Carmen, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 카 | ㅋ + ㅏ | ㅋ k ㅏ a, as in “father” | ka |
| 르 | ㄹ + ㅡ | ㄹ r (a light, flapped r) ㅡ eu, like “oo” said with spread lips | reu |
| 멘 | ㅁ + ㅔ + ㄴ | ㅁ m ㅔ e, as in “bed” ㄴ n at the end | men |
Why Carmen 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: 르. Say it lightly — it is barely heard.
- Carmen ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 멘 has ㄴ at the bottom.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 카르멘 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 카르멘이에요 (je ireumeun kareumenieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 카르멘 씨 or 카르멘 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.