Abigail, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 애 | ㅇ + ㅐ | ㅇ silent at the start ㅐ ae, like the a in “cat” | ae |
| 비 | ㅂ + ㅣ | ㅂ b ㅣ i, as in “see” | bi |
| 게 | ㄱ + ㅔ | ㄱ g ㅔ e, as in “bed” | ge |
| 일 | ㅇ + ㅣ + ㄹ | ㅇ silent at the start ㅣ i, as in “see” ㄹ l at the end | il |
Why Abigail is written this way
- The “ay” sound of “day” is written as two vowels, 에 + 이: 게일.
- The short “a” of “cat” is written ㅐ (ae): 애.
- Abigail ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 일 has ㄹ at the bottom.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 애비게일 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 애비게일이에요 (je ireumeun aebigeirieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 애비게일 씨 or 애비게일 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.