Scarlett, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 스 | ㅅ + ㅡ | ㅅ s ㅡ eu, like “oo” said with spread lips | seu |
| 칼 | ㅋ + ㅏ + ㄹ | ㅋ k ㅏ a, as in “father” ㄹ l at the end | kal |
| 렛 | ㄹ + ㅔ + ㅅ | ㄹ l (after another ㄹ) ㅔ e, as in “bed” ㅅ t (unreleased) at the end | ret |
Why Scarlett is written this way
- Korean has one letter, ㄹ, for both “r” and “l”. At the start of a syllable it is a light, flapped sound between the two; at the end of a block it sounds like “l”.
- Korean syllables can’t end in most consonant sounds, and two consonants can’t start one, so a soft ㅡ (eu) is added: 스. Say it lightly — it is barely heard.
- Scarlett ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 렛 has ㅅ at the bottom.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 스칼렛 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 스칼렛이에요 (je ireumeun seukallesieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 스칼렛 씨 or 스칼렛 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.