Clara, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 클 | ㅋ + ㅡ + ㄹ | ㅋ k ㅡ eu, like “oo” said with spread lips ㄹ l at the end | keul |
| 라 | ㄹ + ㅏ | ㄹ l (after another ㄹ) ㅏ a, as in “father” | ra |
| 라 | ㄹ + ㅏ | ㄹ r (a light, flapped r) ㅏ a, as in “father” | ra |
Why Clara 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”.
- Say each block evenly. Korean doesn’t stress one syllable over the others the way English does, so Clara sounds like keul-ra-ra.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 클라라 ends in a vowel, so you say 제 이름은 클라라예요 (je ireumeun keullarayeyo). With friends, Koreans add 야 (ya) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 클라라 씨 or 클라라 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.