Wendy, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 웬 | ㅇ + ㅞ + ㄴ | ㅇ silent at the start ㅞ we, as in “wet” ㄴ n at the end | wen |
| 디 | ㄷ + ㅣ | ㄷ d ㅣ i, as in “see” | di |
Why Wendy is written this way
- Korean makes the “w” sound by joining two vowels into one: ㅗ or ㅜ plus the next vowel — 웬.
- Say each block evenly. Korean doesn’t stress one syllable over the others the way English does, so Wendy sounds like wen-di.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 웬디 ends in a vowel, so you say 제 이름은 웬디예요 (je ireumeun wendiyeyo). With friends, Koreans add 야 (ya) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 웬디 씨 or 웬디 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.