Jennifer, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 제 | ㅈ + ㅔ | ㅈ j ㅔ e, as in “bed” | je |
| 니 | ㄴ + ㅣ | ㄴ n ㅣ i, as in “see” | ni |
| 퍼 | ㅍ + ㅓ | ㅍ p ㅓ eo, like the u in “up” | peo |
Why Jennifer is written this way
- The “r” in Jennifer is not written. In Korean spelling, an “r” after a vowel is silent — much like in British English.
- Korean has no “f” sound, so it becomes a “p” sound — ㅍ, or ㅂ at the bottom of a block.
- The relaxed “uh” sound — like the u in “fun” or the -er in “Peter” — is written ㅓ (eo): 퍼.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 제니퍼 ends in a vowel, so you say 제 이름은 제니퍼예요 (je ireumeun jenipeoyeyo). With friends, Koreans add 야 (ya) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 제니퍼 씨 or 제니퍼 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.