Melissa, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 멜 | ㅁ + ㅔ + ㄹ | ㅁ m ㅔ e, as in “bed” ㄹ l at the end | mel |
| 리 | ㄹ + ㅣ | ㄹ l (after another ㄹ) ㅣ i, as in “see” | ri |
| 사 | ㅅ + ㅏ | ㅅ s ㅏ a, as in “father” | sa |
Why Melissa is written this way
- Between vowels, the “l” sound is written with two ㄹ — 멜리 — 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 Melissa sounds like mel-ri-sa.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 멜리사 ends in a vowel, so you say 제 이름은 멜리사예요 (je ireumeun mellisayeyo). With friends, Koreans add 야 (ya) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 멜리사 씨 or 멜리사 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.