Shannon, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 섀 | ㅅ + ㅒ | ㅅ s ㅒ yae | syae |
| 넌 | ㄴ + ㅓ + ㄴ | ㄴ n ㅓ eo, like the u in “up” ㄴ n at the end | neon |
Why Shannon is written this way
- The “sh” sound is written as ㅅ plus a “y” vowel or ㅣ: 섀.
- The relaxed “uh” sound — like the u in “fun” or the -er in “Peter” — is written ㅓ (eo): 넌.
- Shannon ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 넌 has ㄴ at the bottom.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 섀넌 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 섀넌이에요 (je ireumeun syaeneonieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 섀넌 씨 or 섀넌 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.