Isabella, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 이 | ㅇ + ㅣ | ㅇ silent at the start ㅣ i, as in “see” | i |
| 사 | ㅅ + ㅏ | ㅅ s ㅏ a, as in “father” | sa |
| 벨 | ㅂ + ㅔ + ㄹ | ㅂ b ㅔ e, as in “bed” ㄹ l at the end | bel |
| 라 | ㄹ + ㅏ | ㄹ l (after another ㄹ) ㅏ a, as in “father” | ra |
Why Isabella is written this way
- Between vowels, the “l” sound is written with two ㄹ — 벨라 — so it stays a clear “l”. A single ㄹ there would sound more like a soft “r”.
- Say each block evenly. Korean doesn’t stress one syllable over the others the way English does, so Isabella sounds like i-sa-bel-ra.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 이사벨라 ends in a vowel, so you say 제 이름은 이사벨라예요 (je ireumeun isabellayeyo). With friends, Koreans add 야 (ya) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 이사벨라 씨 or 이사벨라 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.