Stanley, 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 |
| 탠 | ㅌ + ㅐ + ㄴ | ㅌ t ㅐ ae, like the a in “cat” ㄴ n at the end | taen |
| 리 | ㄹ + ㅣ | ㄹ r (a light, flapped r) ㅣ i, as in “see” | ri |
Why Stanley is written this way
- 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.
- The short “a” of “cat” is written ㅐ (ae): 탠.
- Say each block evenly. Korean doesn’t stress one syllable over the others the way English does, so Stanley sounds like seu-taen-ri.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 스탠리 ends in a vowel, so you say 제 이름은 스탠리예요 (je ireumeun seutaenriyeyo). With friends, Koreans add 야 (ya) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 스탠리 씨 or 스탠리 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.