Adam, 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 |
| 덤 | ㄷ + ㅓ + ㅁ | ㄷ d ㅓ eo, like the u in “up” ㅁ m at the end | deom |
Why Adam is written this way
- The short “a” of “cat” is written ㅐ (ae): 애.
- The relaxed “uh” sound — like the u in “fun” or the -er in “Peter” — is written ㅓ (eo): 덤.
- Adam ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 덤 has ㅁ at the bottom.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 애덤 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 애덤이에요 (je ireumeun aedeomieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 애덤 씨 or 애덤 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.