Benjamin, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 벤 | ㅂ + ㅔ + ㄴ | ㅂ b ㅔ e, as in “bed” ㄴ n at the end | ben |
| 자 | ㅈ + ㅏ | ㅈ j ㅏ a, as in “father” | ja |
| 민 | ㅁ + ㅣ + ㄴ | ㅁ m ㅣ i, as in “see” ㄴ n at the end | min |
Why Benjamin is written this way
- Benjamin ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 민 has ㄴ at the bottom.
- Say each block evenly. Korean doesn’t stress one syllable over the others the way English does, so Benjamin sounds like ben-ja-min.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 벤자민 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 벤자민이에요 (je ireumeun benjaminieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 벤자민 씨 or 벤자민 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.