Helen, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 헬 | ㅎ + ㅔ + ㄹ | ㅎ h ㅔ e, as in “bed” ㄹ l at the end | hel |
| 렌 | ㄹ + ㅔ + ㄴ | ㄹ l (after another ㄹ) ㅔ e, as in “bed” ㄴ n at the end | ren |
Why Helen is written this way
- Between vowels, the “l” sound is written with two ㄹ — 헬렌 — so it stays a clear “l”. A single ㄹ there would sound more like a soft “r”.
- Helen ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 렌 has ㄴ at the bottom.
- Say each block evenly. Korean doesn’t stress one syllable over the others the way English does, so Helen sounds like hel-ren.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 헬렌 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 헬렌이에요 (je ireumeun hellenieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 헬렌 씨 or 헬렌 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.