐ (ae): 애.
- Say each block evenly. Korean doesn’t stress one syllable over the others the way English does, so Annie sounds like ae-ni.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 애니 ends in a vowel, so you say 제 이름은 애니예요 (je ireumeun aeniyeyo). With friends, Koreans add 야 (ya) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 애니 씨 or 애니 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.