Neil, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 닐 | ㄴ + ㅣ + ㄹ | ㄴ n ㅣ i, as in “see” ㄹ l at the end | nil |
Why Neil is written this way
- Neil ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 닐 has ㄹ at the bottom.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 닐 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 닐이에요 (je ireumeun nirieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 닐 씨 or 닐 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.