Erin, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 에 | ㅇ + ㅔ | ㅇ silent at the start ㅔ e, as in “bed” | e |
| 린 | ㄹ + ㅣ + ㄴ | ㄹ r (a light, flapped r) ㅣ i, as in “see” ㄴ n at the end | rin |
Why Erin is written this way
- 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”.
- Erin ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 린 has ㄴ at the bottom.
- Say each block evenly. Korean doesn’t stress one syllable over the others the way English does, so Erin sounds like e-rin.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 에린 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 에린이에요 (je ireumeun erinieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 에린 씨 or 에린 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.