Jonathan, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 조 | ㅈ + ㅗ | ㅈ j ㅗ o, as in “go” (shorter) | jo |
| 나 | ㄴ + ㅏ | ㄴ n ㅏ a, as in “father” | na |
| 단 | ㄷ + ㅏ + ㄴ | ㄷ d ㅏ a, as in “father” ㄴ n at the end | dan |
Why Jonathan is written this way
- Korean has no “th” sound. It is usually written ㅅ (s), or ㅌ (t) / ㄷ (d) when that is closer to how the name is said.
- Jonathan ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 단 has ㄴ at the bottom.
- Say each block evenly. Korean doesn’t stress one syllable over the others the way English does, so Jonathan sounds like jo-na-dan.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 조나단 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 조나단이에요 (je ireumeun jonadanieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 조나단 씨 or 조나단 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.