Elsa, 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 |
| 사 | ㅅ + ㅏ | ㅅ s ㅏ a, as in “father” | sa |
Why Elsa is written this way
- Every sound in Elsa has a close match in Korean, so it is spelled just as it sounds: 엘 (el) + 사 (sa).
- Say each block evenly. Korean doesn’t stress one syllable over the others the way English does, so Elsa sounds like el-sa.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 엘사 ends in a vowel, so you say 제 이름은 엘사예요 (je ireumeun elsayeyo). With friends, Koreans add 야 (ya) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 엘사 씨 or 엘사 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.