Gabriel, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 가 | ㄱ + ㅏ | ㄱ g ㅏ a, as in “father” | ga |
| 브 | ㅂ + ㅡ | ㅂ b ㅡ eu, like “oo” said with spread lips | beu |
| 리 | ㄹ + ㅣ | ㄹ r (a light, flapped r) ㅣ i, as in “see” | ri |
| 엘 | ㅇ + ㅔ + ㄹ | ㅇ silent at the start ㅔ e, as in “bed” ㄹ l at the end | el |
Why Gabriel 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.
- Gabriel ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 엘 has ㄹ at the bottom.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 가브리엘 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 가브리엘이에요 (je ireumeun gabeurierieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 가브리엘 씨 or 가브리엘 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.