Janet, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 재 | ㅈ + ㅐ | ㅈ j ㅐ ae, like the a in “cat” | jae |
| 닛 | ㄴ + ㅣ + ㅅ | ㄴ n ㅣ i, as in “see” ㅅ t (unreleased) at the end | nit |
Why Janet is written this way
- The short “a” of “cat” is written ㅐ (ae): 재.
- Janet ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 닛 has ㅅ at the bottom.
- Say each block evenly. Korean doesn’t stress one syllable over the others the way English does, so Janet sounds like jae-nit.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 재닛 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 재닛이에요 (je ireumeun jaenisieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 재닛 씨 or 재닛 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.