Judy, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 주 | ㅈ + ㅜ | ㅈ j ㅜ u, as in “moon” | ju |
| 디 | ㄷ + ㅣ | ㄷ d ㅣ i, as in “see” | di |
Why Judy is written this way
- Every sound in Judy has a close match in Korean, so it is spelled just as it sounds: 주 (ju) + 디 (di).
- Say each block evenly. Korean doesn’t stress one syllable over the others the way English does, so Judy sounds like ju-di.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 주디 ends in a vowel, so you say 제 이름은 주디예요 (je ireumeun judiyeyo). With friends, Koreans add 야 (ya) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 주디 씨 or 주디 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.