Tyler, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 타 | ㅌ + ㅏ | ㅌ t ㅏ a, as in “father” | ta |
| 일 | ㅇ + ㅣ + ㄹ | ㅇ silent at the start ㅣ i, as in “see” ㄹ l at the end | il |
| 러 | ㄹ + ㅓ | ㄹ l (after another ㄹ) ㅓ eo, like the u in “up” | reo |
Why Tyler is written this way
- Between vowels, the “l” sound is written with two ㄹ — 일러 — so it stays a clear “l”. A single ㄹ there would sound more like a soft “r”.
- 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”.
- The long “i” of “Mike” or “Ryan” is written as two vowels, 아 + 이: 타일.
- The relaxed “uh” sound — like the u in “fun” or the -er in “Peter” — is written ㅓ (eo): 러.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 타일러 ends in a vowel, so you say 제 이름은 타일러예요 (je ireumeun tailleoyeyo). With friends, Koreans add 야 (ya) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 타일러 씨 or 타일러 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.