Colin, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 콜 | ㅋ + ㅗ + ㄹ | ㅋ k ㅗ o, as in “go” (shorter) ㄹ l at the end | kol |
| 린 | ㄹ + ㅣ + ㄴ | ㄹ l (after another ㄹ) ㅣ i, as in “see” ㄴ n at the end | rin |
Why Colin is written this way
- Between vowels, the “l” sound is written with two ㄹ — 콜린 — so it stays a clear “l”. A single ㄹ there would sound more like a soft “r”.
- Colin ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 린 has ㄴ at the bottom.
- Say each block evenly. Korean doesn’t stress one syllable over the others the way English does, so Colin sounds like kol-rin.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 콜린 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 콜린이에요 (je ireumeun kollinieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 콜린 씨 or 콜린 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.