Caroline, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 캐 | ㅋ + ㅐ | ㅋ k ㅐ ae, like the a in “cat” | kae |
| 롤 | ㄹ + ㅗ + ㄹ | ㄹ r (a light, flapped r) ㅗ o, as in “go” (shorter) ㄹ l at the end | rol |
| 라 | ㄹ + ㅏ | ㄹ l (after another ㄹ) ㅏ a, as in “father” | ra |
| 인 | ㅇ + ㅣ + ㄴ | ㅇ silent at the start ㅣ i, as in “see” ㄴ n at the end | in |
Why Caroline is written this way
- Between vowels, the “l” sound is written with two ㄹ — 롤라 — so it stays a clear “l”. A single ㄹ there would sound more like a soft “r”.
- Korean has one letter, ㄹ, for both “r” and “l”. At the start of a syllable it is a light, flapped sound between the two; at the end of a block it sounds like “l”.
- The long “i” of “Mike” or “Ryan” is written as two vowels, 아 + 이: 라인.
- The short “a” of “cat” is written ㅐ (ae): 캐.
- Caroline ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 인 has ㄴ at the bottom.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 캐롤라인 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 캐롤라인이에요 (je ireumeun kaerollainieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 캐롤라인 씨 or 캐롤라인 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.