Samuel, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 새 | ㅅ + ㅐ | ㅅ s ㅐ ae, like the a in “cat” | sae |
| 뮤 | ㅁ + ㅠ | ㅁ m ㅠ yu, like “you” | myu |
| 얼 | ㅇ + ㅓ + ㄹ | ㅇ silent at the start ㅓ eo, like the u in “up” ㄹ l at the end | eol |
Why Samuel is written this way
- The short “a” of “cat” is written ㅐ (ae): 새.
- The relaxed “uh” sound — like the u in “fun” or the -er in “Peter” — is written ㅓ (eo): 얼.
- Samuel ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 얼 has ㄹ at the bottom.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 새뮤얼 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 새뮤얼이에요 (je ireumeun saemyueorieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 새뮤얼 씨 or 새뮤얼 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.