Ivy, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 아 | ㅇ + ㅏ | ㅇ silent at the start ㅏ a, as in “father” | a |
| 이 | ㅇ + ㅣ | ㅇ silent at the start ㅣ i, as in “see” | i |
| 비 | ㅂ + ㅣ | ㅂ b ㅣ i, as in “see” | bi |
Why Ivy is written this way
- Korean has no “v” sound, so ㅂ (b) is used: 비.
- The long “i” of “Mike” or “Ryan” is written as two vowels, 아 + 이: 아이.
- Say each block evenly. Korean doesn’t stress one syllable over the others the way English does, so Ivy sounds like a-i-bi.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 아이비 ends in a vowel, so you say 제 이름은 아이비예요 (je ireumeun aibiyeyo). With friends, Koreans add 야 (ya) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 아이비 씨 or 아이비 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.