Nicole, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 니 | ㄴ + ㅣ | ㄴ n ㅣ i, as in “see” | ni |
| 콜 | ㅋ + ㅗ + ㄹ | ㅋ k ㅗ o, as in “go” (shorter) ㄹ l at the end | kol |
Why Nicole is written this way
- Nicole ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 콜 has ㄹ at the bottom.
- Say each block evenly. Korean doesn’t stress one syllable over the others the way English does, so Nicole sounds like ni-kol.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 니콜 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 니콜이에요 (je ireumeun nikorieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 니콜 씨 or 니콜 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.