Brenda, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 브 | ㅂ + ㅡ | ㅂ b ㅡ eu, like “oo” said with spread lips | beu |
| 렌 | ㄹ + ㅔ + ㄴ | ㄹ r (a light, flapped r) ㅔ e, as in “bed” ㄴ n at the end | ren |
| 다 | ㄷ + ㅏ | ㄷ d ㅏ a, as in “father” | da |
Why Brenda 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”.
- Korean syllables can’t end in most consonant sounds, and two consonants can’t start one, so a soft ㅡ (eu) is added: 브. Say it lightly — it is barely heard.
- Say each block evenly. Korean doesn’t stress one syllable over the others the way English does, so Brenda sounds like beu-ren-da.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 브렌다 ends in a vowel, so you say 제 이름은 브렌다예요 (je ireumeun beurendayeyo). With friends, Koreans add 야 (ya) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 브렌다 씨 or 브렌다 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.