Tom, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 톰 | ㅌ + ㅗ + ㅁ | ㅌ t ㅗ o, as in “go” (shorter) ㅁ m at the end | tom |
Why Tom is written this way
- Tom ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 톰 has ㅁ at the bottom.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 톰 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 톰이에요 (je ireumeun tomieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 톰 씨 or 톰 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.