Michelle, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 미 | ㅁ + ㅣ | ㅁ m ㅣ i, as in “see” | mi |
| 셸 | ㅅ + ㅖ + ㄹ | ㅅ s ㅖ ye, as in “yes” ㄹ l at the end | syel |
Why Michelle is written this way
- Michelle ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 셸 has ㄹ at the bottom.
- Say each block evenly. Korean doesn’t stress one syllable over the others the way English does, so Michelle sounds like mi-syel.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 미셸 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 미셸이에요 (je ireumeun misyerieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 미셸 씨 or 미셸 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.