Hazel, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 헤 | ㅎ + ㅔ | ㅎ h ㅔ e, as in “bed” | he |
| 이 | ㅇ + ㅣ | ㅇ silent at the start ㅣ i, as in “see” | i |
| 즐 | ㅈ + ㅡ + ㄹ | ㅈ j ㅡ eu, like “oo” said with spread lips ㄹ l at the end | jeul |
Why Hazel is written this way
- Korean has no “z” sound, so ㅈ (j) is used: 즐.
- The “ay” sound of “day” is written as two vowels, 에 + 이: 헤이.
- Hazel ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 즐 has ㄹ at the bottom.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 헤이즐 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 헤이즐이에요 (je ireumeun heijeurieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 헤이즐 씨 or 헤이즐 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.