Philip, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 필 | ㅍ + ㅣ + ㄹ | ㅍ p ㅣ i, as in “see” ㄹ l at the end | pil |
| 립 | ㄹ + ㅣ + ㅂ | ㄹ l (after another ㄹ) ㅣ i, as in “see” ㅂ p (unreleased) at the end | rip |
Why Philip is written this way
- Between vowels, the “l” sound is written with two ㄹ — 필립 — so it stays a clear “l”. A single ㄹ there would sound more like a soft “r”.
- Korean has no “f” sound, so it becomes a “p” sound — ㅍ, or ㅂ at the bottom of a block.
- Philip ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 립 has ㅂ at the bottom.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 필립 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 필립이에요 (je ireumeun pillibieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 필립 씨 or 필립 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.