Arthur, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 아 | ㅇ + ㅏ | ㅇ silent at the start ㅏ a, as in “father” | a |
| 서 | ㅅ + ㅓ | ㅅ s ㅓ eo, like the u in “up” | seo |
Why Arthur is written this way
- The “r” in Arthur is not written. In Korean spelling, an “r” after a vowel is silent — much like in British English.
- Korean has no “th” sound. It is usually written ㅅ (s), or ㅌ (t) / ㄷ (d) when that is closer to how the name is said.
- The relaxed “uh” sound — like the u in “fun” or the -er in “Peter” — is written ㅓ (eo): 서.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 아서 ends in a vowel, so you say 제 이름은 아서예요 (je ireumeun aseoyeyo). With friends, Koreans add 야 (ya) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 아서 씨 or 아서 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.