Ivan, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 이 | ㅇ + ㅣ | ㅇ silent at the start ㅣ i, as in “see” | i |
| 반 | ㅂ + ㅏ + ㄴ | ㅂ b ㅏ a, as in “father” ㄴ n at the end | ban |
Why Ivan is written this way
- Korean has no “v” sound, so ㅂ (b) is used: 반.
- Ivan ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 반 has ㄴ at the bottom.
- Say each block evenly. Korean doesn’t stress one syllable over the others the way English does, so Ivan sounds like i-ban.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 이반 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 이반이에요 (je ireumeun ibanieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 이반 씨 or 이반 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.