Eleanor, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 엘 | ㅇ + ㅔ + ㄹ | ㅇ silent at the start ㅔ e, as in “bed” ㄹ l at the end | el |
| 리 | ㄹ + ㅣ | ㄹ l (after another ㄹ) ㅣ i, as in “see” | ri |
| 너 | ㄴ + ㅓ | ㄴ n ㅓ eo, like the u in “up” | neo |
Why Eleanor is written this way
- Between vowels, the “l” sound is written with two ㄹ — 엘리 — 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 relaxed “uh” sound — like the u in “fun” or the -er in “Peter” — is written ㅓ (eo): 너.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 엘리너 ends in a vowel, so you say 제 이름은 엘리너예요 (je ireumeun ellineoyeyo). With friends, Koreans add 야 (ya) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 엘리너 씨 or 엘리너 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.