Elizabeth, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 엘 | ㅇ + ㅔ + ㄹ | ㅇ silent at the start ㅔ e, as in “bed” ㄹ l at the end | el |
| 리 | ㄹ + ㅣ | ㄹ l (after another ㄹ) ㅣ i, as in “see” | ri |
| 자 | ㅈ + ㅏ | ㅈ j ㅏ a, as in “father” | ja |
| 베 | ㅂ + ㅔ | ㅂ b ㅔ e, as in “bed” | be |
| 스 | ㅅ + ㅡ | ㅅ s ㅡ eu, like “oo” said with spread lips | seu |
Why Elizabeth is written this way
- Between vowels, the “l” sound is written with two ㄹ — 엘리 — so it stays a clear “l”. A single ㄹ there would sound more like a soft “r”.
- Korean syllables can’t end in most consonant sounds, and two consonants can’t start one, so a soft ㅡ (eu) is added: 스. Say it lightly — it is barely heard.
- Korean has no “th” sound. It is usually written ㅅ (s), or ㅌ (t) / ㄷ (d) when that is closer to how the name is said.
- Korean has no “z” sound, so ㅈ (j) is used: 자.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 엘리자베스 ends in a vowel, so you say 제 이름은 엘리자베스예요 (je ireumeun ellijabeseuyeyo). With friends, Koreans add 야 (ya) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 엘리자베스 씨 or 엘리자베스 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.