Brian, 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 |
| 라 | ㄹ + ㅏ | ㄹ r (a light, flapped r) ㅏ a, as in “father” | ra |
| 이 | ㅇ + ㅣ | ㅇ silent at the start ㅣ i, as in “see” | i |
| 언 | ㅇ + ㅓ + ㄴ | ㅇ silent at the start ㅓ eo, like the u in “up” ㄴ n at the end | eon |
Why Brian 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.
- The long “i” of “Mike” or “Ryan” is written as two vowels, 아 + 이: 라이.
- The relaxed “uh” sound — like the u in “fun” or the -er in “Peter” — is written ㅓ (eo): 언.
- Brian ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 언 has ㄴ at the bottom.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 브라이언 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 브라이언이에요 (je ireumeun beuraieonieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 브라이언 씨 or 브라이언 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.