Douglas, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 더 | ㄷ + ㅓ | ㄷ d ㅓ eo, like the u in “up” | deo |
| 글 | ㄱ + ㅡ + ㄹ | ㄱ g ㅡ eu, like “oo” said with spread lips ㄹ l at the end | geul |
| 러 | ㄹ + ㅓ | ㄹ l (after another ㄹ) ㅓ eo, like the u in “up” | reo |
| 스 | ㅅ + ㅡ | ㅅ s ㅡ eu, like “oo” said with spread lips | seu |
Why Douglas 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: 스. Say it lightly — it is barely heard.
- The relaxed “uh” sound — like the u in “fun” or the -er in “Peter” — is written ㅓ (eo): 더, 러.
- Say each block evenly. Korean doesn’t stress one syllable over the others the way English does, so Douglas sounds like deo-geul-reo-seu.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 더글러스 ends in a vowel, so you say 제 이름은 더글러스예요 (je ireumeun deogeulleoseuyeyo). With friends, Koreans add 야 (ya) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 더글러스 씨 or 더글러스 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.