Walter, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 월 | ㅇ + ㅝ + ㄹ | ㅇ silent at the start ㅝ wo, like “wo” in “won” ㄹ l at the end | wol |
| 터 | ㅌ + ㅓ | ㅌ t ㅓ eo, like the u in “up” | teo |
Why Walter 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”.
- The relaxed “uh” sound — like the u in “fun” or the -er in “Peter” — is written ㅓ (eo): 터.
- Korean makes the “w” sound by joining two vowels into one: ㅗ or ㅜ plus the next vowel — 월.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 월터 ends in a vowel, so you say 제 이름은 월터예요 (je ireumeun wolteoyeyo). With friends, Koreans add 야 (ya) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 월터 씨 or 월터 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.