Michael, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 마 | ㅁ + ㅏ | ㅁ m ㅏ a, as in “father” | ma |
| 이 | ㅇ + ㅣ | ㅇ silent at the start ㅣ i, as in “see” | i |
| 클 | ㅋ + ㅡ + ㄹ | ㅋ k ㅡ eu, like “oo” said with spread lips ㄹ l at the end | keul |
Why Michael is written this way
- The long “i” of “Mike” or “Ryan” is written as two vowels, 아 + 이: 마이.
- Michael ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 클 has ㄹ at the bottom.
- Say each block evenly. Korean doesn’t stress one syllable over the others the way English does, so Michael sounds like ma-i-keul.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 마이클 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 마이클이에요 (je ireumeun maikeurieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 마이클 씨 or 마이클 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.