David, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 데 | ㄷ + ㅔ | ㄷ d ㅔ e, as in “bed” | de |
| 이 | ㅇ + ㅣ | ㅇ silent at the start ㅣ i, as in “see” | i |
| 비 | ㅂ + ㅣ | ㅂ b ㅣ i, as in “see” | bi |
| 드 | ㄷ + ㅡ | ㄷ d ㅡ eu, like “oo” said with spread lips | deu |
Why David is written this way
- Korean syllables can’t end in most consonant sounds, and two consonants can’t start one, so a soft ㅡ (eu) is added: 드. Say it lightly — it is barely heard.
- Korean has no “v” sound, so ㅂ (b) is used: 비.
- The “ay” sound of “day” is written as two vowels, 에 + 이: 데이.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 데이비드 ends in a vowel, so you say 제 이름은 데이비드예요 (je ireumeun deibideuyeyo). With friends, Koreans add 야 (ya) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 데이비드 씨 or 데이비드 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.